Top 12 Admissions Counselor Skills to Put on Your Resume

In today's competitive college admissions landscape, standing out as an admissions counselor takes a sharp mix of people sense, systems savvy, and data fluency. Your resume should make those strengths jump off the page—proof that you can shepherd students through a maze of forms, deadlines, and decisions while keeping the institution’s goals firmly in view.

Admissions Counselor Skills

1. Salesforce
2. Slate
3. PeopleSoft
4. Interpersonal
5. Multitasking
6. Banner
7. CRM
8. Data Analysis
9. Recruitment
10. Advising
11. Microsoft Office
12. Zoom

1. Salesforce

Salesforce is a cloud CRM used to track prospects, applications, and engagement—centralizing outreach, workflow, and reporting for admissions teams.

Why It's Important

It corrals student data, personalizes communication at scale, and automates the repetitive grind. Faster responses, cleaner pipelines, stronger yield.

How to Improve Salesforce Skills

1. Customize the data model: Tune objects, fields, record types, and page layouts around your funnel (inquiry to enrollment). Add validation rules to keep data clean.

2. Automate with Flow: Replace legacy Workflow Rules/Process Builder with Flows for follow-ups, tasking, and status changes. Trigger on meaningful behaviors, not just dates.

3. Segment and personalize: Use Campaigns, Campaign Members, and dynamic lists. Build merge-field-rich templates aligned to interests and stage.

4. Dashboards that matter: Surface conversion rates, time-to-first-response, counselor workload, event ROI, and melt indicators. Tie Campaign Influence to results.

5. Experience Cloud: Stand up portals for prospects and admits to self-serve tasks, book appointments, and check status—securely.

6. Governance and training: Establish data standards, permission sets, and regular audits. Level up via Trailhead and internal playbooks. Always FERPA-first.

How to Display Salesforce Skills on Your Resume

2. Slate

Slate is an end-to-end admissions platform for applications, events, communications, reading, and analytics—built for higher education realities.

Why It's Important

One system to run the show: targeted messaging, streamlined review, tidy reporting. Less friction for students. Fewer silos for staff.

How to Improve Slate Skills

1. Deliver with intent: Build communication plans keyed to behaviors and milestones. Tokens and conditional logic keep messages human, not robotic.

2. Query like a pro: Master the Query tool for segmentation, counselor assignments, and instant lists. Save, schedule, and share.

3. Reader efficiency: Configure bins, rubrics, scores, and roles. Fewer clicks, clearer decisions, faster committees.

4. Forms, Events, Scheduler: Smooth registrations, automated reminders, and self-serve appointments. Mobile-friendly pages that convert.

5. Portals and landing pages: Create branded, accessible pages for prospects and admits. Keep copy tight; make next steps obvious.

6. Dashboards and audits: Track funnel metrics and melt risk. Run data health checks routinely—duplicates, missing fields, bad emails.

7. Keep learning: Follow release notes, attend community sessions, document your build standards. Consistency beats heroics.

How to Display Slate Skills on Your Resume

3. PeopleSoft

PeopleSoft is an enterprise system used by many institutions to manage student records, admissions processing, communications, and reporting.

Why It's Important

It anchors core student data and processes—crucial for accurate statuses, compliance, and seamless handoffs to financial aid, registrar, and beyond.

How to Improve PeopleSoft Skills

1. Streamline setups: Configure admissions tables, checklists, 3Cs, Search/Match, and routing so counselors spend time advising, not wrestling forms.

2. Build useful queries: Use PS Query for caseloads, missing items, and decision turnarounds. Parameterize for reuse and accuracy.

3. Automate workflow: Route exceptions, escalate stalled files, and log communications. Audit trails save time when questions pop up.

4. Integrate cleanly: Sync with your CRM (bi-directional where appropriate). Map fields, define owners, document reconciliation steps.

5. Train and document: Short refreshers, step-by-steps, and consistent naming conventions. Permissions aligned to FERPA and role.

How to Display PeopleSoft Skills on Your Resume

4. Interpersonal

Interpersonal skills mean listening well, building trust, and communicating with empathy. Students feel seen. Families feel steady.

