Home – Home – Jornals – Region: Economics and Sociology 2021 number 1

The article presents the results of a survey of students at a large Ural university to learn their opinion on factors making a company an employer of choice, interest in internships, criteria for choosing jobs, and potential forms of interaction with employers. The survey was conducted online among (n = 832) students of different faculties, courses, and modes of study at a regional university. When choosing a job, students are guided by wages, opportunities for professional self-actualization, availability of social guarantees, convenient working hours, the company’s ability to train and develop its employees. Most students look to gain work experience and do internships while also continuing their university studies. According to students, the ideal host company provides an experience that will undoubtedly be useful in work or employment. For students, internships are a valuable aspect of how universities and employers interact from the standpoint of future employment. They consider internships to be many things: work experience, a job related to their degree, and a way to get into the organization’s candidate pool. The most viable methods to gather data on internships are contacts with company employees, its website, judgment from teachers and university staff, and the Internet. Research findings may be used to structure and shape fruitful interaction between universities and employers: one should take into account modern students’ pragmatism and practicality. It is necessary to tackle such formats as paid internships, offering jobs to the best interns or graduates, arranging conferences, seminars, and regular meetings. Understanding the mindsets of today’s students, companies will be able to consider the special qualities of their future employees and trainees when employing and onboarding.