Young people entering the workforce look for employers that value diversity and corporate social responsibility, a new study has found.

A survey of 14,000 students across 38 universities produced some insights into what millennials look for in an employer with 74 per cent saying diversity was important to them when choosing an employer.

Millennials want to work for companies that do good; with 55 per cent of students saying they wouldn’t work for an employer with a ‘bad image’, even if the salary was high.

And they care more about being fulfilled than earning a lot, the survey found.

Seventy per cent agreed with the statement ‘it’s more important for me to feel fulfilled at work than to earn a lot of money.’

Google has again been voted the most desirable employer – the third year in a row the tech company has topped the survey carried out by GradAustralia.

The top 10 also included fellow tech giants Apple and Microsoft; consulting companies PwC Australia, EY, KPMG; and the Commonwealth Bank, Deloitte, BHP Billiton and Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The results also found that most millennials expect to make up to 20 applications before landing a job and that 70 per cent of millennials prefer a fulfilling job rather more than a good salary.

It also found millennials were prepared to work hard. On average, the students surveyed were willing to work 47 hours per week in their first job after graduating, 9 hours more than the standard work week.

And, 64 per cent of students said they’d be willing to make sacrifices in their personal lives for their career.

Two thirds expect to be still searching for a job three months after graduating, the survey found, with 22 per cent expecting to be searching for up to a year.

On average, students expect to make 17 applications before landing a graduate job and a third of students expected to make anywhere between 20 and 40+.

More than 70 per cent expect to spend less than five years with their first employer, the survey found.

Law, teaching, health and engineering were the areas with the highest number of students who would stay beyond five years.

Male students expected to land a job faster, be paid more, graduate with higher marks and work longer hours.

Male students say they’re prepared to work 50 hours per week while female students say 45. Male students expect to be paid $68,000 per year in their first job after graduating while women expect they will be paid $60,000.

The following organisations were each voted the most sought-after for their respective industries:

Accounting and advisory – Deloitte
Banking and financial services – Commonwealth Bank
Construction and property services – Arup
Consulting – The Boston Consulting Group
Engineering, R&D and manufacturing – CSIRO
IT and communications – Google
Law – Herbert Smith Freehills
Mining, energy, oil and gas – BHP Billiton
Public service and utilities – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Retail, sales and consumer goods – Unilever
Transport and logistics – Qantas Airways

Laurie Nowell
AMES Australia Senior Journalist