Adam Kuhlmann's letter to the editor entitled "Step Right Up, Boys" in the Oct. 10 issue of The Dartmouth began as a satire on the homogeneity of the clothing donned by Dartmouth seniors as they attempt to brownnose their way to the top, but it quickly degenerated into a not-so-subtle attack on the process of corporate recruiting itself.
For want of space, I'm not going to reprint the particulars of the letter that are provoking this response, considering doing so would entail rewriting the whole thing. But he does conclude with the following statement: "So step right up, boys and girls, it's time to shake hands firmly, maintain eye contact and tell the nice man how it's always been your dream 'to assist the world's leading companies in achieving superior returns for shareholders.' Don't worry, most information booths offer mints stamped with their logos in case you leave with a funny taste in your mouth."
Obviously, Kuhlmann isn't a huge fan of corporate recruiting, or the business community in general, and shows his distaste for what many would consider selling out. Everyone loves to make fun of corporate recruiting; when you look at it superficially, it's not hard to find ammunition. "Cornflower blue" shirts do indeed begin to blend into one another, and students will proclaim their lifelong love for and commitment to a company the name of which they just learned the previous day. It's almost too easy a target.
But a defense of corporate recruiting needs to be mounted. Enmeshed in academia as we are, many find corporate recruiting the unattractive finish to a college career only designed to gain a diploma that can be immediately cashed in for a large (but recently shrinking) salary. Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the overt goal of a number of our classmates participating in the process. Corporate recruiting isn't typically seen as the most intellectual of pursuits, and it would seem to belie our liberal arts education that so many of us would be "selling" ourselves out so eagerly.
However, especially in the current macroeconomic environment, it is important to note the importance of uber-intelligent Ivy League graduates pursuing business careers, whether or not they see it themselves. Amidst a bombardment of earnings warnings and scandal upon scandal, the need to have responsible, honest, hard-working individuals managing American businesses is more apparent than ever.
Everybody, including Adam Kuhlmann, depends on the success of the business world. I imagine Mr. Kuhlmann will be indulging in a more overtly intellectual pursuit after he graduates. But eventually he will get a job, earn money, maybe have a family and, yes, even one day he'll need to plan for retirement, and throughout that whole process, he'll need to be able to know that his money is in good hands. If he's investing in stocks, which he will almost definitely do whether directly or indirectly, it will only work to his benefit if smart Dartmouth graduates are managing those businesses and "achieving superior returns for shareholders," him among them.
Even more directly, a number of the companies facing a barrage of business casual wear at the employment fair were asset management firms, one of which it is likely that Kuhlmann, and all the rest of us, will entrust with our hard-earned savings. The unethical business practices of companies like Enron and WorldCom have taken over the headlines, casting a gloom over business in general. But these stories only serve to remind us of how important it is that businesses are successful, particularly when we read heart-rending stories of people on the verge of retirement whose 401k plans were wiped out. In this business environment, everyone is adversely affected, whether an employee of Enron or not. How many people have you heard of who will have to work long past their expected retirement dates because of the meltdown of American businesses?
Wherever I end up in life, I hope I can count on the intelligence, creative thinking and innovation of my Dartmouth classmates to constantly propel our economy forward and keep the money I earn as safe and productive as possible. After all, we all go to Dartmouth, we're all intelligent people and, I should hope, you wouldn't pick anyone else you'd rather depend upon for your future financial well-being than one of your peers.
Corporate recruiting is a process that's easy to satirize. Indeed, it's stressful and often brings people to their knees so they can more easily reach the posterior of the recruiter for any one of an array of companies. But, whether the participants realize it or not, they will soon be a part of a business community on which everyone, regardless of where their Dartmouth experience launches them, depends.
I have no doubt that I will continue to find aspects of corporate recruiting to joke about, as will Mr. Kuhlmann and everyone else. But just because seniors participate in recruiting does not mean you should immediately write them off as a waste of a Dartmouth education. They will be providing a crucial service, and will be using that education as a foundation for doing so. That education is what will hopefully make all of us prosperous, no matter where our lives take us. You don't have to respect the actual process of recruiting itself, but you should respect the individuals enduring it.
