Spotlight for Recruiting and Employment Professionals, June 8, 2011   

Students from the Class of 2011 prefer to launch their careers in the professional services, education, government, or healthcare industries, according to results of NACE’s 2011 Student Survey.  

When asked to choose their top-three preferred industries for a job, 27.7 percent of responses indicated professional services, followed by 24.3 percent for education and 20.1 percent for both government and healthcare.    

Meanwhile, utilities (1.6 percent) and wholesale trade (1.7 percent) were the least-preferred industries among the Class of 2011. Following is a list of the target industries. Please note that the percentages do not add to 100 because respondents could choose multiple industries.

The 2011 Student Survey was conducted mid-February through April 30, 2011. More than 50,000 students nationwide, including nearly 20,000 graduating seniors, took part in this year’s survey. Information in this story is based on data gathered from graduating senior respondents.