Tell me about your job.
I motivate my team and make sure they give the relevant information to students. I also monitor their calls, identify areas that need improvement, and coach them where necessary. Because we are a distance-learning institution, enrolments are done by phone and team members also e-mail students.
What sort of things do you and your team help students with?
We help prospective students choose the right courses that will enable them to further themselves. We help them decide what they want to do based on their interests, whether they require skills development, and affordability.
After registration, students usually contact our support department, but we are always available to assist the students with queries.
What are the four most important tasks you have to do each day?
I have to motivate my team, share the progress we have made towards our monthly goals, report attendance to our manager, and share any new information that is relevant to my team.
How did you end up in this job?
I started out in the sales call centre at online and mail-order retailer HomeChoice. While I was working there, I saw an advert for a student adviser position at Oxbridge Academy and immediately applied, because I've always had an interest in working in education. After working as a student adviser for a year, I was promoted to team leader.
What big work mistake led to an important lesson?
I once sent an e-mail containing sensitive information intended for our manager to one of my team members by mistake. This taught me to be more focused on what I'm doing.
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a social worker, because I wanted to help people and because I wanted to change the lives of others.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
I enjoy working with people because it gives me a chance to share the knowledge that I have and to help others improve in their own jobs.
What part of your job would you prefer not to do?
Discipline my team members, because sometimes they take it personally.
What is the best career advice you have ever received?
A teacher told me that I could become a model, but I didn't have the resources to pursue a modelling career, nor did I know what steps to take. That experience, however, inspired me to help other young students and to give them the information they need to pursue their dream careers.
What would people find most surprising about the work you do?
I have to pay careful attention to what I say and how I say it, because I work in a diverse team, and everyone has a different character. To make sure I keep everyone motivated, I have to adapt my communication style to each personality.
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