Addressing incoming person via phone or in person
A student walks in and are asking for help for a resume. They ask if they can be seen right now. What do you do?
1. Tell the student about the drop-in times (optional: discuss appointments on Handshake)
2. Check availability of person doing drop-ins, if available, make the student sign in via QR code.
3.Message person taking drop-ins to let them know a student is here, with the student's ID
How do you answer the phone?
Hello, this is [Your Name], with the UTRGV Career Center. How can I help you?
(or some variation - but needs to include: greeting, name, career center)
Somebody calls and asks how to use JobX
Refer them to student employment.
(Show me how to find them)
Somebody asks if they have to be a student to attend the Career Expo
No - it is open to the public, just disclose that you are not a student at the sign-in area for headcount purposes.
A student calls and asks when the next career expo is.
Brownsville - Gran Salon - October 3
Edinburg - URec - October 4
A person calls and says "I saw Narmeen yesterday. She told me to let her know when I was available, so I'm available right now. Is she there?"
1. Message Narmeen on Teams, if Narmeen says yes, then connect with person.
2. If you see/know Narmeen is out or busy, say "Narmeen is unavailable, can I take a message?" OR "Is there something I could help you with?"
A student calls and asks about something relating to financial aid.
Send them to the operator - let the student know before transferring them. It's better to give them the phone # just in case they don't pick up so they can call back.
OR
Just give the student the financial aid office's information and inform them they called the wrong department.
A student walks in and asks about submitting an I-9.
That would be HR. Give them a map. Circle where HR is. Provide phone number.
A student calls and asks if Narmeen is available, and Narmeen is currently standing right next to you. What do you do?
Get their information, "Let me find out for you", put them on hold, ask Narmeen, if Narmeen says yes, then connect to student, otherwise "Narmeen is unavailable right now, can I take a message?"
A student calls and asks when the Teacher's Job Expo is.
Brownsville - November 7 - Gran Salon
Edinburg - November 8 - URec
A student comes in with their friend asking to be seen for a resume review. Their friend jokingly asks if Alyssa is currently working.
1. Talk about drop-ins with Student 1.
2. Get student 1 to sign in with QR code if they wanna be seen.
3. Message Alyssa on Teams first. If Alyssa gives permission, connect Alyssa and Student 2. Otherwise, "Alyssa is unavailable right now."
4. FERPA - they cannot be seen together/at the same time.
A phone rings, you pick it up. The phone rings again, with another caller. What do you do?
Pick up the first call. Greet them. Ask them to please hold. Pick up the second call. Greet them. Ask them to please hold. Return to first call.
A student comes in, asking about a department you're not sure about. They mention they need to take some kind of exam or get some kind of certification.
Google it - give the student the building info, phone, and any other relevant info
A student asks where they can see the list of employers that are going to be attending the Career Expo.
(Show me how to find it)
An employer calls and asks about how they can pay for their registration for an upcoming expo.
Connect them with Celia (give them Celia's email).
If Celia unavailable or person being belligerent, connect with Ronnie.
An incoming freshman calls and asks why they don't have Handshake access. How do you respond?
Students only receive Handshake access when they register for classes, because some students drop out before classes begin. Tell them to wait until first day of school. If they continue to have issues, contact careercenter@utrgv.edu.
A person calls and they are very upset. They are high-key raising their voice at you. What do you do?
Attempt to de-escalate discussion - often, they are frustrated because they've been transferred around, they just want help - help them. Can't help them or is situation escalating? Contact a full-time staff immediately.
A student comes in and asks about finding a job.
Probing time!
1. What kind?
2. Where?
3. Refer them to Handshake if full-time or part-time off campus.
4. Refer them to Student Employment or JobX for an on-campus position.
5. Make sure you tell them about our services.
Jonikka calls and is trying to get ahold of Kamara. What do you do/say?
Since Jonikka is leadership, inform Kamara immediately either in person or via teams, or call her. Connect them. If Kamara is unavailable, take a message and inform Kamara anyway.
An employer calls and says that they did not receive an invoice for their registration for the upcoming expo.
Tell them to contact Celia (give them Celia's email).
If Celia unavailable or person being belligerent, connect with Ronnie.
A student says they cannot sign in to Handshake and show you on their computer - it is giving them some kind of error. What do you say/do?
Look up student on Handshake as an admin - it is likely this student tried to create an account, and Handshake is not acknowledging the duplicate. Tell them they ALREADY have an account and to access Handshake via the icon under 'Applications' when they log in to my.utrgv.edu. If some other error, contact a career advisor or Jaime.
You are trying to transfer a person to a department, but the department is not answering - it goes to voicemail. What do you do?
Options!
1. Return to caller, inform them that there is no answer on the other end. Give the person the department's phone number and email so they can try calling back later. (Check the time - is it around noon? Might be lunch)
2. Do you know somebody within that department that could help them? Ask that person via Teams if it's alright to give the person on the phone their contact info (utrgv phone and email).
3. Try again, sometimes they might have just been busy. Make sure you tell the department why the person called.
A student comes in and asks about an application they submitted on Handshake to a job a month ago.
Options!
1. Look them up on Handshake - sometimes the employer marks if it's been reviewed or not, or if the position is closed.
2. Encourage the student to send a follow-up email or phone call expressing their interest in the position as well as providing examples and urging them to be professional.
3. You can use admin powers to look at the job and identify if it's been closed and then inform the student that they found a candidate already or the job closed. (only do this as a last resort - DO NOT give the student the contact person's information if it's not listed on the job under 'View As')
A student calls and asks about obtaining an internship. They want to talk to Jack. What do you do?
Get more information - if it's for SEI, it would be Jack, if it's an internship for a class credit, and they are already enrolled, that would be Jack.
If they are looking for internship opportunities, help them set up an Internship Exploration/Application appointment on Handshake, or have them as a drop in with a full-time Career Advisor.
If they're just asking for general information, show them how to apply to internships on Handshake as well as discuss upcoming events relating to them.
An employer calls and asks something extremely specific about the expo, such as "can we bring another table or another person from our team?"
Connect them with Celia (give them Celia's email).
If Celia unavailable or person being belligerent, connect with Ronnie.