The reality to the situaion- Managers pick? Integrity or Numbers?
After Managing for Several years I notice that most times we the managers create a "environment" that either produces Positive/ Negative Results.
Let me break it down. I remember years ago students where looked up on Students and the main goal was to set them up for success. Enrolling them in a program that they want and we would continually support them till graduation. But i noticed over the years we (management) has turned what use to be a consultative selling environment into a boiler room with boiler room expectation. So we now look at students as numbers and we need this amount of students and if not- then you are FIRED. So it forces admissions rep to know longer uphold Integrity but rather do anything possible to get a student. So thus you have reps now lying to students, you have reps enrolling students in medical program when they want to be a computer analyst. Since reality has sunk in- I have done my best to be "REAL" with my teams and most importantly corporate and i have never had an issue- B/C i tell them this is not a boiler room and there has to be metrics but i will not force my reps into a situation where they are forced to think outside the box negatively because they need a enrollment. Something to think about.......
Mind you- I am not making excuses for negative behavior i am just flipping the coin for a change!!!
Melissa,
Very true! We need to get the word out there. Get the students in the door, and show off what a great school we have.
Patty Aronoff
I think it starts with the marketing. You've got to push your programs, get people in the door to do tours and interviews. My philosophy is that the more people you get in the door, the more likely you're going to get candidates, and the more candidates, the more selective you can become, therefore not compromising the integrity of the program. Dedicate a few hours a week on marketing and see how it changes. Good luck to you all!
Katherine ,
We often know in our hearts when it is truly not the right. I believe we need to trust our intuition.
Patty Aronoff
Well said. If you don't feel you are helping this person realize their dreams then you may not want to enroll them. If they become a drop later on that is just as bad,or worse in some cases as not enrolling them to begin with. Where I work if we have someone we are not sure about we have them talk with several people including a faculty member that may be instructing them to be sure they are making the right choice for thier future.
Gretchen,
Ethics and honesty are the cornerstone blocks to what we do in business.
Patty Aronoff
I very well understand what Tevori is saying and double speak is the norm for many private educational institutions. "Enroll only quality students, but why did you not enroll everyone you interviewed whether it was a fit for them or not?"
With this, two things. The first is that I hope you find an employer who truly means what they say and finds true success, and growth from it, in caring about their students. The second is that as Admissions Representatives, we often have to be a buffer. We have to discern the true fits for our facility, enroll the true fits and then deal with possible reprecution from management for not forcibly enrolling those who we truly knew this was not the best fit for them or they did not want to attend our educational facility no matter what you said or did.
Being the buffer and enduring reprecusion is part of what we are paid to do. Just go to sleep peacefully at night knowing you truly helped people that day, you truly helped your employer with growth and you were ethical in doing so.
Kerrie,
We do have to remember that this is a business, but it is a business dealing with people's lives.
Patty Aronoff
Admissions reps must find a balance between appealing to the business side of the institution and keeping enrollment up but maintaining integrity with the students to do so. This is someone's future, as corny as it sounds, and if they are being coaxed into something of no use to them just to meet your quotas then you need to rethink your personal morals. Students ARE numbers but they are also still students and it is our job to help them in their personal advancement.
Tevori,
Unfortunately, we still need to watch metrics. The reality is that we need to recognize that we are changing people's lives through our efforts. Signing a person up for something that is not truly their dream is not what we should be part of.
Patty Aronoff
