Former receptionist needs help (employees, apply, interviews, public relations)

[altlover85]

Although I've been on interviews since I lost my job I am having difficulty figuring out how my job really added value to the company. It's tripping me up when I try to write my resume as well. I've also done some volunteer resume critiques and that is making me self conscious about my resume as well.

I worked for an office of about 150 people and made up a phone list for the office. The company ran a prescription program for seniors.

I did data entry for the company, but I can't remember how many I did daily. I would say anywhere between 50-100. I didn't have a lot of customer interaction except when they mistakenly called the main line looking for the help line, which in most cases meant I would redirect them. There were times when I tried to ask if they needed help and was sometimes able to help them with very simple problems like looking up a deductible. I also trained three different people to do my job.

I am also familiar with confidentiality as I dealt with confidential information on a daily basis and over my year and a half working there I probably logged 150 people. I gave out security badges as well.

My trip up is that I really didn't do anything to increase revenue, sales, or anything else. I didn't come up with policies or manage anyone.

When it comes to questions like what is your biggest accomplishment or talk to me about a difficult situation I have to reach to be able to answer the question.

I have some human services work and that is where I want to go next. I'd like to apply for my MSW in the next few years and probably do career counseling.

Any advice to make me a more compelling interviewer and/or to spruce up my resume?

[zitsky]

I think you have a great idea about where to go next. I can see how your previous experience fits in with your interest in MSW. Did you deal with any face to face walk ins? Did you handle any calls that went directly to you from a main number? If any of those were true, you dealt with Customer Relations/Public Relations. You don't need to puff it up, but you were the face of the company. How you interacted with the public in person or over the phone had a direct impact on company revenue. If you have a bad interaction with someone, I guarantee they'll tell someone and maybe next year their company wouldn't renew a contract with your company. The main thing you can show is that you didn't just sit there and answer the phones. You had responsibility and made decisions (who to let in, how to represent the company, etc). Those fit in well with your interest in HR.

• You trained 3 employees. That might seem very simple, but that's not something that everyone can do. Some people don't even have the patience to spend time with a trainee like that. Did your responsibilities change after you trained those people? If so, mention that.
  
  
• Even handing out badges is important. That's basic company security. Letting the wrong person into the company could result in theft of property or company information. The confidential information is equally important, even better if you can expand on what that was.
  
  
• As far as "difficult decision". Did you ever have any visitors that didn't want to wear a badge, didn't want to follow procedures, etc? Use that. Was there any time you had access to confidential info that you shouldn't have, and you had to decide what to do?

You don't need to exaggerate any of these, just use your real example. You can easily show that you worked in reception because you liked working with people. (Not everyone does!!) That is a great way to talk about why you want to work in HR (and later MSW/Career Counseling).

Good luck!

[Sunnnee]

What did you do that made a difference in your company?

What did you accomplish?

Did you do anything that helped the company's bottom line?

Everyone knows Word, Excel..etc...what makes you stand out?

[altlover85]

If I knew the answers to those questions I wouldn't have posted the thread. A post like Zitsky's helped me see what value I gave the company. It's not that I don't know what questions to ask, it's that I'm stuck on the answers to those questions.