Monster's Annual Survey of High School Graduates Reveals a Strong Work Ethic

Majority of High School Seniors Intend to Work this Summer, While in College Eighty-one Percent of Students Will Attend In-state Schools, One-in-Five Expect to Live at Home

Monster, the global online careers and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ: MNST), today shared results from its annual, nationwide survey of high school seniors. Of the nearly 3,400 college-bound students polled:

- 86 percent plan to work this summer; 85 percent of which are doing so to earn money.

- More than two-thirds intend to work while in school; 86 percent expect the job will be part-time and 40 percent will begin their search before arriving on campus.

- 87 percent anticipate having at least one internship during their college career - and only 27 percent consider pay a very important factor when choosing an opportunity.

Millennials are a career-driven, focused generation that believes gaining relevant work experience is a critical step in achieving future goals, said J.R. Cifani, vice president and general manager of Making It Count, an educational service provider for students and parents and a business unit of Monster Worldwide, Inc. However, we encourage students to think about their collegiate experience as a job itself - it is an opportunity to learn about managing time and finances, work alone and on a team, and balance social activities with classroom and other responsibilities. Regardless of major choice or post-graduate direction, students will be able to apply these skills anywhere.

Sticking Close to Home
Seventy-three (73) percent of surveyed college-bound students chose a public university and 81 percent will stay in their home state. Nearly two-thirds intend to live in a dormitory or residence hall, while 20 percent expect to stay at home with their parents.

We think these findings indicate that financial factors are a significant part of the college selection process since public, in-state institutions typically offer lower tuition and one in five students anticipates living at home, presumably to save money, added Cifani. A recent FastWeb survey(1) also indicates that financial aid is the top college selection consideration among current and prospective college students - further proof that this generation is somewhat fiscally conservative.

Top Summer Jobs
Students will hold a myriad of jobs this summer to not only save money, but gain valuable work experience - regardless of whether there is direct correlation to a chosen career path or major. The most popular opportunities, as reported by survey respondents, are:

- Retail - 38 percent
- Food services jobs - 30 percent
- Grocery store/pharmacy employee - 15 percent
- Administrative or clerical office jobs - 15 percent
- Recreational positions, such as lifeguard or amusement park attendant - 14 percent
- Childcare - 13 percent, driven primarily by female respondents(2).

Top Five Majors
Healthcare, Education and Social Services, Engineering, Sciences/Bio-Pharmaceuticals and Accounting are among the top college majors selected by high school seniors polled. Healthcare and Education and Social Services are primarily driven by female respondents, while the majority of those looking to pursue an engineering degree are male students.

Volunteering
According to the survey, fifty-six (56) percent of students will volunteer this summer and 36 percent expect to do so during their collegiate years. Volunteering has become an increasingly popular activity for students. In addition to the environmental or economic benefits, it can be a great social opportunity as well, said Amanda Joyner, vice president and general manager, FastWeb. Additionally, several scholarships cite volunteer experience among the application requirements, many universities require it as part of the admissions process, and some high schools and colleges have made it a prerequisite to graduate - even more reasons for students to take advantage of the thousands of meaningful projects currently available nationwide(3).

Post-Collegiate Expectations
When high school graduates envision their first job after college, 59 percent of those polled would consider an opportunity that required relocation. More than 70 percent believe growth opportunities, job fulfillment and professional development are critical factors, while only 62 percent think base salary is important.

High school seniors' attitudes toward salary mirror those reported by college students and recent graduates. According to MonsterTRAK's 2008 Entry-level Job Outlook survey(4), they also rank base pay below several non-monetary benefits, noted Cifani.

Survey Methodology
Monster's 2008 High School Graduates survey was conducted via Making It Count's website. Of the 3,807 high school seniors who responded to the survey, results were recorded from only those who plan to attend a college or university after graduation (89 percent of the sample, or 3,389 students). Where overall results may have been otherwise skewed, data is weighted to compensate for a respondent pool that is predominantly female. This poll is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate.