Scient<strong>ific</strong> Bulletin – Economic Sciences No. 7 (13)Advisory Board• Prof. Gheorghe BARBU - Ph.D., Rector ofUniversity of Pitesti• Prof. Antonio Garcia SANCHEZ - Ph.D.,Dean of Economic Science Faculty,Technical University of Cartagena• Prof. Stanislas d'EYRAMES - Ph.D.,Belfort Montbéliard University• Prof. Woodrow H. Sears, Ed.D. College ofSocial Sciences, Vilnius, Lithuania• Prof. Dan POPESCU - Ph.D., Aca<strong>de</strong>my ofEconomic Studies, Bucharest, professorvisiting ISG Paris, University ofCartagena, University of Murcia• Prof. Ion CIUREA - Ph.D., EconomicScience Faculty, University of Pitesti• Prof. Viorel BUCUR - Ph.D., EconomicScience Faculty, University of Pitesti• Prof. Ioan PANA - Ph.D., EconomicScience Faculty, University of Pitesti• Prof. Marian POPESCU - Ph.D., EconomicScience Faculty, University of Pitesti• Senior Lect. Magda RADULESCU - Ph.D.,Economic Science Faculty, University ofPitesti• Senior Lect. Dorulet GRADINARU - Ph.D.,Economic Science Faculty, University ofPitesti• Lecturer Daniela Melania MIHAI – Ph.D.,Economic Science Faculty, University ofPitesti• Lecturer Tiberiu AVRAMESCU - Ph.D.,Economic Science Faculty, University ofPitestiEditorial Board Prof. Constantin DRĂGHICI - Ph.D.,Dean of Economic Science Faculty(MANAGING EDITOR) Prof. Gheorghe TECUCI - Ph.D.,GEORGE MASON University, USA,member of Romanian Aca<strong>de</strong>my(ASSOCIATE EDITOR) Prof. Anastasios KARASAVVOGLOU –Ph.D., Kavala Institute of Technology,School of Business and Economics,Greece (ASSOCIATE EDITOR) Prof. Dan TUFIŞ - Ph.D, Presi<strong>de</strong>nt ofRACAI, Romanian Aca<strong>de</strong>my,correspon<strong>de</strong>nt member of RomanianAca<strong>de</strong>my (ASSOCIATE EDITOR) Prof. Vasilica CIUCĂ - Ph.D., GeneralManager of INCSMPS, Bucharest(ASSOCIATE EDITOR) Prof. Filon TODEROIU - Ph. D.,Scient<strong>ific</strong> Manager of IEA (ASSOCIATEEDITOR) Lect. Matthias OLDEN - RegesburgUniversity, Germany (ASSOCIATEEDITOR) Lect. Violeta DOMANOVIC (TERZIC) -Ph.D., Faculty of Economics,University of Kragujevac, Serbia(ASSOCIATE EDITOR) Prof. Viorica PANĂ- Ph.D., EconomicScience Faculty, University of Pitesti(EDITOR) Prof. Emilia UNGUREANU - Ph.D.,Economic Science Faculty, Universityof Pitesti (EDITOR) Senior lect. Victoria FIRESCU - Ph.D.,Economic Science Faculty, Universityof Pitesti (EDITOR) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF - Senior lecturerLogica BĂNICĂ - Ph.D., EconomicScience Faculty, University of Pitesti EDITORIAL SECRETARY - LecturerRamona POPESCU - Ph.D., EconomicScience Faculty, University of Pitesti EDITORIAL SECRETARY - Assist. PhDStu<strong>de</strong>nt Eliza ANTONIU - EconomicScience Faculty, University of Pitesti
Scient<strong>ific</strong> Bulletin – Economic Sciences No. 7 (13)Stu<strong>de</strong>nts: The Overlooked Products in Aca<strong>de</strong>mic MarketingUniversity Professor PhD Woodrow H. SEARSCollege of Social Science Vilnius, Lithuaniawoodysears@gmail.comAbstract: In the recent past, anyone with a college or university <strong>de</strong>gree was certain ofemployment. That is no longer the case, and even bright, energetic graduates often wait 8to 12 months or longer for entry-level professional jobs. For some, there really may be nojobs, but for most, the <strong>de</strong>lay and disappointments result from not knowing how to marketthemselves in today’s competitive environment. “Good” jobs are increasingly scarce, an<strong>din</strong>stitutional reputations suffer as stu<strong>de</strong>nts wait for jobs or fail to impress prospectiveemployers. This paper <strong>de</strong>scribes a replicable mo<strong>de</strong>l for an intensive job-search trainingprogram that schools can offer to meet this new imperative.Keywords: Graduates, job search training, new educational imperative, “good” jobs,<strong>de</strong>layed entry to careers, stu<strong>de</strong>nts as “products”, new educational obligations.In the past year, a university administrator boasted that more than 90 percent of hisgraduates found jobs within a year after completing their studies. How many found “good” jobs,foundations for a career? How many took any job offered, out of <strong>de</strong>speration and without regardto their aca<strong>de</strong>mic preparation? And how many had no commitments to a profession? (Onejobless stu<strong>de</strong>nt said, “Well, maybe public relations? Or maybe logistics? What do you think?”)The mechanics of fin<strong>din</strong>g a job are changing, the job market is becoming morecompetitive, and many college stu<strong>de</strong>nts are ill-equipped to enter the job market by means otherthan looking at newspaper want ad and electronic bulletin boards.It is certain that many potential contributors are kept out of useful employment for a yearor more because neither they nor their schools “package” them as the “products” of colleges anduniversities, nor take themselves to the job market in an intelligent and systematic manner. Thejob-search game has changed, and the new rules will certainly last our lifetimes.Tra<strong>de</strong> schools promise stu<strong>de</strong>nts a job after graduation, but aca<strong>de</strong>mic institutionsfrequently do not consi<strong>de</strong>r jobs for stu<strong>de</strong>nts their responsibility. The position of this paper is thatall schools now have an obligation to equip stu<strong>de</strong>nts to be effective competitors in the jobmarket; and further, that schools should be rated on the ease with which stu<strong>de</strong>nts find jobs, andthe professional success of graduates. To have a “career center” that stu<strong>de</strong>nts can access is anina<strong>de</strong>quate response. No manufacturer would release products to the market without oversightof packaging quality, but schools fail to see their stu<strong>de</strong>nts as products carrying their reputationsout into the world.What does the market expect of the schools’ products? That job applicants presentthemselves in a professional manner – they know how to conduct themselves in an interview,<strong>de</strong>monstrate knowledge of the company to which they are applying, know their strengths, andcan speak coherently about the contributions they can make to the organization. Such capabilitiescan be <strong>de</strong>veloped, but too often result from private counseling that many stu<strong>de</strong>nts cannot afford,and that the school cannot influence.5