Most Important Skills For A Senior Consultant At Scoot Education
Adan, a Senior Consultant at Scoot Education, emphasizes the importance of "data analysis" and "strategic planning" in navigating teacher and school needs, skillfully influencing choices to optimize placements; this involves "selling" options to educators and guiding schools away from immediate, potentially less effective solutions.
Data Analysis, Strategic Planning, Influence and Persuasion, Problem-Solving, Communication
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Adan Juarez Cordova
Senior Consultant
Scoot Education
University of Pennsylvania
N/A
Economics, Philosophy
Education
Consulting
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, LGBTQ, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Data analysis skills to understand booking data and educator profiles
2. Strategic planning abilities to optimize teacher placement and school needs
3. Influencing and negotiation skills to persuade teachers and schools towards optimal solutions
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
At the senior level, I believe it comes after two specific skills: data analysis and strategic planning. I need to be able to look at our weekly booking data. What schools are being filled? What areas are being built? Who is saying yes to the jobs? What are their educator profile types?
This allows me to assure that we are bringing on more educators of a similar profile. It also helps us fill schools where we didn't do as well this week because there was a higher need elsewhere that was easier to fill. How can I assure that the following week these schools get more priority?
A lot of data analysis and strategic planning comes with this. But just the work that all of us should have skill in is the ability to influence others.
When I say that, I mean teachers sometimes become a bit stuck in their ways as they go to different schools and understand what they like and don't like. They might say, "I will not take jobs at this one school."
This is especially true if it's the only job available in their area. You have to be able to sell that job to them. For example, "We could send you to this other school, but it's 30 minutes outside your preferred driving zone. So I think you might be better off."
"Also, this school offers slightly higher pay than going to that other school an extra 30 minutes away. But this school is definitely within your comfort zone." Helping them weigh those cost-benefit analyses is key to swaying them to the one you want them to go to.
Similarly, with schools, I think they sometimes make eight requests in a panic. I understand they need eight teachers, but what if we were a little bit smarter? What if I sent you three teachers and we could block out different ways to give you maybe five TAs?
This would allow them to step in while other teachers could cover other parts. Really, it's about making sure our schools see things our way. It's not just about going for the easy "we need teachers now" approach. Given the teacher shortage, that's not always an option.