When is a Job Not a Job?

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One of our competitors recently posted a note to a college hiring discussion list regarding multi-level marketing companies and other such business opportunities. A college career service office professional had asked for advice because a MLM had asked to participate in the on-campus interviewing process. Our competitor argued that the MLM should not be allowed on-campus and argued any job which "requires an up-front investment to participate (MLM does) and focuses more on the recruitment of others to sell rather than the selling of the product itself (MLM again) is not a real job." He is, of course, correct that MLM opportunities are not jobs, yet is that really the issue?

There is no question that MLM positions are not "real jobs." That is because they aren't jobs at all. They are business opportunities. And with all business opportunities some are good and legitimate opportunities and some are bad and illegitimate. Rather than being simplistic and trying to fit all business opportunities or even all MLM opportunities into the same box and then locking that box in the hope that students never find out about them, I believe that it is more appropriate for college career service offices and college job boards to add to the education of the adults who are the students and recent graduates that use our services and rely upon us for advice. Provide them with the information and allow them to make mistakes. Isn't it better to allow them to make those mistakes with legitimate business opportunities, including MLM's, while on-campus where they can seeking counseling from the career service office than to be paternalistic and force them to make those mistakes in an environment when the career service office staff is no longer going to be available?