More Than 2,000 High School Seniors Reveal College, Career and Lifestyle Plans Despite Current Trend toward Boomeranging, Few Students Anticipate Moving Home After College GraduationMAYNARD, Mass., May 21, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The high school graduating class of 2007 is a tenacious and
well-connected demographic, according to Monster's first annual
nationwide survey of graduating seniors. Among the findings,
two-thirds of those surveyed already have work experience under their
belts as they commence the next phase of their life, whether that
involves pursuing higher education, beginning their career or entering
the military. Monster is the leading global online careers and
recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc.
(NASDAQ: MNST).
"Monster's inaugural High School Graduate Survey shows that
seniors are not passively waiting for opportunity to knock on their
door - they have strategic post-graduation plans and they realize it
is never too early to consider their long-term career path," said
Diana Nicholson, senior vice president and general manager of Monster
Youth. "Many students already have an intended major and are
aggressively preparing for their future now."
College Choices and Financing
The Monster survey reveals that for students choosing college as
their post-high school course:
-- Most plan to call a public, medium-sized university in an
urban location home for the next four years.
-- Eighty-three percent view the availability of their intended
major as the most important factor in choosing their future
university, with the availability of financial aid packages a
close second.
-- Interestingly, the presence of fraternities and sororities was
cited as the least important factor in attracting incoming
freshmen.
To finance higher education, 80 percent of students surveyed plan
to utilize scholarships, 48 percent will rely on their parents and 46
percent will use their own income as the primary means for footing the
bill. Additionally, nearly 75 percent of students responding plan to
rely upon Federal financial aid assistance, while 34 percent will take
advantage of private student loans in order to close the gap between
available Federal assistance and the rapidly-increasing cost of higher
education.
Career Plans and Future Aspirations
Forty-one percent of seniors headed straight into the workforce
have already secured employment. Additionally, three-fourths of
students continuing on to college plan to work while they pursue their
studies and nearly half plan to volunteer. Although only 44 percent
plan to complete an internship during college, students should note
that relevant work experience and personal characteristics are cited
as the most important factors in hiring recent college graduates,
according to an earlier 2007 survey of entry-level hiring managers by
MonsterTRAK, the student division of Monster.
However, high schoolers are serious about their long-term career
goals and do not expect to job hop upon entering the workforce. This
is evidenced by the 63 percent of seniors who report they plan to hold
only one or two jobs within their first 10 years of employment. When
looking for their first job, students cite growth opportunities, job
fulfillment and work environment as the most important factors, and
view retirement plans and occupation title as the least important.
According to the survey, the top anticipated majors for incoming
college freshmen are healthcare, education and social services,
engineering and science/bio-pharmaceutical, suggesting a talented
pipeline of future candidates in these respective growth fields. This
is especially encouraging news for the healthcare and education
sectors, given the current skills shortage within these industries.
Lifestyle Perceptions and Communication Preferences
While only seven percent of high school students plan to
"boomerang" home after college, their perception may not be entirely
realistic; nearly half of this year's college graduates anticipate
spending at least some time living at home after graduation, according
to MonsterTRAK's 2007 survey of college students.
The survey also revealed that while high school students generally
communicate through multiple channels - including social networking
sites, email, text messaging and instant messaging - the preferred
means of communication for the "Internet Generation" is, surprisingly,
talking on the telephone. Not to be discounted, social networking is
also extremely popular among high school students - three-in-four
maintain an online profile.
"Students need to realize the importance of portraying a positive
image online, as the general public, including college administrators
and future employers, have access to the information," added
Nicholson. "A startling statistic from Monster's survey of graduating
high school seniors shows that only 30 percent of students plan to
modify their online profile when looking for a job."
Survey Methodology
Monster's 2007 High School Graduate Survey was conducted via its
Making It Count and FastWeb sites, where students were invited to
participate in the survey, which was completed by more than 2,000 high
school students nationwide.
About Monster Worldwide
Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST), parent company of
Monster(R), the premier global online employment solution for more
than a decade, strives to bring people together to advance their
lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe,
and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with
quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career
advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services,
Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers.
Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the NASDAQ 100.
To learn more about Monster's industry-leading products and services,
visit www.monster.com. More information about Monster Worldwide is
available at www.monsterworldwide.com.
Special Note: Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information
contained herein, the statements made in this release constitute
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve certain risks and
uncertainties, including statements regarding Monster Worldwide,
Inc.'s strategic direction, prospects and future results. Certain
factors, including factors outside of Monster Worldwide's control, may
cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the
forward- looking statements, including economic and other conditions
in the markets in which Monster Worldwide operates, risks associated
with acquisitions, competition, seasonality and the other risks
discussed in Monster Worldwide's Form 10-K and other filings made with
the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE: Monster Worldwide, Inc.
Monster
Tara Murray, 978-461-8126
tara.murray@monster.com
or
Weber Shandwick (For Monster)
Hilary Blowers, 617-520-7091
hblowers@webershandwick.com