Job Mart Blues

To the Editors of The Crimson:

Harvard is not supposed to be about having a narrow view of the world, yet that seems to be the office of Career Services' attitude towards the job market for the class of '88. At least this is the message they sent me when they invited mostly bankers and consultants to their little job mart in Memorial Hall on Friday. Aren't there other things that we could do next year besides fly down to New York and try to cash in on the boom in the financial market?

One of the obvious problems with the national economy is the decline in our manufacturing industries; maybe the "best and brightest" at Harvard could provide solutions. Yet only four manufacturing firms made their way into Memorial Hall Friday. Why? Where were the industrial giants? Do they not want our liberal arts education? Are they not hiring? Or did we not invite them? What about smaller entrepreneurial-type firms? Must we all be channelled into certain companies?

The financial markets are certainly important. So is consulting. But the capital and the shrewd advice are meant for somebody, and those people weren't around in great numbers.

The Job Fair is for us--the students--not the employers. As its best is should be an informal way for seniors to learn about some of the options available to them next year. With this in mind, talking to just a few banks and a few consulting firms would be sufficient. I don't see why all of Wall Street has to monopolize the show.

In fairness to OCS, other interests were represented. The Peace Corps and the U.S. Navy were there. As were a few retailers and an advertising firm. A teaching recruiter was present and the computer companies were out in force. But the high percentage of banks and consulting firms left me with the impression that the University was selling us off to a select crowd. Who picked this group? Why are they the only ones with access to Harvard students?

Consequently, I don't think "broad-minded" Harvard did us or the country any favors with the Job Fair. It looks to me as though the college wants to service a narow segment of the economy and ignore everything else.

Yet, Derek Bok is great at rhetoric concerning the perils for students and society in narrow specialization. He encourages us to take chances and explore. And rightly so. Perhaps OCS could do the same next year and not concentrate solely on the bankers when they organize the Job Mart for the class of '89. Ted Lamarre '88