To ask about Admissions Officer job

[Sunnydays567]

If you do this, how did you get into it? I’m keen to work at the Uni. Haven’t worked in admissions before. What’s best to do to get relevant experience? I’m googling as well but it would help me to get some advice for people who have worked in this sort of role. Thank you

To be honest you don't really need direct experience. Office admin experience is needed, a good telephone manner and enthusiasm (I have hired for this position on many occasions). Its more to do with a 'fit' in the team. So long as you have some office experience, and do your research on the Uni you should be fine. Might be worth looking into student visas so that you can show some interest in how things work for overseas students, but you would get training in that anyway. Good luck!

Thanks so much. Can you recommend any specific sites or information regarding student visas?

I started as a temp but that was a loooooooong time ago.

When I'm recruiting now direct experience not required but demonstrating ability to understand complex processes quickly and to be able to explain them to others. General customer service skills, ability to analyse information efficiently and consistently, an awareness of current big issues in HE. These are all the things I look for.

https://www.gov.uk/student-visa

I've also hired for this kind of role.yes to visa info, although there should be a team dealing with this, it's useful to know about. Also clearing, August is a crazy month so you may be working Saturdays etc. UK Naric is useful for looking at overseas qualifications and how they map over for postgrad qualifications. Tailor your application to the essential criteria, experience of HE is often just desirable. Interviews will be scored and the same questions asked to each candidate with room to expand. You'll probably have a basic IT test, e.g. in tray exercise, spreadsheet totalling etc. Good luck.

Good customer service skills are important, as you'll be dealing with people from a wide range of backgrounds, with varying language skills and understanding of the (complex) processes. If you're good at being clear, calm, and empathetic (it can be a stressful experience for applicants), and responsive and good at keeping records, that's relevant experience.

You don't have to have experience of universities/higher education, but do a bit of reading up on WonkHE/Times Higher Education to get a feel for some of the current issues, look at the university's website, and look them up on the Good University Guide/university ranking sites to get an idea of where they stand and that will give you some useful context.

If you can demonstrate that you are quick to pick up new IT systems, that would help too.

Thank you so much for this. I have a lot of skills such as office and IT skills although that’s not my role currently.
Sometimes I find it difficult to give tangible examples in my application rather than just listing skills.
If I get an interview I find it easier.
Any additional advice re Cover letter and CV for this is really appreciated- thanks!

Surprised it's not an online application form rather than a cv and letter
For admissions and registry jobs, unless higher grades, ours always were.

Knowing when to signpost is important, so say if you get a query you don't know about, that you'd refer it to the academic admissions tutor , the international office re visas, the disability office etc. Be aware of what is available and how you'd deal with a query that you didn't have an immediate answer for.