You’ve got an idea for a careers programme and you want University X to be part of it. You’ve not contacted them before, so where should you start? Here we’ll provide a few tips on the process.
Firstly, identify who is the most relevant person to
contact. You may already receive communications
from a university, so that can always be a good
starting point. If the institution is a UniTasterDays
member, that will make finding a contact and
contacting them much easier too.
When approaching institutions directly, instead of
sending a blanket email to several teams at the
university, it is always worth a quick look at the
university website which will provide details of the
student recruitment team, or a variation of that
name (schools and colleges or education liaison for
example).
Each team will either have a generic email, where
your enquiry will be forwarded onto the relevant
contact, or a specific contact for your region.
At some universities, each faculty may have their
own recruitment members of staff rather than a
centralised team. Always make sure you sign up
to any newsletters, comms or follow teams on
social media to keep up to date with the latest
news and events!
University colleagues regularly travel the various
motorways of the UK and, after initial contact,
always enjoy meeting you face to face or virtually
to discuss how we can build the relationship with
you.
We find it extremely important to know what you
want from us, rather than what we can offer you,
as we value building these relationships just as
highly
It is important to regularly keep in touch with
university contacts during the academic year,
especially to provide staff updates and new
contact details so we can ensure you continue to
get the most relevant information.
Letting us know about events as early as possible
always helps our diary too, especially during
busier periods (Sept/Nov and June/July), even if it
is just a save the date!
We can help put you in touch with the wider
university as well, providing you with departmental
contacts or signposting you to the correct support
team, for example. At Edge Hill, we receive
regular phone calls and emails from teachers and
advisers asking anything from an admissions
query to advice about a careers event!
Keep an eye out for teachers’ panels, teachers’
and advisers’ conferences, surveys etc where you
can provide feedback to help us ensure we are
supporting your students as much as we can too!
Developing and maintaining two-way relationships
with several universities, both locally and
nationally, can provide you with a wealth of extra
contacts, resources and information, to benefit
the students you are working with and other staff
within your school and college. This will enhance
your university guidance offering and we are only
a call or an enquiry away.
This free newsletter will include information on university events added to UniTasterDays, as well as details about new webinars and blog releases for you and your students.
By adding your school or college name to the search, you’ll see events targeted to you!
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