Google world's top employer for MBAs: Fortune

Internet search giant Google has emerged as the world's top employer for MBA graduates for the third year in row, according to the Fortune 
magazine.

Google has been ranked at the first place in the list of top 100 employers for B-school graduates, with over 20 per cent MBA graduates wishing to work at the firm for its stellar reputation and innovative work environment.

The Top 100 MBA employers' list, comprising of firms where B-school students most want to work, was compiled by Fortune.com based on an exclusive survey by research firm Universum.

The magazine stated that Google is still hiring amid the downturn and its job postings seek MBAs for marketing, people operations, finance, advertising, sales, general management, partnership development and other openings.

The search giant is followed by consulting firm McKinsey & Company (2nd), Bain & Co (3rd), financial services major Goldman Sachs Group (4th), and tech giant Apple (5th).

About McKinsey & Co, itsaid: "The management consulting firm has produced more chief executives than any other company worldwide and that's partly why it's ranked No. 1 or No. 2 among MBAs' most desirable employers every year since 1996."

Despite the financial crisis fallout, Goldman Sachs has kept a golden reputation and continues to rank very high among MBA graduates ready to launch a career in banking, Forbes said.

"B-school grads are also attracted to the opportunity to get even more education at Goldman Sachs University, an extensive training programme for incoming associates," Fortune said.

Further, Apple has been ranked in the top 10 on the 100 Top MBA Employers list for four years running, while this year it slipped a spot to fifth rank.

Interestingly, MBA students' expect to earn an annual base salary of $98,403 in 2009, up 9 per cent from $90,232 in 2008, the magazine revealed.

Other companies in the top 10 are - The Boston Consulting Group (6th), Walt Disney (7th), Nike (8th), JP Morgan (9th) and Johnson & Johnson (10th).

Further, tech giant Microsoft has been ranked at 12th place and it is even hiring amid the downturn with has positions for MBAs in marketing, finance, corporate strategy, development, sales and supply chain.

Soft drinks majors Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have been placed at the 19th and 20th spots in the list of 100 top employers for MBAs.