Tips for Entry Level Admin

[Leigh 87]

Then perhaps don't work full time now..

Get something part time so you can keep that when you start studying.. And not be in this position again in 6 months time.

Save yourself the stress

 

 

 

I suppose it would be unfair to the company to declare that I want full time work when I know very well that I would have to quit once college started.

 

I do want longevity over a short term fix. I would really like to get involved with a company now and forge a good working relationship with them and stay with them for as long as possible, right through until I graduate.

 

Our government supports students and so I could work part time, earn 300 from admin or reception work, and keep 250 from the government.

 

Our government cuts of the payments once we reach the minimum Aussie wage......

 

So I could work 3 days a week and get he minimum Aussie wage since we are fortunate in that students are not expected to work full time, and we get assistance to compensate for lack of full time work.

 

I would rather accept help from the government and only work 3 days a week, than have to work 5 days per week and get off government hand outs - those extra two days a week would go towards studying.

 

Podiatry is an extremely rigorous degree as our university does the FOUR year degree, in THREE years - my Uni is the only Un in Australia that condenses the podiatry degree.

 

 

 

I am worried about working 5 days a week for the sake of getting off handouts from the government - I mean, it is not that shameful to opt to study full time and limit working to only 3 days per week right?

 

 

 

 

OR, should I be striving to study full time and work 5 days a week?

[Lani]

I suppose it would be unfair to the company to declare that I want full time work when I know very well that I would have to quit once college started.

 

I do want longevity over a short term fix. I would really like to get involved with a company now and forge a good working relationship with them and stay with them for as long as possible, right through until I graduate.

 

Our government supports students and so I could work part time, earn 300 from admin or reception work, and keep 250 from the government.

 

Our government cuts of the payments once we reach the minimum Aussie wage......

 

So I could work 3 days a week and get he minimum Aussie wage since we are fortunate in that students are not expected to work full time, and we get assistance to compensate for lack of full time work.

 

I would rather accept help from the government and only work 3 days a week, than have to work 5 days per week and get off government hand outs - those extra two days a week would go towards studying.

 

Podiatry is an extremely rigorous degree as our university does the FOUR year degree, in THREE years - my Uni is the only Un in Australia that condenses the podiatry degree.

 

 

 

I am worried about working 5 days a week for the sake of getting off handouts from the government - I mean, it is not that shameful to opt to study full time and limit working to only 3 days per week right?

 

 

 

 

OR, should I be striving to study full time and work 5 days a week?

 

No, I don't think you should work and study full time. Especially not for your first year when you're unsure of whether the workload is manageable.

 

At this point I think part time work is your best option. Do you want to be looking for work again in February when you're staring uni? You should be able to concentrate on your studies without learning a new job.

Have you considered part time admin work at the university?

[Leigh 87]

No, I don't think you should work and study full time. Especially not for your first year when you're unsure of whether the workload is manageable.

 

At this point I think part time work is your best option. Do you want to be looking for work again in February when you're staring uni? You should be able to concentrate on your studies without learning a new job.

Have you considered part time admin work at the university?

 

 

 

I am trying to get work ASAP so I can learn the job ASAP

 

I am doing unpaid work for 15 hours a week starting next Thursday to get my skills up whilst I wait for a job to come alone... or rather, for ME to find IT.

 

So hopefully that experience will cause less stress once I get paid work, even if it IS once college starts up......

 

Universities generally want experienced reception and admin staff, and rightly so, however; there are other jobs at the Uni, such as student helps at the libraries which I will look into. Or student support staff that work the hotlines and answers student enquires which I think I would be good at.

[Lani]

I am trying to get work ASAP so I can learn the job ASAP

 

I am doing unpaid work for 15 hours a week starting next Thursday to get my skills up whilst I wait for a job to come alone... or rather, for ME to find IT.

 

So hopefully that experience will cause less stress once I get paid work, even if it IS once college starts up......

 

Universities generally want experienced reception and admin staff, and rightly so, however; there are other jobs at the Uni, such as student helps at the libraries which I will look into. Or student support staff that work the hotlines and answers student enquires which I think I would be good at.

