Google - 'most attractive employer' - graduate jobs

The most attractive employer to business and engineering graduates is internet search engine giant Google.

The company finished first in a list of the top 50 global businesses and engineering companies, according to a survey conducted by worldwide employer branding firm Universum.

The internet giant emerging as the preferred option came as no surprise to researchers, who said Google's rapidly-expanding branding was working in its favour.

Professional services firm Pricewaterhouse emerged as the second most sought-after company by business school graduates, while engineering graduates favoured Microsoft as their second preference.

Business students put Microsoft in third place, followed in descending order by Goldman Sachs Group, Ernst & Young, P&G, JP Morgan, KPMG, Mckinsey & Company and Deloitte.

Universum said the unifying feature among the top 50 most sought-after companies is that they all successfully appeal to current and future talent, and they are "aware of how scarce that talent is".

Soft drink giant Coca-Cola clinched 13th place, while Citigroup bagged 21st place in the business students' list.