Saurabh was a 17-year-old boy from the small city Aurangabad in Maharashtra, when he joined the Mount Allison University all the way across the globe in Canada, to study Political Science. The four-year course took him on a very interesting journey. Today, he is a permanent resident of Canada and works as a Recruitment and Admissions Counsellor for Mount Allison University, the very same university where he did his undergrad.
How, one might wonder, does this now 23-year-old, with a degree in Political science end up as a Recruitment and Admissions counsellor? His story is quite interesting, and one might say inspirational for students who aspire to travel abroad for their undergrad.
Saurabh is more than just a recruitment officer. He has also hosted a radio show “Tuned into the World” on local radio station in Canada. He also has his own YouTube channel which he started 5 years ago. On his channel he talks about his experiences as an international student in Canada, his solo backpacking tours, and more. His channel has over 25000 subscribers and has more than a million views.
I had an interesting conversation with Saurabh, an explosion of multiple talents. Here is how it went.
As a Recruitment and Admissions Counsellor, what do you do ?
Here is what my job is in short –
I arrange and participate in visits to high schools and other recruitment related events, receptions, alumni events, parent information sessions, to promote Mount Allison University to students, parents, and guidance counsellors. This involves travelling for weeks together.
I also respond to inquiries and counsel prospective students and their parents or guardians on the university application process and admission requirements. Additionally I evaluate applicants’ academic credentials and eligibility for admission to the university ensuring that applicants are assessed promptly and accurately.
How does a typical day go by for you?
A day in the Fall season (August to December) would involve traveling to different parts of Canada and the world meeting prospective students.
In the Winter season (January to April), work revolves around processing the applications from the office and responding to inquiries.
The Summer season (May to July) is spent on planning of what the Fall and Winter seasons would look like. This is an a typical job that requires me to be on my feet and hence the makeup of a day changes depending on which season the work cycle is in.
How did you get into this career?
I began working as a student recruitment intern at the university while studying there. I did so during the 3rd and 4th year of my university and based in the skills I acquired and the experience needed to be a recruitment counsellor and it made the most sense to get into a professional career right away after university.
How does being an admissions counsellor affect your general lifestyle?
This job has given me the opportunity to establish myself in a country that I came to at the age of 17. It has allowed to me explore almost all the cities and provinces of Canada and has taught me what it means to represent an institution at high stakes international events. On a professional level, it has taught me to be efficient and hone my time management skills, to establish clear boundaries between personal and professional life and has given me the financial security to pursue my passions, especially those that do not align with my current career such as Vlogging (video blogging) on YouTube, writing, radio and film production etc. Over the course of transitioning from university to work life, I have been able to understand what real ‘Adulting’ means, and as such has allowed me to improve my quality of life one step at a time.
What do you love the most about being in recruitment?
I had three professional wants starting out – I wanted to wear suits to work, a job that involved talking to as many people as possible, and be paid to travel the country and the world. Being able to fulfill all three had been the best decision for a 21-year-old recent university graduate. This was the best choice I could have made given my needs and the ambitions I have for the future.
What advice would do you give to someone who wishes to follow this path?
I have only one advice: take time to learn the skill of communication and professional travel and make sure you have a routine when you get back home to maintain your sanity as things do get very exhaustive on the road. Nonetheless, it is a highly rewarding career if you are naturally curious, are an extrovert, and have a travel bug that makes you want to travel the world.
Here’s the link to Saurabh’s social profiles:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sawkulkarni/
Saurabh’s YouTube Channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbLe-xJfJSLUEiogFsvmzgw/featured
Nidhi is a 20 year old ambivert who completed her schooling from Nath Valley School, Aurangabad. In 2018, she joined the MIT School of Fine Arts and Applied Arts in Pune to pursue her BFA in Applied Arts and Visual Communication. She has a soft spot for reading, writing, and travel. Helping others find their true passion, is one of her interests. As a writer on Careerfox, she intends to interview professionals from diverse career backgrounds and blog about them. She believes that this would not only nurture her love for writing, but also would help youngsters make more informed career choices.