According to a job expectations and employers’ reputation survey, Bolt Technology has been rated the most attractive employer by Estonian students in 2022; the most preferred employer for experienced employees in Estonia is LHV Bank and the most attractive employer for vocational school students is the Police and Border Guard Board.
The nationwide survey of students from higher education institutions, conducted by Instar, an employer branding agency, takes place yearly and this year was the 13th time it was conducted.
According to the surveyed, in 2022, 73% of university students wanted to work at Bolt. The most preferred employer for experienced employees in Estonia is LHV Bank – 70% of the respondents want to work there. According to the opinion of the students of Estonian vocational schools, the most attractive employer is the Police and Border Guard Board – 50% of all students of vocational schools want to work for them.
According to Mait Palts, the general director of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, an attractive employer has a strong competitive advantage in the labour market, because this kind of organisation has clear values that are valued by both the company’s current employees and potential future colleagues.
Salary expectations increase by two times in the last 13 years
“However, the image of an attractive employer is not born overnight. Contributing to the employer’s image in the long term requires both time and additional resources. In addition, it is not enough just to have a resounding employer branding slogan, but to consciously design a working environment in which employees are satisfied and ready to recommend their employer to others. However, a good image pays off quickly, because it makes it easier to find motivated employees as well as strong partners,” Palts said.
The survey of Estonian students has been conducted yearly since 2010. Bolt has been among the organisations being evaluated since 2019, during which time the attractiveness of the company has grown from year to year.
The survey was conducted in April and May 2022 and it involved nearly 7,000 students, vocational school students, and people with work experience in economics, information technology, construction, humanities, engineering, logistics, and other fields.
In the last thirteen years the survey has taken place, the expectation of the net salary of Estonian students has increased by two times. Over the year, the net salary of students who also work has increased, which was €1,053 per month in 2021 and €1,170 in 2022. At the same time, the expectation of young people’s net wages has increased by €206 over the year to €2,008 per month. In 2021, the net salary expectation for young people was €1,802 per month.
Most students want to do paid work in the private sector
In 2022, interest in becoming an entrepreneur has decreased, compared with the previous year. Eighteen per cent of young people want to be their own employer; the majority, ie 60% of students, want to do paid work in the private sector and 20% want to work in the public sector. Just two per cent of respondents want to work in the third sector – for non-governmental or charity organisations.
In 2022, according to students, the two most important factors influencing the choice of a job are interesting work and equal and fair treatment of employees by the organisation, which was rated as the most important out of 50 factors. The most important selection criteria for 2010 were interesting and developing work content, and equal treatment was in fourth place.
Thirty-four per cent of young people are unsure whether they will find a job that meets their expectations after graduation. Most people want to find a professional job in Estonia, but 36% of students would be very interested in working abroad.
When looking for a job and obtaining information about the employer, 92% of the respondents consider the employer’s website to be an important channel. Trainee programs and job placement environments follow. 90% of young people consider information and recommendations about the employer by the employees of the organisation to be an important information channel.
Top 10 most attractive employers for Estonian university students in 2022 (out of 254):
- Bolt Technology
- Pipedrive
- LHV Bank
- Microsoft (incl. Skype)
- Wise
- Swedbank
- Eesti Energia
- Tallinn Airport
- Starship Technologies
- SEB Bank
Top 10 most attractive employers of Estonian vocational schools in 2022 (out of 225):
- Police and Border Guard Board
- Apollo Group
- LHV Bank
- Swedbank
- Bolt Technology
- Radisson Blu (Hotel Olümpia)
- Rescue Board
- Tallinn Department Store
- Hilton Tallinn Park
- Telia Estonia
Top 10 most attractive employers among the working-age population in Estonia in 2022 (out of 296):
- LHV Bank
- Wise
- Pipedrive
- Microsoft Estonia (incl. Skype)
- Bolt Technology
- Cleveron
- Telia Estonia
- Veriff
- Eesti Energia
- Starship Technologies
Top 5 most attractive employers for economics students in 2022 (out of 254):
- LHV Bank
- Pipedrive
- Wise
- Swedbank
- Bolt Technology
Top 5 most attractive employers for IT students in 2022 (out of 254):
- Pipedrive
- Microsoft Estonia (incl. Skype)
- Wise
- Bolt Technology
- Cybernetica
Top 5 most attractive employers for law students in 2022 (out of 254):
- The Supreme Court
- The ministry of justice
- Lextal Law Firm
- Law Firm Sorainen
- Ellex Raidla Law Firm
Top 5 most attractive employers for tech students in 2022 (out of 254):
- Eesti Energia
- Merko Ehitus
- ABB
- Elektrilevi
- Cleveron
Top 5 most attractive employers for medical students in 2022 (out of 119):
- The Tartu University Hospital
- Confido Medical Centre
- The North Estonia Medical Centre Foundation
- The East Tallinn Central Hospital
- SYNLAB Estonia
Top 5 most attractive employers for students of humanitarian professions in 2022 (out of 254):
- The Estonian Public Broadcasting
- The ministry of education and research
- The University of Tartu
- The ministry of culture
- Postimees Group
