Top 17 Companies to Jump-Start Your Career
Let’s face it — your first job probably won’t be your dream job, but it will be an important one in setting the stage for where your career goes.
While on the job hunt, it’s easy to get hooked by everyday perks, like complimentary office snacks or company swag. But it might be a better investment to consider some of the long-term benefits that can add greater value for your jobs down the line.
Some companies know how important it is to keep their employees engaged, learning and excited about their jobs. Continuing education, generous family leave and an attractive relocation or retirement plan are just some of the upsides.
The right moves can set you up for success now and get you ahead in future roles as you move through your career.
The Data Behind the List
This list comes from reviews, employee and anonymous feedback and best companies rankings from The Muse, LinkedIn and Glassdoor.
We’ve put together a combined version based on a company’s openings for young professionals, whether it offers continuing education or tuition assistance and whether the business is growing and investing in something big in the industry.
We also take a look at some of the perks and professional and personal development opportunities offered at these workplaces.
The following are the top 17 companies to join to jump-start or shift your career.
KIND Snacks
Headquarters: New York City
Total employees: 500
Most probably know the NYC company by its snack bars and foods. The private company offers 401(k) matching with immediate vesting, and flexible PTO.
They also give tuition reimbursement and professional development coaching.
They’re hiring brand ambassadors in different countries, as well as on the field team across the U.S. Just one thing for those with nut allergies — they warn that you might be exposed to products with nuts.
Philips
Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Total employees: 15,131
Gartner is a leading research and advisory company with more than 100 offices around the world. Here, you can get your feet wet in tech, client services and consulting.
The average employee stays for more than five years, and over half of top leaders were promoted from within. Campuses are equipped with fitness centers and cafeterias.
Plus, sales teams get incentives for trips around the world based on performance.
Digital Air Strike
Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona
Total employees: 200
The social media and brand company helps businesses boost their ROI. It’s the largest provider of social media and reputation management for the auto industry.
The company boasts bonuses, game rooms in the office, travel opportunities and a community — rather than corporate — culture.
Schoology
Headquarters: New York City
Total employees: 100
Founded in 2009, Schoology offers a learning management system used by 60,000 K-12 schools and colleges.
The company touts a mission-driven approach to work — a passion for education and collaboration — and offers an open paid time off policy, ongoing training and “after school” clubs led by employees who want to keep learning after hours.
Echo Global Logistics
Headquarters: Chicago
Total employees: 2,595
Echo uses tech to help businesses manage transportation and shipping logistics.
The company has positions just for new grads and does a lot of recruiting on campuses, and it’s investing a lot in IT, product and engineering to build out its technology platform and services.
Bonus: They organize an annual Rewards Trip in Cancun where employees from around the country get to meet up in person.
Venture For America
Headquarters: New York City
Total employees: 30
This nonprofit places fellows to work at startups across different industries.
Whether going to work for VFA or taking a two-year fellowship with one of their companies, employees say they learn a ton around how to build a business.
VFA has openings for directors, interns and fellows.
Trustpilot
Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
Total employees: 700
A Denmark company founded in 2007, Trustpilot is a review platform that lets consumers review businesses, from doctors to clothing stores.
It’s a fast-growing tech startup that focuses on product development and data. Every employee goes through an immersive training program and learns the inner workings across teams.
Starbucks
Headquarters: Seattle
Total employees: 238,000
The coffee giant is known for providing employees tuition assistance and professional development resources.
Employees pursuing a bachelor’s can get up to 100 percent tuition help through Arizona State University.
There’s also 401(k) matching and daycare help. It has openings at the corporate level for distribution, customer triage and data analysts.
Gartner
Headquarters: Stamford, Connecticut
Total employees: 15,131
Gartner is a leading research and advisory company with more than 100 offices around the world. Here, you can get your feet wet in tech, client services and consulting.
The average employee stays for more than five years, and over half of top leaders were promoted from within. Campuses are equipped with fitness centers and cafeterias.
Plus, sales teams get incentives for trips around the world based on performance.
Managed by Q
Headquarters: San Francisco
Total employees: 251-500
Managed by Q is a startup with an office management platform. The company developed its own Q Academy, a program that helps associates learn and grow. Employees are encouraged to talk about their expertise and teach their colleagues.
The Academy brings in partner vendors to learn and teach. The company also offers generous parental leave and 401(k) matching as incentives for employees to stick with their jobs. There are a number of openings in design, growth and engineering.
Amazon
Headquarters: Seattle
Total employees: 613,300
The logistics giant was ranked the most popular company for recent grads in 2018.
Besides student programs, it also hires for fulfillment centers and remote jobs. The company provides support like financial consulting, estate planning and a free employee assistance program that offers referrals and 24/7 support for work and personal life matters.
Amazon’s Career Choice Program for hourly employees will also pay for 95 percent of tuition costs, textbooks and fees toward education.
CarGurus
Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Total employees: 514
CarGurus operates an online car shopping site connecting consumers and local dealers. Employees say the management style is flexible and open, and make for a good fit for independent workers who enjoy freedom.
The office is open and laid back, and it’s got openings at many offices for sales, analysts and engineers.
BambooHR
Headquarters: Lindon, Utah
Total employees: 251-500
This HR software company is looking for sales, marketing and payroll specialists.
Their client list includes companies such as SoundCloud, Reddit and Magnolia Homes.
In 2017, it was No. 19 on Glassdoor’s list of best places to work, offering employees annual raises based on performance, support for professional growth and a strict 40-hour work week.
Unilever
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Total employees: 161,000
The consumer goods company based in London offers a generous tuition reimbursement program for its employees. Their workers have used the benefit to study areas like management and entrepreneurship.
The company also has a management training program called Future Leaders to give workers mentorship and support.
Facebook
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California
Total employees: 35,587
Facebook topped Glassdoor’s list of 100 best companies to work for in 2018. The social media giant has been smoothing out some legal troubles lately, and a lot of eyes are glued to what the company will do next to address its privacy and data flaws.
Still, being a major employer in the Bay Area and spanning many other countries, Facebook has immense resources to back its employees. There’s support for wellness services, family planning and adoption help, and there's a ton of amenities on its campuses.
New hires get a relocation package and take part in a six-month onboarding program. There’s online and offline courses after that to develop your professional skills. There are hundreds of openings in data, user experience and sales.
TransUnion
Headquarters: Chicago
Total employees: 5,100
TransUnion provides more than credit scores as a credit reporting agency. It's looking to develop tech talent and is hiring data engineers, science consultants and software engineers and more.
The company is invested in bringing people far — new hires are paired with a mentor to help them navigate their positions. And continuing education is valued. Each department organizes a conference and gets a training budget that has to be used every year.
Employees can also apply for funds to go back to school, buy books or take courses.
Bain & Company
Headquarters: Boston
Total employees: 8,000
The management consulting firm was Glassdoor’s best place to work in 2019, with openings for consulting, analytics and innovation roles.
Bain says it trains consultants to work across industries and functions, making it a great place to learn a lot fast. It has dedicated career teams that provide support and networking for when employees make a move. Some have gone on to become partner there, gotten a top position in tech or started their own business.
Employees get assigned a home office program manager and attend a global training session every 12 to 18 months. They also offer global transfers, four- to six-month externships at an organization of your choice and a two-month leave to refresh or fulfill some personal goal.
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