1. Help make the dream work
Clearing is a key recruitment time, so you get to feel part of something important and where you know that every minute of your day – and every drop of sweat from your brow – is going into a big, collective and measureable endeavour. (Oh, and you’re also helping lots of new students take the first steps on their Sussex journey – now, what could be more satisfying than that?)
2. Get competitive
It isn’t really a race to be the one to hold your ‘OFFER’ card up first, or the most number of times, but some folk just can’t help themselves, especially those on the early shift. (We’re definitely not talking about Jakki Hall here. No, definitely not.)
3. Make new friends
Anyone who’s anyone works on Clearing, so this is your opportunity to spread your social wings far and wide and enjoy the real benefits of ‘single team working’. And who knows? Today’s call centre neighbour could be tomorrow’s bosom buddy.
4. Enjoy the craic
Yes, Clearing is a Very Serious Business…but working on it is also a lot of fun with a real (occasionally manic) buzz in the air and lots of time to have a laugh during your well-earned breaks. Plus there’s the edge-of-your-seat excitement of seeing the scores coming in as the offers go out – think Eurovision, without the voting blocs.
5. Meet your audience
If you’re not in a student-facing job, this is a rare opportunity to have a Real conversation with a Real student in Real time. Now that’s Real-ly worth getting up early for.
6. Get well fed
They say an army marches on its stomach and this is also very true of the Clearing Crew as you’ll get breakfast, lunch & snacks provided. Expect to get a bacon bap (or tasty alternative) shoved into your hand as you arrive for the morning shift, plus free access to the tuck shop/tea break/rest room throughout the day, where you can keep your caffeine levels topped up to dangerous heights and eat twice your body weight in all manner of crunchy, sweet or sticky things.
7. Bask in the warm glow
There’s nothing nicer than knowing you’ve made a real difference to someone’s day, and maybe the rest of their life – especially when they woke up anxious and thought everything was going wrong. Having a calm chat with someone who hasn’t made their grades will help them feel better. Making them an offer will make you both feel great!
8. Know you’re not flying solo
When you first arrive in the call centre, get well acquainted with your HELP card. This is like a laminated Aladdin’s lamp – wave it three times in the air and someone who knows what they’re doing will appear by your side as if by magic.
9. Listen to Maja
There’s nothing better than a heartfelt personal recommendation, so we’ll end with Maja Prausnitz Hendrickson (Donor Relations and Scholarships Coordinator) talking about her experience of working the phones:
“I was absolutely terrified last year but after the first ten minutes, I really loved it… and realised that all my fears (mostly that I was utterly unqualified and would undoubtedly make a mess of it and ruin countless lives) were baseless and unnecessary. It was surprisingly easy and fun – exhausting and fraught, but exhilarating too! With one family in particular, I was able to go the extra mile and make a profound and important impact on both the student in question (who was quite lost in the face of impending family tragedy) and therefore the family too, at a really tough time, which was an amazing feeling that lingers to this day. It’s not often that one can drive home from a long, hard day and know that you’ve made a real, tangible and positive difference to someone’s life, a life that might have been quite different if that one call had been picked up by someone else. In the end, that’s what answering the phones at clearing is all about – every single person you talk to feels like this is the most important call they’ve ever made, and being able to talk them through the process (whether they’re admitted or not) with dignity, respect and real caring can make all the difference to them. That alone made clearing a rare treat for me and I’ll be really sad to miss out this year…”
Fancy getting a slice of the Clearing action for yourself? Let your line manager or section head know asap!
Dan is a Communications Officer is the External Relations division.
Leave a Reply