 

Experience you gain in one position is not the same as another. Yes, there are the basics, but there is still a lot of variation.

My point was that you should look for part time work you can keep long term, rather than taking a job now and having to get a new one once semester starts. Think about that full picture now, not then.

 

As for Uni jobs requiring experience, that depends on the work. All areas require admin and some of that is minor stuff. There's a lot of room for progression so even starting as low as possible would be worth it.

Also means less travel time, leaving you the ability to be more flexible.

Just a thought

[Leigh 87]

I would love to work for my Uni, as I think very highly of my university.

 

I will keep applying for roles even if I lack experience, I have still worked in the field of customer service since age 16 when I got my first Mcdonald's, KFC type of a job.

 

I am hoping that my drive to succeed in such a role will shine through, as well as my proven ability to work in fast paced environments (personal training was fast paced as is my event work I currently do casually).

 

I have not yet even started my admin work placement or finished the certificate in business admin!

 

STILL - I look for 40 jobs per day, sometimes more, sometimes less. I know I wont get a look in for most roles, since hundreds of applicants WITH prior admin experience will be applying.

 

I can't help but apply for roles NOW even though I have yet to acquire the work experience. I am hoping that someone looks at my resume, sees that I am driven to succeed and that I REALLY do want to work hard in the role, and will give me the opportunity of an interview.

 

I do look at the essential requirements and I don't just send my resume off to EVERY position, as I don't want to waste the recruiters time when they require a specific skill set or level/years of experience that I simply do not poses.

 

When they specify that they simply want someone with fantastic customer service and knowledge of Microsoft word and a fast typing speed, I apply though.

[Mascara]

A couple of things, including advice on where to get admin experience.

 

In the UK, the exams we have are GCSEs at 16. A Levels at 18. Degree at 21.

 

By the time you're studying for your A Levels, your grades at GCSE are irrelevant. By the time you're studying for your degree, your grades at A Level are irrelevant. By the time you've got your degree, that's all employers care about - it matters not one tiny bit at that stage that you got top marks in your GCSEs if that's as far as you got.

 

Secondly, you need to learn some discipline if you are to succeed at degree level. Your degree will be highly essay based - I've looked, practical placements are around 15% of the total. In this thread alone, you flipflop all over the place - answer questions nobody asked, accuse people of saying things they didn't say, disjointed responses that you haven't proof read. All of these things CAN be worked on, but you need to acknowledge them.

 

Thirdly, there's an old saying that goes something like "what I have is not lessened by what other people have". You are far too obsessed with other peoples "luck" and the perceived unfairness that they have more than you - why on earth does it matter to you that a "layabout" gets a degree?

 

Finally, in order to gain experience a good way is to contact some charities and volunteer your ADMIN time - I know you do other voluntary work, so offer up a couple of hours a day in a charity office until you get a job offer - it'll give you an up to date relevant reference.

[Lani]

Maybe you could put your personal training skills to work at the uni gym?

[Leigh 87]

A couple of things, including advice on where to get admin experience.

 

In the UK, the exams we have are GCSEs at 16. A Levels at 18. Degree at 21.

 

I know how your system works as I attended a British international school when I lived overseas as a child.

 

By the time you're studying for your A Levels, your grades at GCSE are irrelevant. By the time you're studying for your degree, your grades at A Level are irrelevant. By the time you've got your degree, that's all employers care about - it matters not one tiny bit at that stage that you got top marks in your GCSEs if that's as far as you got.

 

Except my marks are still valid and they are what gain me entry into a degree - my marks are still valid since I obtained them in 2010. My 92 is what I have to get into University.

 

Secondly, you need to learn some discipline if you are to succeed at degree level. Your degree will be highly essay based - I've looked, practical placements are around 15% of the total. In this thread alone, you flipflop all over the place - answer questions nobody asked, accuse people of saying things they didn't say, disjointed responses that you haven't proof read. All of these things CAN be worked on, but you need to acknowledge them.

 

Out of all the subjects in podiatry, not all subjects require essays. It is NOT essay heavy at all. You write one or two essays per semester in total - where as social science requires 2 essays per SUBJEST, so 8 essays per semester total.

