Charting Your Career Path:

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Charting Your Career Path Defining Leadership
and Negotiating Advancement for Financial Aid
Professionals NYSFAAA Conference November 7, 2006
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What Well Cover

• Goal Setting
• Self-Assessment
• The Six Skills Common to Leaders
• Cover Letters, Resumes, Interviews, References
• Working with a Search Committee
• Negotiating
• Your Questions!

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Why Set Goals?

• To develop expectations
• To learn a vital skill
• To improve direction, focus efficiency

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Know Thyself!

• Self-Assessment
• Peer/Colleague Evaluation
• A Professional Plan
• Ongoing Review

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Self-Assessment Form
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You Can Get There From Here!

• Youll Need...6 Skills Common to Leaders
• Strategic, Visionary Orientation
• Fiscal Planning Skills
• Supervisory Skills
• Communication Skills
• Political/Marketing skills
• Time Management Skills

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Peer/Colleague Evaluation

• Identify 2-3 respected colleagues to offer candid
  and honest feedback
• Gain additional viewpoints on your skills
• Check your own instincts - - are the skills you
  rate most highly uniformly well received
• Are there areas of ability that need attention or
  pointing up

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Professional Plan

• Focus on improving one area at a time
• Be honest - - did you place an asterisk next to a
  skill youre still a little anxious about?
• Ensure your plan is concrete and has deadlines
• Review Regularly

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Job Search Strategies

• Again, know thyself!
• Concentric circles (homosocial reproduction)

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FA Assistant Director
Associate Director
Director
Dean
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Financial Aid
Student Services
Enrollment Management
VP (all EM SS)
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1,000 private, lib arts, BA/BS
8,000 regional, public, MA
15,000 private, research, PhD
40,000 land grant
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Job Search Strategies

• Consider the competition
• A sensible (not necessarily linear) path
• Nominations
• Understanding the search committee

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Cover Letter Tips

• Four Basic Paragraphs
• State the purpose
• Summarize skills and knowledge area highlight
  accomplishments
• Briefly state what you know about the
  institution/position youre applying for
• State why you are a good match for the
  institution/position
• Speak to the position announcement
• Speak to special circumstances
• Personalize it!

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Resume Tips

• Remember the Goal
• The Concept of Real Estate
• Chronological vs. Functional
• Briefly Describe Your Institution
• Responsibilities vs. Accomplishments
• Quantify, Quantify, Quantify!
• Be selective (but note this!)

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Interview Tips

• Preparation, Preparation, Preparation!
• Examples Measurable and Tangible (Behavioral
  Interviewing)
• Three Reasons Why You Want Them
• Three Reasons Why They Want You
• Three Good Questions
• Send a Thank You Note
• Fit / Match

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Reference Tips

• Never Underestimate the Importance
• Talk to Your References!
• Talk to Your References Again!!
• The Issue of Background Checks

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Search Committees

• Who are these people?
• Whats their charge?
• Who is/are the final decision maker(s)?

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Background Checks

• The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
• Know Your Rights
• Tricky Situations

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Negotiating

• Things to consider
• Contract options
• Salary data
• Benefits
• Work-Life Balance
• Quality of Life

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So You Have an Offer!

• Make them state the range first
• If forced, give a WIDE range
• Counteroffer!
• Silent treatment tactic
• Salary plus perks tactic

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Networking

• Realistic expectations
• Getting known and for what?
• Things in common exercise
• Tips for working a conference

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Valerie SzymkowiczSenior AssociateThe Spelman
Johnson Groupwww.spelmanandjohnson.com

• Office 193 Northampton Street
• Easthampton, MA 01027
• 413.529.2895
• vbs_at_spelmanandjohnson.com