Life as an Admissions Rep
I am clearly the host of a new, whacky reality television show “I Want To Go School”. What it really should be called is “I Really Have No Idea What To Do With My Life, So I Am Going To Waste Your Time, Come In For An Interview and Not Enroll In Your School, Because I Clearly Cannot Make Any Important Life Decisions That Would Better My Life and Circumstances.” Or maybe more simpler -- “Loser Island”.
So this is third month of my new job as an Admissions Rep at a school in the city. At first I was excited about it, because everything sounded like something I can do, which I can without so much difficulty. However, after being here for some time now and seeing what’s involved – this is completely not for me in any way, shape or form.
Day in and day out, I have to deal with people that have more issues that Jet Magazine, but yet feel the need that the answer to their solutions is going to school. Which is always great, but these muthafuckers can’t even commit to holding an interview appointment let alone time to attend school. Everyday, I speak to individuals who claim they want to go to school, but have no idea how to accomplish it. I understand that there are always set of circumstances surrounding people in no-win situations, but I have never heard of window shopping for education. You would be surprised at the things that I’ve heard, from people being unemployed for at least 3 years – 5 years. Anyone that I talk to barely has a HS diploma or GED and they’re well into their 30’s sometimes. Single mothers, who are about to be put out of their boyfriend’s house or their momma’s house. People who can’t read. And it appears that every Latina in the Bronx/Queens somehow wants to be in the medical field and never strives past wanting to be a nurse. The black people calling up wanting to work in maintenance, janitorial, or something to with auto mechanics. How do I get these folks oh yeah, they were home watching TV that morning and saw a commercial about going to school and then decided to change their life. That’s usually the reason for calling or just that they are fed up with the current situation of their lives.
The amount of people who’ve dropped out of high school is astounding. Every 3rd person I speak to have this issue and unfortunately, I can’t work with about half of them, due to the program limitations of the school, but I still have to deal with them on some level, whether directing them to a GED program or have them understand their dreams. It’s gotten easier to speak to them, but what frustrates me is the lack of commitment these people have. It’s staggering and unfortunately, my livelihood, my job in other words are based on these losers actually showing up for an interview and ultimately enrolling. If I can’t get an unemployed, single parent enrolled as a student here, my job is looked at as forfeit, because clearly, I am not “selling the dream” enough. It’s frustrating because like I said, my job is dependant on these people who have not one responsible bone in their body. At the end of the day, it’s that enrollment. If at the end of the week, if I don’t have 3 to 4 enrollments, my job is in jeopardy. I am not enrolling (producing) enough to sustain my pay thus my job. Also, it’s those who do enroll are worse, if they cancel their enrollment before school starts, it’s held against me. So in a fair world, that would be pretty unfair right? Nope not to my school. We are admission-bots, unfeeling, uncaring about lying to people about programs we don’t have just so that they can come in the door and try to switch them to something else they’re not interested in. I am so not on the path of the jedi.
Everyday, I speak to people who are “just looking” for information, which is okay, but not to my bosses. Every person who calls, I have to bring in for an interview or every person I call has to be brought in for an interview. Then it is my job to sell them the dream of an education and the value of it and close…umm…I mean enroll them right then and there. Yes, ladies and gents this is a sales job now. Right up there with magazine subscriptions and times shares. I’ve got to close a.k.a. enroll possible students into a school that’s campus is literally only 1 floor. It only takes them $50.00. Imagine me telling that to a jobless, single parent who is tired of retail positions, can’t stand being on public assistance and just wants to get an education because they dropped out of high school at grade 10. It’s not an easy sell. So all of my time is trying to convince folks that yes, my school is the way to salvation and to change, immediate change, since our programs “can change your life in less than a year”. Not my words. I was told that I had to say that on the phone when I am reading from the prepared script, I swear to god.
Even as I write this, no matter how much training I get for the job, this is clearly just a job and not something I want to do. So when do I stop trying to help other people realize their dreams and potential and start to begin fulfilling mine? Good questions. This is just something to pay the bills right now, but the job that’s paying the bills right now is wearing on me fast and I have no idea how long I can keep this up. This job sucks! The pay sucks, but at the time, there was nothing else available, so I had to take it, crappy benefits and all. So before I get stuck at another meaningless job that will never amount to much in my life, I need to get out of here quick and fast before I drown in another session of dream deferment.
