International professional services firms nab top spots

Kuala Lumpur, 05 November 2009: GTI Media (GTI) announced the list of 100 most sought after employers yesterday at the Malaysia’s 100 Leading Graduate Employers Awards 2009. The ritzy affair was graced by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Yang Berhormat Senator Dato’ T. Murugiah.

International professional services firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers claimed the top spot in the overall rankings, knocking 2008’s winner, Shell, down two places. Ernst & Young came in second.

Did you make it to the list? Download a high quality PDF (recommended) or JPEG (Right click > Save Link As) of the Malaysia’s 100 graduate employer stamp to use in your employer branding materials!

Berjaya Group Bhd climbed a massive 67 places, landing at number ten. Other new entries in the top ten include Sime Darby Bhd, Bank Negara Malaysia, Deloitte and MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems.

Yang Berhormat Senator Dato’ T. Murugiah recognised GTI’s efforts in career research and education. “I am pleased to see GTI Media taking the lead in conducting this important research to encourage employers alike to communicate better with graduates and other job seekers with regard to the factors or criteria they seek in their prospective recruits as well as their existing employees.”

GTI acknowledged industry leaders in ten sectors. Sector winners are as follows.

The results are based on the Malaysian Student and Graduate Barometer 2009. The survey was compiled by trendence, Europe’s leading employer branding, personnel marketing and recruiting research institute.

GTI received encouraging response from employers, students and fresh graduates. Nickie Yew, Regional Director and General Manager of GTI Media (Malaysia) said “We are thrilled to have the support from more employers this year. The number of students and fresh graduates who participated in the survey has increased and we are confident that we will do even better next year.”

Michele Lam, publishing director of GTI said according to the survey, “Malaysian students most prize “professional development/training (54.2%), job security (53.8%), and promotion opportunities (52.2%). Despite all the headlines of the global economic crisis, the prevailing feeling is one of buoyancy: an emphatic 84.2% of respondents report being ‘optimistic’ about their post-graduation career prospects.”

According to GTI founder and international managing director, Adrian Wood, the “benefit of a trendence research is that it allows organisations to understand the current perceptions of students to their company, their sector and the graduate employment market as a whole. They are able to benchmark their brand against named competitors.”

This year’s finding will be published in the Malaysia’s 100 Leading Graduate Employers 2009 directory in early 2010. The next Malaysian Student and Graduate Barometer will begin in January 2010.

For the full ranking, click here.
For the full list of winners and nominees, click here.