2. Operation Drop In: A Model for
Structured Intake Implementation
Katie Hudon
Sarah Fox
Career Services, UWF
3. • Who We Are: Centralized office structure on a medium-sized campus
• Seeking a method to better meet students needs—and meet student needs
“where they are”
• Despite what we hope for, not all students have developed time
management skills setting up and coming to an appointment (i.e.,
culture of immediacy, no shows, etc.)
• Office sometimes on a several-week wait for appointments
• Could benefit from enhancement in better pairings of student with specific
Career Coach
• Individuals with counseling backgrounds who had previously used intake
methods in psychological services environments working in office
• Adapted psychology intake structure to Career Service needs
Conception of New Structure
4. • Purpose
• Improve pairings of students/alumni with most appropriate Career Coach
• Ensure students/alumni are seen in timely manner and afforded better access to
services
• Meet student where they are
• Relieve front desk staff work load
• Structure
• Student requests Drop In (M-Th. 9am – 4pm)
• Intake Specialist meets student in lobby or interview room
• Spends 15-20 minutes
• Asks relevant items on questionnaire, reviews subject(s)
• Abandons questionnaire/conducts mini-appointment if student falls into one of
following categories: Resumes, Cover Letters, Interviewing Tips, Part-Time Jobs
• Recommends Career Coach if needed (staff specialties and student time, etc.
preferences considered)
• Refers to front desk to schedule appointment based on student
preferences/recommended Career Coach if needed
Purpose and Structure
5. • Creating
• Modelled psychological center forms
• Used staff experience with common appointment situations
• Piloting
• Began Summer 2014, M-Th. 12pm – 4pm, lasted 2 months
• 2 Student Staff, 3 Graduate Assistants, 3 Professional Staff
• Considered whether student needs were being addressed through
1:1 meetings and staff meetings
• Assessed student experience and satisfaction via word-of-mouth
• Editing
• Submitted critiques via shared document
• Met to assess strengths and weaknesses
• Revised questionnaire
Questionnaire Development
6. • Career Planning/Experiential Learning Team and Career Peer
Training
• Reviewed forms
• Discussed structure
• Reviewed scenarios
• Emphasized purpose of Drop Ins
• Consulted Specialties Reference Sheet
• Reception Team Training
• Front desk handles schedules for department
• Intake Specialist provides sheet with recommended Career Coach if
appointment needed
Training
8. Managing Staffing Concerns Cont.
• Addressed Staff Concerns:
• Increased number of staff needed from previous semesters
• Living-Learning student staff contributed
• Provided vision-casting/addressing the “why” of Drop Ins to all
staff
• Some student staff initially spent more time than allotted for
Drop Ins (will discuss further in later slides)
9. • What
• New service with new hours for
Fall Semester (9am – 4pm)
• How
• Social Media
• Facebook
• Wordpress Blog
• Twitter
• Signage (flyers and yard signs)
• Word-of-mouth
• Appointments
• Presentations
• On the Go (tabling)
• Faculty
Marketing
10. • September 2014
• First two weeks slowly increased number served (soft opening)
• Third week increased traffic and full launch
• How long until the Intake Specialists learned the ropes?
• Approximately two weeks
• Location of Meetings/Meeting Space
• New furniture purchased with high-top tables
• Purpose of creating an suitable atmosphere for meeting need and
accommodate students/alumni in addition to those serving in
appointment rooms
Implementation
11. • Affect on timeliness and accessibility
in meeting student/alumni needs
• Feedback During Team Meetings
(Qualitative/Anecdotal)
• Feedback During One-on-Ones
• Procedural
• Timing of Drop Ins
• Feedback From Front Desk
• Feedback From Students
Assessment
12. • Feedback From Front Desk
• Because the front desk sets appointments via phone, all day
Friday, and in the early AM and late PM, the front desk staff
stated that they sometimes forget
• Approach: Further training, reminders, review of process, etc.
• Feedback Concerning Process From Students
• Not always meeting with an Intake Specialist (see above):
• “I expected to be able to see an advisor right away but
was asked to make an appointment.”
• “I did not meet with a career advisor.”
• Scheduling occurred with ease
• Received all 3’s (top score) or N/A’s on Drop In Rating Forms
Process Improvement-Related
Feedback Specifics
13. Assessment/Results Cont.
MONTH DROP IN
#
July (piloting) 7
August (piloting) 17
September
(piloting = 3 served)
30
October 39
November 49
December (as of 12/4) 15
130 Drop Ins in Fall 2014
*9/8—12/5
14. Using Feedback
Issue Solution
Forgot questionnaire
Personal note/calendar reminders, store
questionnaires at front desk
Went over 20 minutes
Check clock/watch, learn time takes to begin drop-
in and discussion
Forgot to check-in and make notes Specific task list
Student seemed overwhelmed with
information and limited time
Reassure student with follow-up appointment and
email communication
Front desk scheduling appointments
when only needed Drop In session
Remembering to abide by protocol sheet
15. Analysis and Future Planning
• Answering questions within 15-20
minutes
• Being thoughtful about what is possible
to cover in designated time parameters
• Brainstorming/training on the best
information to offer (with an eye on
individualized needs)
• Providing appropriate steps based on
these considerations
16. Analysis and Future Planning, Cont.
• Utilizing assessment data to meet
student needs/demand in the face of
possible staffing cuts, etc. (e.g.,
continuing heavy Drop In usage hours and
dropping low-volume hours)
• Considering students’ preferences is
of utmost importance (for Front Desk
Staff scheduling)
• Planning future training/process
review with front desk staff
17. • Rotate Partners
• To see both perspectives (Intake Specialist and student/alumni)
• Intake Specialists
• Use questionnaire for the role play
• Ask all the questions in the General Information Section of the
questionnaire
• Then proceed to appropriate section of questionnaire that relates to the
scenario (e.g., if your student/alumni is meeting with you about graduate school, jump to
the Graduate School Section of the questionnaire)
• Goal
• Intake Specialist to ask all appropriate questions for scenario
• Pair student/alumni with appropriate Career Coach in a follow-up
appointment
Role Playing - Instructions
