Often tutoring is seen as a casual gig you do while at university until you start looking for ‘serious’ degree related work!
But this isn’t the case!
Working at AOS is an incredible opportunity to build key skills and experiences so that you can land that graduate job!
Really? Yes, really!
Find out how Thomas was able to land a job at the Australian Treasury as a result of his work with AOS!
What role will you be doing next year at the Treasury?
The Australian Treasury’s graduate program includes three six-month placement rotations across different departments with the aim of exposing me to a variety of policy areas. The main areas I am particularly excited for include the Macroeconomic Group, the Market Group and the Fiscal Group.
My actual roles could include briefing Ministers, partaking in team policy discussions, working with each unit group to develop/research policy options as well as continually engaging with stakeholders.
What excites you about this role?
I’m excited to work for Treasury because I get the opportunity to move somewhere new, I’m able to continue my passion for economics, and I will work on projects and policy that will have a tangible effect on society and the nation.
What prompted you initially to apply to join the AOS team?
As I was studying both a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Education I initially wanted to join the AOS team because I wanted to work in education. I also wanted a flexible job that I could fit around my uni timetable.
I could think of no better way to have a flexible job in education than tutoring/coaching students. I applied offering to tutor in HSC Economics, HSC Business Studies, as well as K-12 Maths.
What skills have you learned and developed in your time at AOS?
When I joined Art of Smart I had no idea I would be staying with AOS for close to four years. During my time here I’m learnt many job-specific tutoring skills including:
- Client Management Skills (Contacting clients, working with different students, families, situations and circumstances)
- Organisation and Scheduling (Arranging lessons, organising lesson dates, prioritisation, and time management)
- Lesson planning and Implementation (Planning lessons, planning units of work, marking, feedback, listening to students’ needs)
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software (Entering lessons into the AOS CRM/Portal, lesson tracking, managing cancellations, new bookings).
In addition I’ve improved many general skills through working at AOS including:
- Communication and patience (Every student is different, and everyone learns at different speeds)
- Driving (and navigation)
- Confidence (Calling a new parent or showing up at a client’s house is scary the first time)
- Time budgeting (You get SO MUCH better at this).
I developed these skills through practice, from tutoring a range of students and through following the recommendations and tips set out by the AOS induction course.
In addition, the AOS team has constantly been there to offer me support whenever I’ve encountered a difficult situation or just needed some advice.
What’s been your favourite / most rewarding experience while being part of the AOS team?
The most rewarding experience is seeing my students improve. One of my students was really, really struggling with Year 10 maths, but is now coming second in the year 11 HSC Preliminary General Maths course. Seeing improvements like this truly is the most rewarding experience for me.
Additionally, AOS will contact parents for feedback which is then passed on to me and the other tutors.
For example: Kathryn is having a wonderful time with Thomas and Talia [another AOS tutor], they are helping her to develop some excellent study skills and improve her confidence in the subjects. They are both fantastic role models for her. Great feedback!! The AOS team thanks both of you for your wonderful dedication shown to Kathryn and also to your other students.
I’ve found this really helpful to see what I’m doing well and what else I need to do to really help the student.
Apart from helping students, other experiences I’ve loved have included being a part of the Senior Leadership Team as well as joining the Blogging Team and creating articles and resources for the Art of Smart Website.
In addition, I’ve made some great friends with other coaches!
How do you feel your work at AOS contributed to you successfully being offered a role with the Treasury?
There were 1300 applicants for the Australian Treasury Graduate Program this year for 25 positions.
To be honest, it is so competitive that I feel that if I had not joined the AOS team, I would not have been offered a role.
You need something to differentiate yourself from the other candidates. Working at Art of Smart has taught me so much. I’ve learned so many invaluable skills that you simply cannot just learn at university.
How can other coaches make the best use of their time with AOS to develop their skills?
Get involved!
There are so many opportunities within Art of Smart! For me, joining the Blogging Team was an amazing opportunity! Creating articles and resources for the Art of Smart Website taught me about Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), marketing, as well as improving my digital literacy.
Apply for positions in Human Resources, the Senior Leadership Team, Classroom Teaching positions at the new Hornsby Campus and more!
The Art of Smart CEO, Rowan Kunz, is dynamic and ambitious and will make Art of Smart the best tutoring organisation in Australia. I’m sure there’ll be even more opportunities to get involved in the future! Apart from that, take on as many students as you can fit into your week, and love the subject/s that you teach.
Looking for a job to help you get into your dream career?
We’re looking for world-class tutors and mentors to join our team!Â
We offer tutoring and mentoring for Years K-12 in a large variety of subjects, with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in students homes or at our state of the art campus in Hornsby!
To find out more and apply to become an Art of Smart coach get in touch today!Â
Isabella Hanley loves science. She loves science so much she’s making it her career. While completing her Bachelor of Medical Science she is also a Coach and Digital Content Manager at Art of Smart. She is super passionate about sharing her knowledge on surviving the HSC since completing the HSC herself in 2014. In her downtime she enjoys Netflix binging like a pro, singing in the shower and baking cakes that are almost as tall as she is.