 

My friend did the degree in podiatry and she hardly wrote any essays. It is really not essay focused, it is about rote learning and online quizzes and assignments when you answer podiatry related questions.

 

As for getting defensive, people said that the marks I currently use to get entrance into University mean nothing, that it is not at all a reflection of my intellect and study ability and that my friend was much respectable than me. Of course I do not believe any of this as I do not see my friend as any better than me just because she has obtained a degree.

 

The universities still USE my marks as an indicator as to my competiveness; for high scaling degrees with a score of 90 required, I am eligible to apply; people with scores of below 90 are not able to do a lot of degrees.

 

Thirdly, there's an old saying that goes something like "what I have is not lessened by what other people have". You are far too obsessed with other peoples "luck" and the perceived unfairness that they have more than you - why on earth does it matter to you that a "layabout" gets a degree?

 

I have a great life, I do not think it is unfair that my friend got a job in fact, she was MORE suited to the role than I was, it was her DREAM to work for a bank and move up in the ranks, so she deserved the job far more than I did. I would rather do podiatry and become a medical professional. My friend got what she deserved.

 

I am personally quiet lucky so I am the last person who should bemoan my situation and my friends "luck". It was NOT luck, she worked hard ass of at college and a job DID NOT just fall into her lap - she did 2 years unpaid volunteer work and looked for work for 4 or 5 months after graduating before she even got so much as an INTERVIEW. I took my friend out for dinner and brought her a present when she graduated so I don't think her degree or job are any measure of unfairness? It is VERY fair that she got a job?

 

Besides, I consider myself to be VERY lucky!

 

All I have to do is study full time, work part time and save every penny; MOST students have to work part time JUST to survive. Not to have extras or savings.

 

I am the LAST person who would complain about other people getting "lucky".

 

Finally, in order to gain experience a good way is to contact some charities and volunteer your ADMIN time - I know you do other voluntary work, so offer up a couple of hours a day in a charity office until you get a job offer - it'll give you an up to date relevant reference.

 

I went into the Vision Australia office and handed in my resume and asked about unpaid admin work.

 

I didn't think to contact the charities I am currently involved with.

 

I have work experience at a local community centre for next week for 15 hours starting Thursday, and then I will work 15 hours a week from that point.

 

I plan to just ask for extra tasks to take on, do a great job, and always look for extra things do to and try to expand on the duties I am able to perform rather than simple sit around and do what I am asked - I will do that plus try to take on extra roles once I am proficient at my original job/tasks.

[Leigh 87]

Maybe you could put your personal training skills to work at the uni gym?

 

 

Um, there are a bunch of super fit sport and exercise nuts studying at the Uni who frankly, are more cut out for the role. Hard core fitness maniacs who study it full time at University. The job market for sports and exercise is NON existent in AUS unless you have a masters or PHD and are... yeah really exceptional! SO these people seem to dedicated to be studying their passions when there is virtually no work available for exercise and sport science grads beyond personal training gigs. Which you don't need a degree for.

 

I feel they deserve the job since they will have a very hard time finding work after Uni.

 

I will try? I am out of shape a little:o

 

I will be using the Uni gym though. It is free!

[Mascara]

Your grades are relevant to a university application.

 

They are NOT relevant to an employer. You've mentioned several times about how employers want a degree and don't care about your high grades.

 

As for saying you're the last person to complain about others fortune.... I suggest you re-read this thread. I think your phrase was "layabout stoners" and something to do with people getting into university with low marks. How do those things affect you? Focus on yourself, not others.

[jonsnuh]

What does studying full time mean?

 

Each university has its different policies. If you qualify after take three half-unit courses like at my alma mater, you are considered as being a full-time student.

 

Three courses may be difficult. However it may just take time management and planning. I have a co-worker in admin, who's taking care of her child, managing her own business and studying to complete her diploma.

 

If you can talk to your boss and he can modify, let's say 2-3 hours each day from your work schedule (and prorate your paycheck for the time-missed), perhaps it might be doable. You just might have to spread everything out, but stay on top of everything.

