Most Desired Employers- DOS #4

The Department of State was recently ranked fourth in a poll of “young professionals” (college graduates with 1-8 years of work experience) behind Google, Apple, and Disney, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Government agencies, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency, also ranked in the top 10. That might be in part because the federal government hasn’t laid off as many employees as the private sector has, Ms. Do said.

Plus, “Those government agencies can articulate a reason for being that gives employees a sense of purpose,” said Jon Picoult of brand consultant Watermark Consulting. “For young people looking to make a difference in the world, they have a good story to tell.”

While I suppose it’s nice to think about, I’m not sure what this poll is actually asking.  What is the point of asking who someone’s dream employer is?  Perhaps a qualifier should have been added to the question; “For a job relevant to your major, who would your most desired employer be?”  Last I checked there weren’t a whole lot of history graduates (one of the most popular college majors) working for Google or Apple.  In any case, it’s nice to see that State has such a positive image amongst these “young professionals.”  I remember a time when State did not have such an image, and there will probably be periods in the future in which this is the case.