ABSTRACT
The leadership, administration, and management of a college or university career center may be one of the more challenging functions within the counseling community (Rayman, 1993). Career center management is more complex than most counselor management/administrative positions because of the diversity of the constituencies served and the diverse functions performed. Most counseling service units have a relatively focused mission that involves serving a narrow constituency of clients. If the clients’ needs are met and the administrator to whom the unit reports is satisfied, the enterprise is seen as being successfully managed. In contrast, career centers serve multiple constituencies and must be multifunctional. In addition to meeting the needs of clients (principally students), career centers must also meet the needs of employers, faculty, administrators, parents, and often alumni and employees as well. Although the delivery of career counseling services is a primary function, career centers must also manage recruitment and employer relations, provide counselor training, maintain massive informational resources, serve a consultative function, and deliver an elaborate array of outreach programs that include the management of large-scale events like career fairs, which often involve thousands of dollars in revenue management.