[anne1707]

As Mascara said, your marks are no longer relevant once you are studying your degree. They help you get on to a degree but after that, they have no relevance. What matters then is your degree result. This is not specific to you Leigh - this applies to all if us. It is your highest qualification that matters, everything else becomes irrelevant over time.

[Leigh 87]

Podiatry is full time. It is a four year degree condensed into three.

 

First year - you can work. My friend worked three days a week during her first year.

 

Second year - it gets very hard to fit all the study in. Working two days is appropriate for podiatry students if they are serious about passing.

 

Third year- you CAN NOT work. You are on placements all week. You start doing medical subjects that year five medical students do pertaining to the lower extremities.

 

You also start advanced biomechanics that is at the same level medical students and physiotherapists cover.

 

You are expected to have the money to make your way to remote areas for placement. Or you don't graduate.

 

I am blessed in that my mum is going to pay the 200 per week board for placements as she wants all my savings to go towards a mortgage and family etc, which is crucial for my age of 28.

[Leigh 87]

Once I start college I will be working my ass off and getting more distinctions which I believe are possible with hard core study, and effective study practices.

 

My 92 will not be relevant, I will be a college student striving to get top marks.

 

My extra curricular activities are also paramount to prospective employers so I will either work one or two days per week or volunteer. I will keep active in SOME form of work, paid or unpaid.

[clia]

Does getting someone to use a stop watch and set it to one minute, an acceptable way to gauge your typing speed or WPM?

 

I had someone just use a stop watch lol.

 

I bet if it was scripted and I had to write a set document rathe than random sentences I made up, I would have gotten more like 80 WPM.

 

Just making up sentences and having someone time you with a stopwatch is not an accurate way to test your typing speed. It needs to take into account mistakes as well.

 

There are a lot of online WPM tests, if you Google it.

[Leigh 87]

Just making up sentences and having someone time you with a stopwatch is not an accurate way to test your typing speed. It needs to take into account mistakes as well.

 

There are a lot of online WPM tests, if you Google it.

 

 

I will thanks.

 

I assume I won't let lower than 60. I don't make many errors when I type from a laptop/computer.

[Lani]

Um, there are a bunch of super fit sport and exercise nuts studying at the Uni who frankly, are more cut out for the role. Hard core fitness maniacs who study it full time at University. The job market for sports and exercise is NON existent in AUS unless you have a masters or PHD and are... yeah really exceptional! SO these people seem to dedicated to be studying their passions when there is virtually no work available for exercise and sport science grads beyond personal training gigs. Which you don't need a degree for.

 

I feel they deserve the job since they will have a very hard time finding work after Uni.

 

I will try? I am out of shape a little:o

 

I will be using the Uni gym though. It is free!

 

Well that's not quite true..

There are a lot of occupations that involve a sports science degree. If it were only PT's that obtained those degrees then they'd be obsolete.

 

I also doubt the gym is free.

[Leigh 87]

Well that's not quite true..

There are a lot of occupations that involve a sports science degree. If it were only PT's that obtained those degrees then they'd be obsolete.

 

I also doubt the gym is free.

 

 

 

 

Go on whirlpool.. Read about the issues exercise science grads are facing.

 

It is difficult for exercise science grads to find relevant work, related to their degree.

 

They have to go on to study something else such as exercise physiology which still doesn't have many jobs going.

 

Personal trainers typically handle the exercise and fitness component and either physiotherapist or occupation therapists help to sort out their lives involving movement constrictions and any rehabilitation required.

 

I know the Australian job market quiet well.

 

Medical imaging grads often find it tough to find work and many articles have been written about the shortage of jobs for their first year after graduating...... Dietitians and exercise science grads find it even more tough.

 

Pharmacy grads seldom find work and if they do most of them get the equivalent to a retail worker.

 

The Aussie job market is backward and rewards people who work in call centre more than pharmacy or veterinary science grads.

 

This is first hand facts from hundreds of grads I have spoken to or hear about from the Australia education forum.

 

There are many articles online published on the shortage of work and the crappy wages for: pharmacy grads, veterinary science grads and exercise science grads.

