Megan studied animal science at Moreton Morrell College before deciding on a career in sales. She now works for Prospects (part of Jisc) as an account manager
Why did you choose to work in higher education (HE)?
I was inspired by my time as a student. I wanted to help other likeminded first-generation students who were experiencing higher education (HE) for the first time. When I was a student I found it difficult to navigate the HE field and I didn’t understand what resources were available to me, especially being the first in my family to attend university.
I chose Prospects after seeing the role advertised on the Jisc website. After doing a lot of research on Jisc and Prospects, it sounded like an amazing place to work and a good opportunity to continue to help and guide the HE sector.
Now being a part of a HE-focused company I am able to help not only students, but marketing and recruitment managers in the field to aid and guide students with a wealth of data and resources from Jisc.
What tasks do you complete on a typical day?
I consult on, manage and create marketing campaign initiatives for HE institutions to best meet their student recruitment goals.
Whether that be undergraduate, postgraduate, home or international recruitment.
This includes:
visiting clients on campus to share our data and insights
understanding and processing analytics to then present them in a manageable and understandable format
following up with clients that I meet at conferences/events
conducting team meetings to discuss what a successful campaign would look like to a client.
What do you enjoy about working in sales?
I really enjoy the client side of the role. Consulting with, discussing and designing a campaign that best fits a client's needs (to increase their student pool and help students understand the HE environment) is really rewarding.
I also really enjoy the process of understanding and disseminating all of the data that is available to us at Prospects. I have quite a scientific brain, so learning about everything that is going on in the HE world and sharing this with clients is something that I find really interesting.
What are the challenges?
The HE environment is constantly changing. Policies implemented by the government, visa regulation changes and restrictions on international student recruitment continue to make it a hard area to navigate.
This means I must stay fully up to date with the latest information, insights, and data so that we can provide institutions with the clarity and confidence they need from us.
At the same time, shrinking marketing budgets in the sector are making it more challenging to secure new campaigns and budget commitments. There is a strong and ongoing need for timely, relevant information to help HE institutions successfully navigate this environment and trust in our ability to deliver the results they require.
Have you completed specific sales training/qualifications?
I have voluntarily completed a variety of account management, sales and time management training to increase my knowledge so that I am able to guide and consult clients more effectively.
What three skills are most valuable in your role as an account manager?
excellent organisational skills
strong communication skills
the ability to manage time effectively.
What type of person would suit a career in sales?
Someone who:
is outgoing and personable
enjoys speaking to people
has a genuine interest in helping others
has a passion for the sector they work in or for the product or service they are selling.
Can you debunk a myth about working in sales?
A common myth is that sales people are cut throat and ruthless. All the people in my team work incredibly well together and genuinely want to help each other succeed.
What advice can you give to other aspiring account managers?
Be yourself and don't be afraid to ask questions. You won't know everything at first but asking questions is how you grow and learn. Even if you think it's a silly question. Also, look to learn from your team. See how they work and how they do things and use this to help you understand what methods work for you.
