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!