Duke Student Government recently passed a resolution advocating a multi-million dollar overhaul of the Career Center. While it is clear that a new facility is necessary, administrators need to remember the age-old saying of location, location, location when planning for the new center.
The Career Center currently occupies one of the best spots on campus as far as student traffic is concerned. If the center were moved to allow for the construction of an entirely new building, it would likely be placed in a location less frequented by students. Accessibility would be considerably diminished.
Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta has already determined that the new Career Center will not find a new home within the planned West Campus Student Center. This leaves Campus Drive, Central Campus or somewhere on the outskirts of West Campus as likely locations. Administrators must be careful in identifying the perfect spot on campus and should consult heavily with students to determine which areas of campus they would be willing to go out of their way to visit--at both the beginning and end of the career exploration process. A simple question to pose to students might be, "If you have the biggest interview of your life at the Career Center, how far are you willing to trudge in your finest suit?" Or, on the other end of the scale, "If you were just curious about what the Career Center has to offer, would you be willing to trek to (fill in the blank)?"
Potential locations notwithstanding, the Career Center is in dire need of new facilities, especially the rather embarrassing interview rooms in the lower levels of Page Auditorium. Prospective employers impressed by Duke students' resumes and other qualifications are not going to be dissuaded from hiring them because of the lack of an imposing and modern interviewing facility.
However, Duke is infamous for its poor career facilities, and some top firms with only enough in their budget to visit a few universities are looking to other corners of the country, where they know their visit to campus will be comfortable and professional.
The offices of the career services personnel could also benefit from more space and more logical organization, and Career Center Executive Director Sheila Curran's ambitious new plans for the future of the center will only flourish with a center that staff, students and potential employers find accommodating.
Further, the proposal to link the Career Center with the Office of Alumni Affairs is also a move in the right direction, as it would facilitate the less-than-stellar connections between students and alumni with regard to employment.
Ultimately, the issue comes down to one of the fundamentals of interviewing for a job: the first impression, no matter how superficial, makes a big difference. It's time for Duke to go out and find itself the power suit of career centers.
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