 

 

 

 

It is a very dire situation here for many highly educated people who are simply in a field where there are no jobs available.

 

Safer degrees are commerce and finance, computer science, engineering, podiatry and medicine.

 

Law grads don't usually find work as lawyers and not many of them earn over 40 k upon graduating.

 

My friend who did social science earns more than all the law, pharmacy and veterinary graduates I know of. It's a very sad state of affairs sadly.

 

 

 

 

 

This is why I want ample admin experience BEFORE uni starts up. Even it is unpaid, I need a safety net and something I have a little experience in if podiatry ever became a low paid field with little to no jobs available.

 

I think pharmacists and veterinary science grads deserve more than my friend is getting personally, but the as I said, if you snap up a job in a bank in a call centre you're on 50 K whe vet grads who do actual surgery earn less. It is laughable really.

 

 

 

 

I am glad podiatrist get the wage they deserve. My friend and her cohort earns 60 k mostly. 55 k if you work public not private.

 

 

 

I pray that my field stays healthy and it doesn't turn to Sh it like laws pharmacy and veterinary science!!! Fingers crossed.............

 

 

 

 

 

It is sad when I talk to vets and pharmacists who tell me " never study this, we cannot feed our family "

 

 

 

I me a lawyer who got distinctions and lived out of a car. They are now in admin with no chance of career progression behind the senior salary of 60 k for the most experienced admin staff.

 

He wants tables in all of his spare time to feed his family.

 

 

 

 

This is why I have thought..... So so long and hard about choosing a career, within an area ibam interested in, that has a good outlook and where professionals in podiatry all telling that there is still growth and it is not going to get over saturated anytime soon.

 

 

 

I pray that the universities take responsibility for too many grads and far too few jobs available. Only the students who are really passionate should get in.

 

To achieve this, it is important to have very high marks as an entry requirement because it stops hundreds of students from applying to degrees that have absolutely no jobs available for the vast majority of grads.

 

 

 

 

 

Admin is my choice if podiatry fails to work out..i would support myself with admin roles while putting myself through college again to study a different health discipline.

 

You get government assistance for one degree and one masters. If you want more you pay which is fair.

[Leigh 87]

There are always plenty of admin roles around which is good. it's hard to get your first job as obviously you need experience.. Once in admin it is rather easy to find work if you are willing to travel hours a day via transport. It's not worth driving in Sydney. Newcastle is fine though.

[Lani]

I am well aware of the employment situation in Australia, Leigh.

[cerridwen]

I am well aware of the employment situation in Australia, Leigh.

 

I'm going to need to see your ATAR score to believe this, L.

Sorry.

 

 

I am trying to get work ASAP so I can learn the job ASAP

 

I am doing unpaid work for 15 hours a week starting next Thursday to get my skills up whilst I wait for a job to come alone... or rather, for ME to find IT.

 

So hopefully that experience will cause less stress once I get paid work, even if it IS once college starts up......

 

Make sure these volunteer jobs include intermediate tasks like using Excel.

Forget jobs that just want you to answer phones and file things.

That won't help your resume any.

 

Good luck.

[CarrieT]

I will thanks.

 

I assume I won't let lower than 60. I don't make many errors when I type from a laptop/computer.

 

Here is one, for example.

 

I just tried it and scored 78 WPM with no errors.

[GemmaUK]

Here is one, for example.

 

I just tried it and scored 78 WPM with no errors.

 

I just had a go too and got 70 wpm with one error . Then again I don't type as such that much really as I use Excel 99% of the time.

I'm also quicker just writing my own text but as mentioned, that's not a way to test speed of typing.

[GemmaUK]

That was in a completely different field, childcare.

 

 

You're catching up!

 

I'm confused (have done no back reading to be honest though).

Injustice for unpaid work in childcare but not in admin has baffled me?! Lol!

 

I need to do some reading...

[CarrieT]

I just had a go too and got 70 wpm with one error . Then again I don't type as such that much really as I use Excel 99% of the time.

I'm avoid work today and have done it three more times, getting my score up to 89 with one error...

 

 

Practice helps!