The purpose of this study is to examine the Korean admissions officers'' experiences and the meaning of their experiences. Since the University Admission System Support Enterprise started in 2007, about 500~600 admissions officers have worked in Korea. Admissions officers in their universities have carried out studying admissions, developing a new admission process, running in-reach and out-reach programs for high school students, training appointed professors as admissions officers, evaluating applicants’ documents, interviewing applicants, performing follow-up service, and analyzing the result of admission screening. This study focused on how these works have been carried out in the workplace and how admissions officers have adapted in the diverse relationship.
The research problems of it is as follows. First, what have admissions officers experienced as professionals? This study examines the changes of their work experiences, the conflicts between them and their organizations, and the ways of overcoming conflicts. Second, what meanings have admissions officers added to their experiences? This study explores vocation or value which admission officers add to their jobs.
This study uses the narrative inquiry method, which were proposed by Clandinin and Connelly. Narrative inquiry is a qualitative research method which shows the complex aspect of reality through stories. Stories are a way to give meaning to experience; it is an effective tool in showing the complex and diverse aspects of reality.
This study was conducted in the following way; First, three participants working as an admissions officer were interviewed. Second, the records from the semi-structured interviews were analyzed based on the method of narrative analysis. Third, the meaning of each story was interpreted, and finally the stories of the participants were reconstructed into a novel.
The results of this study are as follows. First, the participants experienced the difficulties of adjustment to organization, a variety of tasks(promoting a university, selecting students etc.), diverse interaction with other admissions officers, professors and high school teachers, unstable status(temporary position), and acquirement of knowledge and skills regarding their works. Second, admissions officers added meanings to their experiences or work as follows: changing high schools for the better, feeling rewarded because of selected students adjusting to campus life well, recognizing professionalism of admission officers, thinking of their works positively, and feeling skepticism about their routine works.