Why It's Important

Admissions is personal. Clarity plus compassion turns confusion into momentum and nudges an application into an enrollment.

How to Improve Interpersonal Skills

1. Active listening: Reflect back, summarize, check for understanding. Slow the urge to fix before you fully hear.

2. Empathy in action: Acknowledge emotion, normalize the stress, then guide to concrete next steps.

3. Plain-language communication: Kill jargon. Short sentences. Clear deadlines. Visual next steps.

4. Conflict and boundary skills: De-escalate, set expectations, and offer alternatives. Stay warm, stay firm.

5. Feedback loops: Role-play, shadow, and ask for notes from peers. Small tweaks, big gains.

How to Display Interpersonal Skills on Your Resume

5. Multitasking

Multitasking in admissions means juggling inquiries, events, files, and follow-ups without dropping the thread.

Why It's Important

High volume, hard deadlines. Students expect quick answers. Systems demand accuracy. Balance both or the funnel leaks.

How to Improve Multitasking Skills

1. Prioritize ruthlessly: Time-block by impact and deadline. Batch similar tasks. Protect focus windows.

2. Visual workflows: Use a simple Kanban or calendar view for caseloads, events, and SLAs. One source of truth.

3. Automate the repetitive: Templates, rules, snippets, and standard operating procedures. Save brainpower for conversations.

4. Inbox hygiene: Filters, flags, and same-day triage. Quick replies now, deeper work later.

5. Checklists beat memory: For events, travel, and decision runs. Reuse and refine.

6. Mindful context switching: Short single-task sprints. Then switch. Less scatter, more speed.

How to Display Multitasking Skills on Your Resume

6. Banner

Banner (Ellucian) is a student information system widely used to manage applicant and student data, including applications, enrollment, and financial aid touchpoints.

Why It's Important

It’s the institutional system of record. Clean Banner data keeps decisions accurate, communications timely, and compliance intact.

How to Improve Banner Skills

1. Master core forms: Admissions and General Person pages, checklists, and status updates. Know what drives downstream processes.

2. Population Selection and Comm Mgmt: Build precise populations, automate communications, and log outcomes.

3. Data standards: Duplicate prevention, naming conventions, and required fields. Consistency avoids cleanup marathons.

4. Reporting: Save queries and collaborate with your reporting tool (e.g., Argos/Cognos) for funnel snapshots and operational lists.

5. Integrations: Define reliable syncs with your CRM. Reconcile nightly. Document the map.

6. Security and compliance: Permissions tied to roles, audit trails active, FERPA respected every step.

How to Display Banner Skills on Your Resume

7. CRM

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems manage interactions with prospective students across channels to boost engagement and enrollment.

Why It's Important

Right message, right person, right time. Less manual work, more meaningful conversations, clearer funnels.

How to Improve CRM Skills

1. Personalize at scale: Segment by interest, stage, geography, and behavior. Tailor tone and content accordingly.

2. Automate journeys: Trigger sequences from actions—event attendance, form submission, deadline proximity. Keep humans for high-touch moments.

3. Score engagement: Use signals (opens, clicks, visits, replies) to prioritize counselor outreach.

4. Data hygiene: Standardize entry, dedupe regularly, and enforce required fields. Bad data poisons good strategy.

5. Analytics that guide: Monitor conversions, leak points, and time-to-response. Iterate monthly, not yearly.

6. Compliance: Respect opt-in/opt-out, texting rules, and privacy policies. Trust is an asset.

7. Train the team: Short refreshers, role-based dashboards, and clear SOPs. Consistency wins.

How to Display CRM Skills on Your Resume

8. Data Analysis

Data analysis means cleaning, slicing, and interpreting numbers to steer recruitment and support student success—less guessing, more clarity.

Why It's Important

It reveals trends, bottlenecks, and opportunities. Better tactics, better outcomes, better service to students.

