Name: Rossy White
Job Title: Human Resurces Consultant
Where: Fort Myers, FL
Years of Experience: 10 years
Education: Marketing Degree; Master's Degree in Human Resources Administration
Salary: See the PayScale Research Center for the average salary of a human resources consultant.
Human Resources Consultant
Rossy White is a highly trained HR superstar. She has worked in human resources, public management and consulting for a decade. Her human resources career has involved international work, employment in the public and private sectors and success in starting her own HR business. In this Salary Story, read about the core role of human resources professionals and get Rossy's advice on how to succeed in the HR field.What is expected in the chief role of human resources consultant?
I am a bilingual (Spanish/English) professional. I have over 10 years of experience in HR. My specific responsibilities have included design and implementation of HR processes and projects including recruiting, performance evaluation, job descriptions, training, and documentation. I have worked in both the private and public sectors in the Dominican Republic (D.R.). I worked with the Department of Justice in DR in the design and implementation of a 180 degree performance evaluation model for about 800 prosecutors. I also have wide experience in recruiting, working for Verizon Dominicana and for the Department of Justice.
What were your steps toward becoming a human resources consultant?1. The design and implementation of a 180 degree performance evaluation model for prosecutors in the Department of Justice. The project was completed on schedule with the following results: Model designed and implemented; Communication plan designed and executed nationwide; Information system acquisition; Approximately 800 prosecutors evaluated nationwide.
2. The development of 337 positions and defining the company competency profile for one of the biggest telecommunication companies in DR. The project was completed on schedule and resulted in 40 percent of the employees trained and interviewed, more than 337 job descriptions built, and the company competency profile re-defined.Sales Operations Program Manager Role and Responsibilities
Henry Cubillan is one of the best inspirations for customer service we’ve interviewed. He has gotten to the top levels of a global company like Dell by working hard and utilizing effective customer service. In a chief role of operations program manager, Henry has been able to help customers from all over the world. In this interview, he discusses the functions of the operations manager and offers some sage advice for anyone pursuing a career in sales management.
What are the functions of an operations manager?
Henry: My main responsibility is to support fulfillment programs for some of our largest public and Fortune 500 customers. It's my job to craft a response plan that meets the customer's expectations in terms of procurement, SLA levels, product fulfillment and delivery. I am the face of operations in front of our customers and I ensure that all support teams throughout the organization work to meet the customer's requirements. For example, we may have a customer that needs 20,000 notebooks delivered to 550 locations around the world within a very short time frame. It's my job to work with the customer to understand their capabilities/limitations at each location, craft a delivery schedule that meets their needs, work with our fulfillment teams to ensure that (once a purchase order is received) we are building the product in a timely manner, comply with all of the customer's specific requirements, and deliver within the agreed-upon time frame at each and every location.
What were your steps toward becoming sales operations program manager?
Henry: My career at Dell started out in sales, as an account manager for relationship customers in Latin America and the Caribbean. This gave me great visibility to our core business, but I wasn't too involved with the inner workings of the company. I then transitioned into a solutions architect role, managing deployment services for large corporate customers. It was in this role that I started to get interested in sales operations. When I had an opportunity to interview for a program manager role, I jumped at it, and here I am, three years later, supporting some of our largest customers around the globe.
What do you like best about your program manager role?
Henry: I love that every day is a challenge, and every day is different. Even though I sometimes have to spend time on documentation and governance, the challenges that I field from customers - internal and external - are what keep my blood going and bring me to work every day, ready for battle. Whether it's coming up with a creative way to meet a customer's unique requirement or pushing our support teams to the limit in order to deliver to a customer's expectation, every day is different. I also love the fact that, despite being a large corporation, Dell still operates like a much smaller company and we pride ourselves in our flexibility and ability to react quickly and decisively to deliver a great purchasing experience. I probably have a lot more leeway than my counterparts at other firms of this size, and I appreciate the responsibility that I am given to go execute. A couple of years ago I was tasked with delivering a replacement notebook to a USMC corporal deployed to the Green Zone in Baghdad. It took a lot of creative thought and the dedication of many different people in the organization to get this done in a very aggressive time frame, but we rose to the challenge and accomplished our mission. At the time, our delivery confirmation came from the carrier and the generic acknowledgment from the marine's unit, but about six months later, I received a battered envelope at my desk. Inside was a hand-written note from this brave warrior, thanking us for all our efforts and telling us that his new notebook allowed him to keep in touch with his family throughout his deployment. It was one of the proudest moments of my career, and that letter is still on my desk, as a reminder that we don't just manufacture product and deliver it.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced as an operations program manager?
