working at and managing a linda maria alvarado angel yating yang linda maria alvarado angel yating...
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Working at and Managing a
Linda Maria AlvaradoAngel Yating Yang
Linda Maria AlvaradoAngel Yating Yang
in an International Office
Reception Desk
• Approx. 32 full-time staff on two floors
• ISSS (including academic advising), Ed Abroad, Admissions, China, GSEP
• Passport acceptance office• Two different appointment making
systems• More than 600 guests per month (1
guest every 15 min, not including phone calls)
• Approx. 32 full-time staff on two floors
• ISSS (including academic advising), Ed Abroad, Admissions, China, GSEP
• Passport acceptance office• Two different appointment making
systems• More than 600 guests per month (1
guest every 15 min, not including phone calls)
OverviewOverview
• Triage: find out what the student or guest REALLY needs
• Make appointments• Notify advisors when students arrive• Mail • Assist students with forms• Answer main phone line and
generally answer first-level questions
• Cash handling
• Triage: find out what the student or guest REALLY needs
• Make appointments• Notify advisors when students arrive• Mail • Assist students with forms• Answer main phone line and
generally answer first-level questions
• Cash handling
Major ResponsibilitiesMajor Responsibilities
• Triage: find out what the student or guest REALLY needs -- Student doesn’t know what they really need
• Making appointments -- Becoming familiar with advisor calendars
• Notify advisors -- Learning which advisors respond to which methods of communication
• Mail -- names and keeping files accurate• Assist students with forms -- there are SO
MANY forms!!• Answer main phone line and generally
answer first-level questions -- language, cell phone connections, different advisors want calls handled differently, two phones work differently
• Triage: find out what the student or guest REALLY needs -- Student doesn’t know what they really need
• Making appointments -- Becoming familiar with advisor calendars
• Notify advisors -- Learning which advisors respond to which methods of communication
• Mail -- names and keeping files accurate• Assist students with forms -- there are SO
MANY forms!!• Answer main phone line and generally
answer first-level questions -- language, cell phone connections, different advisors want calls handled differently, two phones work differently
Common DifficultiesCommon Difficulties
• WHAT I LOOK FOR…- International or study abroad students- Advisor recommendations- Personal engagement with others (especially of different backgrounds)- Can work more than 1 semester
• WHAT I SHY AWAY FROM…- Have another job already- Cannot work at least 12 hrs per week (but will not schedule for more than 25)- Very general answers: “I’ve always been interested in other cultures.”
• WHAT I LOOK FOR…- International or study abroad students- Advisor recommendations- Personal engagement with others (especially of different backgrounds)- Can work more than 1 semester
• WHAT I SHY AWAY FROM…- Have another job already- Cannot work at least 12 hrs per week (but will not schedule for more than 25)- Very general answers: “I’ve always been interested in other cultures.”
Who Can Do This Job?Who Can Do This Job?
• Academic Year 2012-13 and 2013-1413 total staff- 6 study abroad, 6 international- countries: Brazil, Israel, Costa Rica, England, Japan, China, Mexico, Malaysia, Pakistan
• Personal Engagement- international high school- member of NAU iClub- amusement park- lived in various places- tutored- multi-cultural background- worked with general public in some capacity
• Academic Year 2012-13 and 2013-1413 total staff- 6 study abroad, 6 international- countries: Brazil, Israel, Costa Rica, England, Japan, China, Mexico, Malaysia, Pakistan
• Personal Engagement- international high school- member of NAU iClub- amusement park- lived in various places- tutored- multi-cultural background- worked with general public in some capacity
Student Worker ProfileStudent Worker Profile
• 1 full day before Fall semester
• Overview plus 15-min presentation from all units
• Hands-on practice with cash handling, photos, mail sorting
• Special ISSS presentation
• ISSS live scenarios
• 1 full day before Fall semester
• Overview plus 15-min presentation from all units
• Hands-on practice with cash handling, photos, mail sorting
• Special ISSS presentation
• ISSS live scenarios
Initial Traininga.k.a. “Bootcamp”
Initial Traininga.k.a. “Bootcamp”
• 2 full-staff meetings per semester• Informational presentation
– Ed Abroad info session– FERPA– Sunapsis– Passport intensive
• Quiz• General announcements• Olympics!
- mail sorting- open the mailbox- lock and unlock the doors/drawers- matching (staff and their jobs, countries)
• 2 full-staff meetings per semester• Informational presentation
– Ed Abroad info session– FERPA– Sunapsis– Passport intensive
• Quiz• General announcements• Olympics!
- mail sorting- open the mailbox- lock and unlock the doors/drawers- matching (staff and their jobs, countries)
Continued TrainingContinued Training
• Post “Staff out of the Office” list• Post 2 – 3 notes about timely topics• Helpful Hint of the Week• Weekly task sign-off• Standardization – maps• Bi-annual evaluations• Reduce clutter!!!
– Keep only essentials visible • Ed Abroad Advisors & countries• Passport info• ISSS walk-in schedule• Well-used phone numbers
• Post “Staff out of the Office” list• Post 2 – 3 notes about timely topics• Helpful Hint of the Week• Weekly task sign-off• Standardization – maps• Bi-annual evaluations• Reduce clutter!!!
– Keep only essentials visible • Ed Abroad Advisors & countries• Passport info• ISSS walk-in schedule• Well-used phone numbers
CommunicationCommunication
• Worked in a restaurant in China and at an amusement park in USA -- CIE was first office job
• Friendly environment between other staff and students
MAJOR DIFFERENCES• Dress code-More Professional• Daily tasks-Involves more translation and detail• Computer and office equipment-Microsoft Lync;
Outlook Calendar to make appointments for advisors; Fedex
• Office language-More formal, different from most of previous job
• Organization-Office supply; Front Desk Maps, Task Sign-off sheets
• Worked in a restaurant in China and at an amusement park in USA -- CIE was first office job
• Friendly environment between other staff and students
MAJOR DIFFERENCES• Dress code-More Professional• Daily tasks-Involves more translation and detail• Computer and office equipment-Microsoft Lync;
Outlook Calendar to make appointments for advisors; Fedex
• Office language-More formal, different from most of previous job
• Organization-Office supply; Front Desk Maps, Task Sign-off sheets
First ImpressionsFirst Impressions
• Personally introduced to all full-time staff on first day
• Everyone (other student and full-time staff) are open for questions
• Learned examples of simple gestures and words to communicate with diverse people
• Clear instruction of daily tasks• Again, friendly environment within the
office!
• Personally introduced to all full-time staff on first day
• Everyone (other student and full-time staff) are open for questions
• Learned examples of simple gestures and words to communicate with diverse people
• Clear instruction of daily tasks• Again, friendly environment within the
office!
What Built Confidence?What Built Confidence?
• Always different questions from guests
• Attention to detail (personal goal)
• Different notification methods for advisors
• Constant updates from each department
• Sometimes difficult to follow specific front desk rules (Eating at the front)
• Always different questions from guests
• Attention to detail (personal goal)
• Different notification methods for advisors
• Constant updates from each department
• Sometimes difficult to follow specific front desk rules (Eating at the front)
Continued ChallengesContinued Challenges
• FROM THE MANAGER- Repeat, repeat, repeat (patience)- Make it fun, fun, fun
• FROM THE WORKER-Passion!-Patience
• FROM THE MANAGER- Repeat, repeat, repeat (patience)- Make it fun, fun, fun
• FROM THE WORKER-Passion!-Patience
Take-“Office” MessageTake-“Office” Message
Any Questions?Any Questions?Thank You!