The Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) sector has emerged as the most popular industry of choice for the 2009 batch of management graduates. The latest Nielsen Campus Track–B School Survey states.

Vatsala Pant, associate director, The Nielsen Company, said: “Preferences seem to have shifted in favour of large business conglomerates and the IT sector as a consequence of the current global financial turmoil. In particular, students are opting for FMCG companies over the financial sector.”

Management Consulting (35 per cent), Software/IT Consulting (23 per cent), Foreign Banks and Retailing (both 22 per cent) join FMCG as the five most popular sectors for students, reflecting a change in order of preference.

The survey interviewed around 1,311 management students from the top 40 management institutes. According to the Nielsen survey, a students’ dream company list includes the likes of McKinsey & Co, Google, HUL, Accenture and P&G. Almost 30 per cent of the students named Ratan Tata as their role model.

Personal growth and independence in decision-making are the top factors which students consider before joining a company. The other important factors for students before zeroing in on a company include take-home salary, reputation of the company and flexible working hours.

The average salary expectation of students from their dream company is Rs 14 lakh this year although more than half the respondents have mentally scaled back their expected salary because of the recent financial market environment, particularly those specialising in finance. Of the five most promising sectors for the future — Retailing (30 per cent) topped the list. Management Consultancies (27 per cent), Entertainment and Media (25 per cent), FMCG (21 per cent) and Investment Banking (19 per cent).

“The retail industry has been growing in popularity with graduates over the last few years. Changing government policies and the influx of foreign banners in the sector, along with the entry of big Indian banners, have combined to form a strong pull for the industry,” said Pant.

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