Kimberly Jacobs

I learned how important it is to always be transparent and brief when discussing Financial Aid, as the job of an Admissions Rep, we should refrain from going into details regarding Financial Aid and leave that for a Financial Aid Rep so the information is always accurate across the board and there's no discrepancies or false information shared. 

I plan to maintain compliance with all students, and avoid specific verbiage such as a salary expectations, so as to not give false information. Instead, I'll encourage them to do research on their own time of entry level salary expectations. I will apply institutional guidelines and regularly follow them. 

I now better understand compliance and the importance of accuracy and transparency at all times. Not just for the students, but also for the sake of the school. 

Integrity and ethical behavior are important when in admissions. You want to notify a person of their options, and guide them through the onboarding process, without steering, pressuring, or misleading them. Take your time, be consistent with information, and be mindful that this can be a stressful time for people so it's important to be aware of their decision-making and comprehension skills when relaying information. 

I learned communicating effectively isn't just verbal cues, it's reliant on nonverbal cues such as your environment. Prioritizing clarity along with a calm environment free of distractions is the initial step in setting a student up for success during meetings. 

I learned that making big decisions can cause friction for students, especially when overwhelmed with information. Reducing that stress by providing accurate, concise, reliable information minimizes that stress for them. Knowing how to see signs for verbal and nonverbal cues that indicate stress, and adapting your communication approaches as needed may help. 

I learned a profession in Admissions is built on foundational principles such as product knowledge, people skills, sales skills, and a positive attitude. It's important to continue to learn, grow, and be adaptable in both learning new information/skills but also how you communicate material to students.  

It's important to not just convey information clearly, but to be considerate of the person receiving it. Adjust your speech patterns, language used, demeanor, etc to best effectively communicate to others. Slow down, be intentional, and pay attention to moments that may be difficult to convey/understand, or lapses where someone may not have comprehended what was spoken. Adjust accordingly. 

Clear communication goes beyond what you're saying and how you're structuring the information - there's external factors that play a role in attention spans and understanding. For example, someone distracted by a particularly busy background during a video call meeting may not retain information compared to an instructor who in a calm, quiet atmosphere that is free of distractions. 

I learned it's imperative to structure your information for the audience to remain engaged. It's not just the listener's responsibility to pay attention, but a communicator's position to form a cohesive sequence that is easy to comprehend and retain.