JobStreet's Top 10 Schools Preferred by Hirers in the Philippines

When looking for potential candidates to fill vacant positions in the company, many, if not all, hirers also factor in as to where an applicant graduated from, especially if said applicant is a fresh graduate with zero work experience. This may seem unfair to those who legitimately excelled but got schooled in lesser known academic institutions, but this is a reality accepted as valid, given the fact that educational institutions nationwide are ranked in accordance with their respective academic performances and other relevant factors.

Those that perform well and are often listed as the primary producers of topnotchers and consistently high passing rates are understandably ranked high in university rankings. As such, hirers and human resources (HR) managers in the Philippines refer to these statistics to recruit candidates who have graduated from any of these esteemed schools, confident that they will also excel in the workplace.

Having said all this, online job portal JobStreet has posted an official list of the latest colleges and universities whose graduates are preferred by local employers. In this article, let's take a look at these higher education institutions, what makes them popular among employers from certain industries, as well as tips for job applicants who didn't graduate from any of these reputable schools but want to stand an equal chance at getting hired.

Top 10 Philippine Schools Preferred by Hirers According to JobStreet

Without more ado, here's the list of the latest educational institutions preferred by hirers in the Philippines according to the data that JobStreet by SEEK revealed.

1. Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP)

2. University of the Philippines (UP)

3. De La Salle University (DLSU)

4. University of Santo Tomas (UST)

5. Mapúa University

6. Batangas State University

7. University of Mindanao

8. University of Cebu

9. Technological Institute of the Philippines (TIP)

10. STI College

The survey, conducted last May, encompassed different industries from more than 700 companies nationwide that also use JobStreet as a means to recruit prospective hires.

Moreover, according to the study, most hirers prefer PUP graduates because they are perceived as "effective team players" in the corporate world. While UP and DLSU graduates benefit from their schools' reputational superiority as top producers of excellent graduates in various fields.

Here's a more definitive illustration of the results per industry:

Top 3 Schools Preferred by Information Technology (IT) Companies:

Rank 1: Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Rank 2: University of the Philippines

Rank 3: Technological Institute of the Philippines

Top 3 Schools Preferred by HR Management Companies:

Rank 1: Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Rank 2: University of the Philippines

Rank 3: University of Mindanao

Top 3 Schools Preferred by Call Center or BPO Companies:

Rank 1: Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Rank 2: University of the Philippines

Rank 3: University of Santo Tomas

Top 3 Schools Preferred by Manufacturing Companies:

Rank 1: Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Rank 2: Batangas State University

Rank 3: University of the Philippines

Top 3 Schools Preferred by Construction Companies:

Rank 1: Technological University of the Philippines

Rank 2: Technological Institute of the Philippines

Rank 3: Mapua University

Top 3 Schools Preferred by Wholesale Trading Companies:

Rank 1: Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Rank 2: University of the Philippines

Rank 3: University of the East

Furthermore, DLSU graduates also secured a higher hirability score among companies in healthcare and real estate. UST graduates, on the other hand, may foster an edge at securing career opportunities in hospitality and business consulting sectors. In addition to firms from IT and construction, telco companies also prefer and hire graduates from Mapua Institute of Technology.

Not a Graduate from Any of These Schools? Here's What You Can Do

While graduating from the country's most frequently sought schools can help applicants to have an edge, this is not wholly so. It's only one of the several considerations that hirers take into account when evaluating potential candidates during the hiring process. If you need practical advice on how you can still stand a strong chance at getting hired despite not graduating from the abovementioned schools, the following tips that we prepared are for you.

Invest in earning certifications and skills

There are a great number of certifications that you can earn online for upskilling. These are advantageous for you if you want to learn industry-specific skills that you can include in your resume. This is also demonstrative of your commitment to constantly learn, which can capture the attention of hirers.

Highlight your achievements

Were you a member of the student council in college or won a major competition at the national level? These are noteworthy additions to your qualifications that you can put in your list of credentials. If you graduated with flying colors, this is yet another reason for hirers to take notice of you despite not graduating from a reputable tertiary school.

Diligently work on your resume and cover letter

A well-penned resume can make a difference. In so saying, it's an absolute must to work on creating a resume that lists your qualifications, skills, relevant experiences, achievements, and educational background. If you're worried about grammatical errors and readability issues, make a trusted friend or family member read them for comment and feedback. Your cover letter, meanwhile, must concisely describe why you're the best fit for the job by highlighting your skills and achievements.

Market yourself well in the interviews

The interview stage can make or break a candidate's hirability. This is a major part of the hiring process where the hirer gets to hear directly from you, the applicant. In this stage, you must ensure that the skills and accomplishments that you will use to market yourself is consistent with what you included in your resume. Any mismatched information can give your hirer a bad impression of you or question your honesty. In addition, be firm and confident with your answers throughout the interview.

Remain patient and apply to multiple companies

Job hunting after college can be challenging for anybody who just got away from four to five years of higher education. You will compete against equally committed job hunters and undergo several stages of the hiring process that does not guarantee acceptance. Be that as it may, you must remain patient and consider applying to different companies with the position you're particularly eyeing for. Notably, apply only to companies with job offers that you're completely okay with. That is, don't apply to different companies for the sole sake of mass applying and get better chances of being hired.

To reiterate, a fresh graduate's alma mater is only one among a number of considerations that employers factor in their criteria for hiring applicants. If you know your competencies and know how to best market yourself, you can still secure your dream job even without graduating from the country's top universities.

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