Recruiters Pay for Student Recommendations
Posted 04 Sep, 2007
Big companies are not above handing out cash for referrals of talented students, according to a recent BusinessWeek article, and professors, it seems, are not above taking it.
Companies approach certain business schools, searching for talented business school grads to recruit. To augment the process, they offer financial compensation to professors who assist them in the hunt. Though the money is occasionally paid out directly to the professor, the check is usually cut to his or her employing college as a research grant.
With the increasing availability of information on the internet, colleges have found it difficult to police these relationships. While contacting a professor used to be a tricky endeavor, companies can now find professors’ bios, syllabi, and email addresses right on the internet.
To keep up this symbiotic relationship, large companies continue to widen their spectrum of enticements. One company, Valero Energy, even distributed $25 gas cards to grad school TAs in return for student recommendations!
Some schools discourage their teachers from participating in this kind of cash-for-students exchange. Others say it is okay to recommend students only after they have already been interviewed by the company.
Some, however, feel that it could help talented students get the attention and recognition they deserve from larger companies. A student who was overlooked during the interview process might benefit greatly from a boost from his or her professor.
Good or bad, this system shows no sign of deteriorating soon. Many professors depend on consulting fees for income, just as companies depend on strong recommendations to select recruitment candidates.
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
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Big companies are not above handing out cash for referrals of talented students, according to a recent BusinessWeek article, and professors, it seems, are not above taking it.
Companies approach certain business schools, searching for talented business school grads to recruit. To augment the process, they offer financial compensation to professors who assist them in the hunt. Though the money is occasionally paid out directly to the professor, the check is usually cut to his or her employing college as a research grant.
With the increasing availability of information on the internet, colleges have found it difficult to police these relationships. While contacting a professor used to be a tricky endeavor, companies can now find professors’ bios, syllabi, and email addresses right on the internet.
To keep up this symbiotic relationship, large companies continue to widen their spectrum of enticements. One company, Valero Energy, even distributed $25 gas cards to grad school TAs in return for student recommendations!
Some schools discourage their teachers from participating in this kind of cash-for-students exchange. Others say it is okay to recommend students only after they have already been interviewed by the company.
Some, however, feel that it could help talented students get the attention and recognition they deserve from larger companies. A student who was overlooked during the interview process might benefit greatly from a boost from his or her professor.
Good or bad, this system shows no sign of deteriorating soon. Many professors depend on consulting fees for income, just as companies depend on strong recommendations to select recruitment candidates.
All the best,
Deborah Fox
Deborah Fox is the founder of Fox College Funding, a nationwide company that helps families find creative ways to reduce their college costs.
Subscribe in a reader
Subscribe by Email
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