Henry: Wow, where do I start? We live in a world of limited (and often competing) resources and it's often a struggle to find a balance. Customers can sometimes take three months to plan an IT refresh, which allows us a robust procurement, fulfillment and delivery plan, but sometimes we get notified that we've received a large, previously un-forecasted purchase order and that can really impact our supply chain planning. Multiply this by thousands of customers and you realize how difficult this can get! Another challenge I often encounter is scope creep; we craft a plan around known variables and - sometimes within hours of pulling the trigger - additional variables are presented and we have to modify the plan on the go. That usually keeps things interesting! Finally, our company's expanding global footprint can also be very challenging. You can have a customer in Europe buying equipment for their operations in the Middle East and Central America, with our own resources based out of Texas, Panama and Quezon City in the Philippines. Bringing everyone together and overcoming language barriers and cultural nuances can be very challenging.
Can you recall any sobering moments from your program manager job?
Henry: Supporting some of our Department of Defense customers, we regularly encounter situations that challenge our logistics capabilities. Without getting into details for privacy/security reasons, we're often called upon to deliver product to very remote locations, during military operations, under very challenging circumstances. It is a sobering task that we take very seriously, and focus on meeting these challenges head on, acknowledging the seriousness of the mission, and the potential impact of failure. As we - and our biggest customers - globalize our operations, we're often caught juggling global challenges and having to craft very creative solutions. As such, it may take a conference call between an engineer in Singapore, a program manager in Texas, a support team in Panama and a logistics team in Poland to address an issue for a customer in Brazil that is trying to expand operations into South Africa!
Do you have any advice for those interested in a program manager career?
Henry: The best advice I can give you is to be open-minded! Throw away your preconceptions about the role of program manager, be willing to be flexible, to adapt, to absorb and accept the opinions of others. Don't spend all your time crafting the perfect plan, because variables that you don't control can often throw the plan into disarray in a matter of minutes, and your success will be measured on your ability to modify the plan to meet the new environment. Don't keep your head in the weeds! While our performance plan may be focused on tactical execution, it's often your ability to see and think and plan strategically that allows you to execute. Be aware of the business environment around you. Don't ignore corporate politics, but don't get bogged down by them either. Most importantly, enjoy what you do! Seek satisfaction in the interaction with peers from all over the world, take pride in what your company stands for, and try to have fun every day!
Want to know more?
Name: Shawn Hodges
Job Title: Molecular Biologist
Where: Newark, CA
Employer: Complete Genomics
Years of Experience: 6.5
Education: University of California, Davis, B.S. Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, minor in Economics; Santa Rosa Jr. College, A.A. & A.S. Biochemistry transfer & Engineering
Salary: Use PayScale's Research Center to find salary data for molecular biology careers.
Careers in Biology: Molecular Biologist Profile
In this interview, Molecular Biologist Shawn Hodges provides detailed information on the perks and challenges of his career in biology. He describes what to expect from entry-level positions, how to prepare for entering the field and how to thrive in a skilled science career. Early in his career path, Shawn switched from an engineering major to biochemistry and hasn’t looked back since. Find out why molecular biology has proven to be a rewarding career choice.
What does a molecular biologist do?
Shawn: As a bachelor's-level biochemist, I generally execute experiments in a laboratory and analyze data on a computer. The level of independence varies, depending on years of experience, scientific complexity, and the type of management. As a new grad, I learned many new laboratory techniques from my boss and colleagues; with between three and five years of experience, management was more hands-off, providing general direction. For example, my assignment was to develop a biochemical assay to assess enzymatic activity. Over the course of months, I would meet with my supervisor and group on a weekly basis to collaborate on ideas to improve the reproducibility of the assay. Experiments were planned, executed, data collected, analyzed graphically and statistically, and shared in PowerPoint presentations weekly.
What were your steps toward a molecular biologist career?
Shawn: I began studying as an engineer as my aptitude for "left-brainer," (analytical and mathematical) skills was strongest. Due to the highly competitive nature of the program and the difficulty in maintaining a competitive GPA while working full-time, I chose to major in biochemistry. Math and biological, chemical, and physical sciences were core to this program. Separate, some may consider these "dry" subjects. However, integrating these concepts into the field of biochemistry was a lot of fun! Biochemistry is the study of the chemical reactions of life.
