Recruiting green in Duke blue

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Green Recruiting at Fuqua

The Duke MBA Career Management Center (CMC) is pleased to introduce a green recruiting initiative for 2009-2010. In support of Fuqua’s focus on sustainable business practices, the new policy calls for campus recruiting events to be giveaway-free. We look forward to collaborating with our corporate recruiting partners to make this initiative a great success. The initiative:

  • Emphasizes interactions between employers and students
  • Reduces cost, fuel use, effort, and waste associated with packaging, shipping, storing, and distributing company giveaway items
  • Spotlights environmental issues among Fuqua students, alumni, recruiters, and staff  
  • Enhances service quality by streamlining Fuqua operations to host employer recruiting events

To achieve our desired objectives, the cooperation of all Duke MBA recruiting companies and representatives is essential. Together we can simultaneously enhance the recruiting process and reduce environmental impact. Our aims will fall short if individuals or organizations act outside these protocols.

If you have any questions about this initiative, please contact Sheryle Dirks, Associate Dean for the Career Management Center, at +1.919.660.7813 or sheryle.dirks@duke.edu .

Recruiter perspective

A common practice at recruiting events is for employers to give away company logo merchandise, such as coffee mugs, key chains, or notepads to all participating students. Consumer products companies frequently distribute gift bags filled with their brands. Both are visible ways to demonstrate commitment to Duke MBA recruiting and to showcase the company and/or its products. Yet packaging, shipping, and distribution – which are necessary to make the giveaways possible – consume natural resources and create waste when extra products are left after the event.

Student perspective

Recruiting events span the fall semester and bring more than 150 companies to Fuqua’s campus each year. By seeking both an internship and full-time position over two seasons, Duke MBA students accrue a significant inventory of giveaways. While appreciated, these items are secondary in students’ eyes to the higher order objectives of the recruiting process. Students consistently tell us that the products ultimately do not influence their job choices, and are often given away to others or are discarded.

Policy details

Employers are prohibited from distributing giveaway items to all students attending their corporate presentation, office hours, or career expo exhibit. This policy includes logo merchandise and company products, and applies to any employer conducting school-facilitated recruiting on Fuqua’s campus or at a nearby location such as the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club.

Employer branding opportunities

We are pleased to support company efforts in building brand awareness among Duke MBA students. Employers may pursue one or more of the following options to achieve maximum visibility during their recruiting event.

  • The CMC will produce employer summaries in advance of each event. The communication will highlight important details about each company’s recruiting process and eliminates the need for large quantities of corporate printed materials to be shipped to Fuqua. A company may choose to bring a limited quantity of program brochures, job descriptions, or other publications as long as those documents offer significant perspective beyond the standard information.
  • In lieu of giveaways, an employer may make a donation to selected causes supported by the Fuqua student community. While arrangements have not yet been finalized, the options may include MBA Games and Habitat for Humanity, among others. This process will be facilitated by the CMC for recruiters’ convenience, and donations will be recognized in the event-specific employer summaries described above.  
  • Students would appreciate, in lieu of company giveaways, if an extra corporate representative could attend the Fuqua recruiting event. More interaction could then occur between recruiters and Duke MBA students.
  • Employers may raffle off a small number of prize items to student participants. The offerings should directly showcase the company’s products or services.
  • Coupons for company products or services may be distributed to student participants.
  • Companies may set up a display representing their brands, products, and/or services, as part of their recruiting event, and can ship necessary materials to Fuqua for that purpose. After the activity is over, any giveaway items that were part of the display may be left for students or donated to MBA Games. The quantity of display material should not be sufficient to distribute to all student participants, and the display must fit within appropriate event space parameters.