So this is third month of my new job as an Admissions Rep at a school in the city. At first I was excited about it, because everything sounded like something I can do, which I can without so much difficulty. However, after being here for some time now and seeing what’s involved – this is completely not for me in any way, shape or form.
Day in and day out, I have to deal with people that have more issues that Jet Magazine, but yet feel the need that the answer to their solutions is going to school. Which is always great, but these muthafuckers can’t even commit to holding an interview appointment let alone time to attend school. Everyday, I speak to individuals who claim they want to go to school, but have no idea how to accomplish it. I understand that there are always set of circumstances surrounding people in no-win situations, but I have never heard of window shopping for education. You would be surprised at the things that I’ve heard, from people being unemployed for at least 3 years – 5 years. Anyone that I talk to barely has a HS diploma or GED and they’re well into their 30’s sometimes. Single mothers, who are about to be put out of their boyfriend’s house or their momma’s house. People who can’t read. And it appears that every Latina in the Bronx/Queens somehow wants to be in the medical field and never strives past wanting to be a nurse. The black people calling up wanting to work in maintenance, janitorial, or something to with auto mechanics. How do I get these folks oh yeah, they were home watching TV that morning and saw a commercial about going to school and then decided to change their life. That’s usually the reason for calling or just that they are fed up with the current situation of their lives.
The amount of people who’ve dropped out of high school is astounding. Every 3rd person I speak to have this issue and unfortunately, I can’t work with about half of them, due to the program limitations of the school, but I still have to deal with them on some level, whether directing them to a GED program or have them understand their dreams. It’s gotten easier to speak to them, but what frustrates me is the lack of commitment these people have. It’s staggering and unfortunately, my livelihood, my job in other words are based on these losers actually showing up for an interview and ultimately enrolling. If I can’t get an unemployed, single parent enrolled as a student here, my job is looked at as forfeit, because clearly, I am not “selling the dream” enough. It’s frustrating because like I said, my job is dependant on these people who have not one responsible bone in their body. At the end of the day, it’s that enrollment. If at the end of the week, if I don’t have 3 to 4 enrollments, my job is in jeopardy. I am not enrolling (producing) enough to sustain my pay thus my job. Also, it’s those who do enroll are worse, if they cancel their enrollment before school starts, it’s held against me. So in a fair world, that would be pretty unfair right? Nope not to my school. We are admission-bots, unfeeling, uncaring about lying to people about programs we don’t have just so that they can come in the door and try to switch them to something else they’re not interested in. I am so not on the path of the jedi.
Everyday, I speak to people who are “just looking” for information, which is okay, but not to my bosses. Every person who calls, I have to bring in for an interview or every person I call has to be brought in for an interview. Then it is my job to sell them the dream of an education and the value of it and close…umm…I mean enroll them right then and there. Yes, ladies and gents this is a sales job now. Right up there with magazine subscriptions and times shares. I’ve got to close a.k.a. enroll possible students into a school that’s campus is literally only 1 floor. It only takes them $50.00. Imagine me telling that to a jobless, single parent who is tired of retail positions, can’t stand being on public assistance and just wants to get an education because they dropped out of high school at grade 10. It’s not an easy sell. So all of my time is trying to convince folks that yes, my school is the way to salvation and to change, immediate change, since our programs “can change your life in less than a year”. Not my words. I was told that I had to say that on the phone when I am reading from the prepared script, I swear to god.
Even as I write this, no matter how much training I get for the job, this is clearly just a job and not something I want to do. So when do I stop trying to help other people realize their dreams and potential and start to begin fulfilling mine? Good questions. This is just something to pay the bills right now, but the job that’s paying the bills right now is wearing on me fast and I have no idea how long I can keep this up. This job sucks! The pay sucks, but at the time, there was nothing else available, so I had to take it, crappy benefits and all. So before I get stuck at another meaningless job that will never amount to much in my life, I need to get out of here quick and fast before I drown in another session of dream deferment.
posted by Dre @ 11:15 PM
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