July 25, 2024, by Jackie Thompson

Administrator role at UNIP: My Unitemps journey

By Sreyashee Kundu, management student

I remember those initial days when I arrived in Nottingham as an international student, to pursue an Msc Management. I had a very mixed experience, where one part of me was super-excited for the new journey and another half was too anxious and worried to cope with a completely new environment. It has been a perfect roller-coaster ride for me till now.

My first goal

As an international student, my first goal was to find a part-time job to cover my living expenses balancing my studies. At first, I struggled a lot to find work and spent months applying for jobs without success, which led to constant worry about my depleting financial balance. The rejections piled up, and I felt increasingly anxious. I had applied for multiple jobs through Unitemps but nothing was clicking.

Staying optimistic

I stayed optimistic and didn’t lose hope. With my full belief in All Mighty and the positive support from my parents, I knew the best was waiting for me. It might take a longer time to find a part-time job here but that wait would be worth enough. In February, I was selected as the administrator at the University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP). I was thrilled by this opportunity and was initially called to work as a substitute, for two weeks. This was a turning point in my career, my first job here.

What I learned

While working at UNIP, I learned about the UK work culture and served as the first point of contact for visitors, handling enquiries with professionalism and care. I facilitated tenant access to services, administered systems and procedures, and assisted with enquiries. My organisational skills were enhanced and with a friendly demeanour, I contributed to the positive experience of the tenants and guests. I had been administrating locally controlled systems/procedures including keeping a record of visitors to the building, allocation/collection of visitor badges, room bookings, deliveries and copying facilities.

My hard work paid off

The best part was, through my proficiency, dedication and hard work I proved my abilities to work and after ending the short tenure at UNIP in February, I was called back in March again. This was a golden opportunity for me with my working tenure extended. I get a limited number of working hours through but ‘something is better than nothing’. The extended working tenure helped me build my client-handling skills.

Balancing the work with my studies

The management at UNIP has been incredibly cooperative, scheduling shifts around our class and dissertation hours. The convenience of having the job is that it is located on campus, which has been the cherry on the cake. Unitemps continuously keeps me updated on regulations and monitors our working hours as we have limited working hours during the term.

Skills obtained:

• Getting accustomed to UK work culture
• Networking with various tenants and clients
• Dealing with room bookings and building security
• Administering all courier deliveries seamlessly
• Effective time management skills
• Fostering customer service relentlessly

Benefits of my part-time job

This part-time role supported me financially for my basic living expenses. As a management student, I developed my networking skills with many tenants and have gained insights into the overall job scenario in the UK. I understand that these skills will be crucial in dealing with clients and ensuring smooth operations in any future role in a corporate environment.

I wholeheartedly recommend that every student explore the opportunities offered by Unitemps and persist despite any setbacks. Even a short period role is a step toward greater growth and learning, and of course, it provides some extra pocket money to enjoy exploring Nottingham without interrupting your studies.

Check out other opportunities for part-time work and use our webpages for advice on CVs and writing covering letters. You can book a CV and covering letter review with a member of our team.

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