The following article is the fifth of a series written for the Crimson by W. W. Daly '14, University Secretary for Student Employment, on the various fields of endeavor in business open to college graduates.

In addition to the broad general fields of sales, production, and finance, there are certain functions that are found in every business which are considered either as staff departments or as entirely separate divisions. Among these are the purchasing, employment, shipping and receiving, and training departments. Often these functions are now carried out by college men, but in many cases only by such college men as have served in other departments for a greater or lesser period of time.

Purchasing Valuable Function

The purchasing department has been developed during the last dozen years, due primarily to four things. First, the desirability of getting under one head all the various and sometimes competing functions which have to do with the assembling of materials either for use in process or for consumption incidental to the business: second, to provide the most efficient method of securing proper materials, having in mind economy, quality, delivery, and service third, the keeping in touch with markets of various products which are frequently purchased, and finally, to provide a certain amount of sales resistance in opposition to the professional salesman. It is obvious that only men who understand the requirements of a business are really desirable as members of the purchasing department staff, and the general rule that a man should have experience in the line, before going into the staff, is here exemplified.

Hiring Help

The employment department similarly requires of its members considerable experience in the business and familiarity with its policies and methods. If it is a manufacturing business, a pretty definite knowledge of requirements, such as can be gained only in the shops, is indispensable. Furthermore, the really successful employment men are those who have gone into this work only after years of contact with other members of the organization, and with a very definite acquaintance with business and business methods.

The shipping and receiving departments have been mentioned. They are a purely service function, and while very frequently college men spend a part of their apprenticeship there, it is of no long-time interest.

In Strict Training

One department which draws in college men is the department of training, which in many cases is a branch of the Department of Personnel. Due to greater ability, potentially at least, to teach, many large establishments like Macy's frequently put the college men through different departments in rapid succession, with the idea that they may be used in the various phases of training. It is in these training departments that many college people, both men and women, remain sometimes for a number of years, as ability to train sales and other operating personnel is not only interesting, but well paid.