What American job candidates think about when accepting a job is different from what they consider when deciding to stay or move on, according to new data from Brand Finance, a leading brand valuation consultancy.  

The research shows that in the U.S., prospective talent places highest consideration on whether a company has a prestigious brand and inspiring vision. Once employed, priorities shift—when considering whether to stay in a job, employees prioritize whether the work is enjoyable and rewarding, as well as the perception of excellent remuneration and salaries. For retention, brand prestige drops from most important to least important, and the previously important perception that an employer brand has an inspiring vision drops to fourth.  

U.S. candidates consider Nike to be the top employer brand, followed by PepsiCo and Apple. Nike’s high Employer Brand Index score is driven by strong consideration and familiarity—the research indicates that potential candidates perceive that the company offers great internal culture, excellent work-life balance, commitment to social sustainability, support for staff at all stages of life, and flexibility.  

“The Brand Finance 2024 Employer Brand Index provides valuable insights for talent strategies by revealing U.S. employee and candidate perceptions of sectors and specific brands as workplaces,” says Laurence Newell, managing director of Brand Finance Americas. “The top 10 strong employer brands in the country span diverse sectiors, prominently featuring tech and media brands. Despite Walmart’s status as the world’s and country’s largest employer, with a staggering 2.1 million employees globally, it notably ranks only 141st nationwide, scoring high for familiarity but lower for factors like excellent salaries and internal culture. Among fellow supermarket brands, Costco leads, followed by Whole Foods and Sam’s Club.”  

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Other key highlights include the following.  

• The top three brands perceived as prestigious—the foremost factor for U.S. candidates when considering a role—are Moody’s, HP, and KPMG.  
• The top three brands perceived as the most enjoyable and rewarding—the primary factor for retention according to the survey—are Kearney, Hotels.com, and Apple.  
• A notable absence from the top 20 is any banking brand, with the highest-rated brand, Chase, sitting at No. 50. Scores for banks in both the U.S. and the U.K. are significantly lower compared to other regions studied. One possible explanation is that whole banks are generally seen as respectable workplaces globally, trust in their employer brands has been eroded in Europe and North America due to financial crises and scandals.  

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