What MBAs Want

In a recent survey of M.B.A. students at 15 major business schools, respondents listed the factors most important to them in choosing a job. The No. 1 factor was “challenging and diverse job responsibilities.” Compensation came in second, followed by work-life balance.

In keeping with not making money the be-all and end-all, the fourth-most-important factor in a job was “potential to make a contribution to society.” About a quarter of the respondents named this as a priority in 2007, compared with just 15 percent in 2002, the last time the survey was conducted.