Academic Community and Job Market

As one who recruits prospective employees on college campuses, I was pleasantly surprised by your article on college career centers (“College Job Offices Graduate to Career Centers” by Ursula Vils, Sept. 5).

Your writer correctly noted that the career centers at many schools are evolving and changing in an attempt to meet the current needs of students. These changes are crucial in today’s competitive job market. One major obstacle still needs to be hurdled, however: the isolation of the typical academic community.

Unfortunately, many schools still have career counseling centers that are staffed by counselors (i.e. psychologists) who know little about the world outside academia. Seminars on how to choose a career, how to write a resume, and how to interview are typically taught by someone from the career center staff. Who is better equiped to talk to students about how to write an effective resume and cover letter: a career counselor or a business professional who reviews several hundred resumes each week?

When it comes to on-campus interviewing, most schools simply accept those firms that ask to interview. A better approach would be to strategically recruit companies that represent a diversity of career opportunities. Unfortunately, because of their lack of knowledge of the business community, many career counselors would not know which companies to contact.

Our firm has extended an offer to several colleges and universities to assist them in their career counseling efforts. Our invitations are routinely rebuffed.

The handful of schools that are forging the vital link between the career center and the business community are providing the best possible service for their students. They are a pleasure to work with. Hopefully, more colleges and universities will follow their lead.

BRUCE G. WHITE

Fullerton