ABSTRACT
The manifest function of educational institutions may be to educate, but the fact remains that selection is one of a number of latent functions performed by educational institutions, and any analysis of the actual relationship between education and employment must account for such factors. In a study of the career choice process at sixth form level, conducted by the author, it was found that the majority of leavers at this level aspire to enter the educational system. The career choice process in the higher education system has implications for both recruiting organisations, and for the individuals making career decisions, and at this stage it is useful to make some general points in relation to different standpoints. The experience a student has of applying for jobs and of the recruiting procedures used by organisations is something about which not a great deal is known, yet is a necessary prerequisite for a greater understanding of the career choice process.
