Madison Stevenson
Administrative Assistant
One Stop Student Services in the Division of Student Life and Enrollment
How did you find your position? What was the process like from application to the offer stage? Please detail your experience.
Before the first semester of my UConn career, I had spent the summer searching for jobs around campus that I would be able to have while attending classes. I was ready to leave my customer service position which I had maintained for 3 years prior. In my search, I had come across JobX, the UConn platform to help students fine on campus jobs. I had spent sometime looking over the different available positions, trying to find one that I felt interested in and qualified for. Eventually, I came across an opening for an Administrative Assistant in the Office of Financial Aid Services. I was quite nervous to submit my application and interview as it would be my first formal time doing so. I had reworked my resume from head to toe, picking apart each piece and trying to show my strengths and successes. In my application, I was honest about my abilities but also about the challenges that I had previously overcome. To my surprise, a few days after submitting my application, I got an email requesting an interview. The day of my interview, I was extremely overdressed in heels that I did no know how to walk in, but I was also extremely lost. I did not have much navigational knowledge of Storrs Campus prior to my interview, and I ended up arriving a few minutes late. I was for sure certain that I had already lost the offer. However, I kept my cool, walked in with confidence and made sure to explain why I had gotten lost, as I had not even started classes yet. The interview was as expected after spending days searching up “common interview questions.” Making sure I was true to myself, I answered all questions with full honestly and made personal connections to the Manager interviewing me. When it ended, I felt pretty great, but anxious to hear back. About a week later, I received an email offering me the position. Without a doubt, I accepted the offer and began on the journey that would help shape my time at UConn.
What made you apply for your position?
Coming into my freshman year of college, I knew that I wanted to get a job on campus. Not only for financial purposes, but to also build my resume and skills. When applying for my position as Administrative Assistant, I knew that I didn’t have much knowledge about Financial Aid and all the processes it entails, but I knew that I would be efficient and willing to learn. While I was intimidated by all the knowledge, I made it clear that I would not hesitate to learn as much as I could. In additon to this, I knew that majority of my duties in this position would be spent on phone calls with families and students. While I was hesitant about being on phone calls, I knew that I was capable at providing assistance as my prior job required plenty of customer food service skills. Though there were parts of the position that were intimidating, I knew that I had the skills necessary to apply myself to the best of my ability to all responsibilities I would have.
How have you been able to balance your schoolwork and work responsibilities? Please provide details of any challenges or hurdles you have encountered.
Since I had started working the summer prior to my first semester, I had already gained a substantial amount of training for me to feel comfortable taking calls when the semester started. To be honest, my first few semesters were not very kind to me. I had faced a lot of challenges within my health and family that had started to cause stress on my schoolwork. I was simultaneously stressed about school and work and was wearing myself thin. Thankfully, my Manager made it very clear that it was okay for me to need a break. She was more than understanding and helpful when I didn’t know where to start. There are times in which work can get very stressful, but it is extremely helpful to have a team and coworkers who understand the importance of my schoolwork as a student. After that first year, I made sure to plan out enough time in my schedule to work, while also allowing time for me to study and get homework done. In times that I was able to catch up, I found it helpful to be able to pick up a shift every now and then. Advocating for myself was one of the hardest things that I had to do. I faced a point in my junior year in which I was struggling to get the necessary academic accommodations I needed to succeed. At work, I felt drained and stressed, with too many things running through my head. It got to a point where I really needed to talk to someone. Thankfully, my manager was more than happy to listen to me and work towards getting me accomodations. I no longer felt lost, but instead reassured that everything would be okay. She worked with me to take the time I needed to do what was necessary for my success. As a student it is highly important that you communicate your needs and advocate for yourself in order to give the best you can to your schoolwork and work responsibilities.
What are your personal keys to success and what aspects of your job do you find the most fulfilling?
One of my most prominent personal keys to success is adapting to a Growth Mindset. As someone who has faced the challenge of Imposter Syndrome, I found that adapting to a growth mindset has helped me see past my doubts and allow myself to try new things. It is important to learn from your mistakes or feedback from others and use that to help push you further. Instead of thinking “I can’t do that,” I often rephrase things to “I haven’t tried that yet.” In doing this, it allows me to understand that even though I made not have the immediate knowledge of something, it doesn’t mean I will never learn it. This was highly important especially when first getting my position and when transitioning into One Stop Student Services. There was a lot that I had to learn from a variety of offices. While I did not have all the knowledge at the start, I knew that I would be able to learn it with a little bit of time and effort. In addition to my growth mindset, I also apply my empathetic self to all that I do. It is in my nature to want to assist others in the best way that I can. As someone who handles difficult subjects with families and students, I always approach each conversation with a positive attitude. It is important that I do all that I can in my power to work towards solutions for others. Emotional intelligence is highly important in this position, as you never know what each person is going through on the phone. It also means that when I am faced with a difficult conversation with an upset individual, I do maintain my integrity of my knowledge and abilities to try to explain or assist in the most effective way possible. It is extremely fulfilling to hear a family or student thank me for my help, or to even hear a sigh of relief after I clear up misinformation for them. It’s also fulfilling to know that I am helping others and providing assistance for more than what they originally intended when they called. I find my job enjoyable when I am with my peers and coworkers. While the call center can get quite busy, we always somehow find the time to lighten the mood by catching up, working alongside each other, and using each other as resources when needed.
Describe your typical day at work?
Usually when I start work, I first make sure to sign into my station, and then check in with my supervisor to see where I am needed for the day. As a “seasoned employee” I am often given a variety of tasks throughout the work day. On slower days, I will answer emails in our inbox, or work on training materials for our team. On busier days, I will be on phones, answering and assisting anyone who calls. One of my favorite responsibilities is to work on training materials. Over the course of the past year, I worked to develop a SharePoint Site, and create training sheets, process steps, and informational packets that an employee of any ranking can use in their work. This task gives me the opportunity to not only be creative but also enhance my own understandings of the things our office does.
What skills have you acquired or developed in your on-campus job?
One of the biggest skills that I have developed over the past (almost) 3 years is my problem-solving skills. In a job where people are calling with problems, I find a lot of satisfaction when finding a solution to an issue. When there are things that I do not understand, I make sure to use my skills to go and seek a new answer; to get a new set of eyes on the file, or to find someone who can further assist. Being able to actively work to solve problems is a skill that is applicable to any field. In my undergraduate career in the Psychological Sciences department, a lot of the research I do, starts with the unknown and requires the ability to look deeper to find solutions or answers. In addition to this, as my first college level job, having the opportunity to build my career readiness skills while on campus has been a huge help. This job has helped me gain feedback on the professionalism and ethic that is required in a future career. Having coworkers in various stages of their careers, helps me learn from their knowledge and expertise to be the best employee I can. Finally, this job has allowed immense development in my communication skills. Not only has speaking on the phones, really improved my phone communication skills, but it has also impacted the way that I am able to iterate my thoughts, feelings and ideas. I now feel that I have a better sense of how I can use my voice to the best of its ability. When it comes to communication, I have also developed a strength in advocating for myself and others. By keeping open communication with your peers and coworkers you allow for a much more open space where you can feel heard.
