Putnam, University Consultant on Careers, Discusses Work of His Department--Students Urged to Make Use of Office

At his office in Wadsworth House yesterday, A. L. Putnam '20, the University's Consultant on Careers, gave the following account of a case typical of the work done by his department, and also announced plans for the coming year.

Last spring a member of the Class of 1930 visited the consultant and confessed that he was at a loss as to what he should do after Commencement week had come to an end. He was a pleasant mannered man who had belonged to several clubs and passed his courses with a gentleman's C. but with Commencement only four months away he had not the slightest idea what occupation he should enter.

After an hour's discussion of possibilities of various careers, Putnam asked the Senior to draw specifications of the kinds of work he would consider, and to return after giving them a few days thought. At the end of the week the man returned, convinced that he wanted to go into business. His interests had narrowed until they included only banking, selling, and manufacture.

At a third conference several appointments were arranged with bankers, sales managers, and manufacturing executives in Boston. These men explained the advantages and disadvantages of their occupations and described typical problems encountered in a day's work. On hearing the talks the Senior definitely decided that manufacturing was the field for him, and through the Alumni Placement service, which also maintains offices in Wadsworth House, he succeeded in finding a job in a rubber factory, where the work is proving thoroughly satisfactory.

Putnam's office, created last January, has at present a collection of questionnaires written by business and professional men concerning the nature of their occupations, and it is hoped that members of the three lower classes as well as the Senior class will make use of this material. To accomodate a growing clientele Putnam has acquired the services of D. F. Brown '30 and J. M. Swigert '30 as assistants.