How to Improve Data Analysis Skills

1. Define questions first: Agree on metrics and timeframes before pulling data. Avoid dashboard sprawl.

2. Excel fluency: PivotTables, XLOOKUP, conditional logic, and charts. Fast, reliable, reproducible.

3. Basic SQL: Read and write simple queries for ad hoc needs. Understand joins and filters.

4. Clear visuals: Minimalist charts, sensible scales, and short takeaways. Stories, not spaghetti.

5. Cohort thinking: Track segments over time—by program, aid status, territory. Spot drift early.

6. Experiment carefully: A/B test messages or timing, minding equity and ethics. Document results.

7. Privacy by design: Least-privilege access, anonymize when possible, follow institutional policies.

How to Display Data Analysis Skills on Your Resume

9. Recruitment

Recruitment involves identifying, engaging, and inspiring prospective students to apply—and ultimately enroll—through on- and off-campus efforts.

Why It's Important

Enrollment sustains programs and mission. Smart recruitment widens access, strengthens cohorts, and stabilizes budgets.

How to Improve Recruitment Skills

1. Know your markets: Build personas, map territories, and track school relationships. Align travel to outcomes.

2. Own your digital footprint: Clear program pages, authentic stories, simple forms, fast follow-up. SEO basics matter.

3. Social proof: Student ambassadors, alumni spotlights, day-in-the-life content. Real voices convert.

4. Hybrid events: In-person plus virtual sessions for reach and access. On-demand recordings extend shelf life.

5. Partnerships: High school counselors, CBOs, and community colleges amplify access and trust.

6. Policy transparency: Be crystal-clear on test-required vs. test-optional, deadlines, and scholarship criteria. No surprises.

7. Financial timing: Coordinate with current FAFSA timelines and aid packaging windows. Communicate changes early and often.

8. Yield focus: Fast admit packets, clear next steps, admitted-student communities, and personal outreach from faculty and peers.

How to Display Recruitment Skills on Your Resume

10. Advising

Advising guides students through requirements, fit, and readiness—from first inquiry to deposit, then a warm handoff to success teams.

Why It's Important

Good advising reduces friction and fear. Students make informed choices and arrive prepared to thrive.

How to Improve Advising Skills

• Structured intake: Use a short needs assessment to surface goals, constraints, and support needs.

• Transparent pathways: Map prerequisites, timelines, and total cost. Net-price clarity beats guesswork.

• Nudges that help: Reminders for forms, deposits, and orientation. Timing > volume.

• Document everything: Case notes, next steps, and outcomes. Continuity when cases shift.

• Warm handoffs: Introduce financial aid, housing, disability services, and academic advising—by name, not a link dump.

• Keep current: Policies change. Stay active with professional associations and campus updates.

How to Display Advising Skills on Your Resume

11. Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office (Microsoft 365) spans Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and more—everyday tools for documents, data, presentations, and coordination.

Why It's Important

Fast, consistent output. Clean spreadsheets. Crisp decks. Communication that lands.

How to Improve Microsoft Office Skills

1. Word: Build templates with Styles, headers/footers, and content controls for letters and forms. Accessibility checks on.

2. Excel: PivotTables, XLOOKUP, data validation, and Power Query for imports and cleanup. Charts that actually explain.

3. PowerPoint: Slide Master, brand themes, and Section Zoom. Fewer words, better visuals.

4. Outlook: Rules, categories, Quick Steps, and shared mailboxes. Calendar discipline keeps you sane.

5. Power Automate: Connect Forms, Outlook, and SharePoint to kick off approvals, reminders, and logging automatically.

6. Teams and OneDrive: Real-time coauthoring, version history, and tidy folder structures. Bookings for student appointments.

How to Display Microsoft Office Skills on Your Resume

12. Zoom

Zoom powers remote info sessions, interviews, and quick chats—meeting students where they are.

Why It's Important

Flexible access. Personal touch without travel. Scales nicely from one-to-one to hundreds.

How to Improve Zoom Skills

1. Frictionless entry: Use waiting rooms and authenticated access. Meeting templates keep settings consistent.

2. Engage the room: Breakout rooms, polls, and chat prompts. Short segments, frequent interaction.

3. Accessibility first: Live transcription, clear slides, and slow pacing. Share materials beforehand.

4. Professional setup: Stable internet, good mic, clean background, decent lighting. Record with consent and clear retention rules.

5. Follow-through: Auto-confirmations, reminders, and post-session summaries with next steps.

How to Display Zoom Skills on Your Resume