Things to see, do and ask on an Open Day, the simple importance of checking your email, and careers advice from Barrack Obama.

😊 Welcome

If you are off to an open day this month, then this week’s lead article is for you. I use my 20 years of experience organising open days to help you see beyond the obvious, to make sure you see, do and ask all about the really important stuff!

We also discover a simple truth about universities and email, and we hear from one of the finest politicians ever to walk the planet.

✍️ Things to see, do and ask at a University Open Day

Off to an open day soon? With over 100 such events in September and October, it’s certainly a good time to be going!

Open days were always one of my favourite parts of working at a university. I loved seeing everyone arrive on campus - all with a sense of excitement and anticipation about what this intriguing place might hold in store for them in their future. I loved working with a team of staff and student ambassadors, doing our very best to show off our university, and giving future students just a small glimpse into what their next steps could look like.

Of course we tried to show our university in the best possible light, and it's for that reason that I’ve written this; a few tips on how to understand what they are showing you, and when to ask for more, or to see things a little differently.

Read more

💡 Did You Know?

Universities will communicate with you almost exclusively through email for important matters, like offers, acceptance conditions, accommodation and more!

So, however much you don't really want to bother with your email, you need to start regularly checking your inbox, plus your spam/junk folders, and put your chosen universities in a safe sender list.

And when writing to them by email, it's usually a good idea to approach them relatively formally if you want to get the best response!

📢 Quote of the week

Earlier in the summer, Barrack Obama (hands down, my favourite politician!), spoke with Linkedin about work and careers. He articulated perfectly the one trait that I have always valued most in my colleagues and team members!

“Just learn how to get stuff done.

”And what I mean by that is... I've seen at every level, people who are very good at describing problems; people who are very sophisticated in explaining why something went wrong, or why something can't get fixed.

“But what I'm always looking for is, no matter how small the problem or how big it is, somebody who says Let me take care of that.

”If you project an attitude of whatever it is that's needed, I can handle it and I can do it, whoever is running that organisation will notice. I promise.

“And which is why I think with young people, you don't always need to be so impatient, asking for the plum assignment. A lot of times the best way to get attention is whatever is assigned to you, you are just nailing it. You are killing it.

“Because people will notice Oh, that's somebody who can get something done.”

Barrack Obama, Former President of the United States

Intrigued about what else he has to say? Have a look at the full video (it’s about 15 minutes long).

Thanks for reading!

Jonathan

🎯 In case you missed it:

Found this week’s newsletter helpful? You might also like:

Virtual open days vs. Physical open days: Which are better for you?

Warren Buffett’s advice on finding your perfect career

📅 Next week:

Next week, we ask the question: “Just how ambitious should you be with your initial five UCAS choices?”