What do you like about being a molecular biologist?
Shawn: I love the ability to have a real impact on people’s lives as a result of collaborative efforts. For example, our company delivered a DNA sequencing technology that made it affordable for people to have their entire genome sequenced! Acquiring accurate sequence data while maintaining affordability were difficult tasks. Characterizing unknown "black box" chemistry in such that it can be controlled to drive down costs was like detective work. The end product will allow for statisticians to correlate the probability of obtaining common diseases such as cancer, depression, Alzheimer’s, etc. with DNA sequence. Such probabilities would encourage individuals to make lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and drinking, and exercising more.
What are some of the challenges you face as a molecular biologist?
Shawn: At the bachelor's level, you will likely report to a PhD-level scientist who after five or more years in extensive study, (and potentially years of additional experience) is an expert in their field. Depending on personalities and project goals, you may end up with anything from a micromanager to a very hands-off manager. In the micromanagement case, you may have your boss breathing down your neck on a regular basis. The positive attributes may be that your objectives are very clear, relative to the lack of guidance in the hands-off case. In addition, the rapidly changing nature of this cutting edge field will likely result in reorganizations of group members, meaning that you may suddenly be working on a new project with a new manager. (Think of it as management moving chess pieces to maximize success against competitors.) This may happen on the order of once per year.
Do you have an interesting story about being a molecular biologist?
Shawn: Joining a company in a research environment, we were characterizing enzymes that might have useful commercial value. After one year little success was realized. During my second year as part of a development group, we worked as a team of greater than 50 employees from a variety of disciplines (i.e. research, engineering, and manufacturing). Over the course of a year we worked hard and collaboratively to deliver market competitive chemical reagent formulations that would replace prior generation products. Yearly sales were on the order of tens of millions! Being a part of this project, and knowing that these contributions helped the scientific community in studying cures for diseases such as cancer was very rewarding.
Do you have any advice for those interested in a career in molecular biology?
Shawn: Study hard! All of those quantum physics equations, cellular and molecular biology concepts, even statistics, that may seem abstract, have real-world applications in this field. Get experience! Your degree alone will make it difficult to stand out among the crowd of recent graduates. Take advantage of opportunities on campus: volunteer and/or work part-time in labs and obtain internships over summer breaks.
Interested in Learning More?
Name: Jason Richards
Job Title: Security Pricing Specialist
Where: Boston, MA
Employer: Bank of New York Mellon
Years of Experience: 7 years
Education: Eastern Nazarene College, Business Management Degree.
Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for the Average Salary for a Securities Career.
Finance Careers: Security Pricing Specialist
Jason Richards is a security pricing specialist for Mellon Bank. He started at the ground level and is in the process of working his way up. In this Salary Story, Jason explains what public securities markets are and how to make it in Mellon securities careers. He also shares some great advice and stories that would be valuable to anyone working in the stock brokerage industry or pursuing a finance career.
What does a security pricing specialist do?
Jason: This job is considered the operations side of a mutual fund company. Previous to working here, I worked at Fidelity Investments. The operations side is configured of security pricing and accounting for securities held by funds that are in investment portfolios, typically 401k retirement portfolios. Each morning I run a report that shows what new securities were bought by our trading desk, and place them on specific broker or vendor pricing lists. This is to ensure that the bonds are priced on a nightly basis. The fluctuation on a bonds price from day to day affects the NAV (Net Asset Value) of the funds that hold the security. The fluctuation of the NAV on a fund affects the performance of the fund in a portfolio. An individual's portfolio is made up of a group of funds, determined by their retirement goal objectives. Each fund specializes in a certain objective, for instance high risk, low risk, steady growth, and a mix. My job is focused on the pricing of securities that are purchased into a fund. Working for fixed income bonds, we collect prices that are evaluated bids, unlike the traded stock price of an equity. Bonds are considered a debt/credit security, whereas a company issues the bond available to holders (investors) as a "loan" for the company to build or use to grow the company. The company will typically issue the bond with a fixed maturity, and coupon/interest rate that will be paid back to the investors on top of principle. This is how investors make money, and how companies can get money, like a loan, to accomplish growth and objectives for the company.
My job as a pricing analyst is to track the prices on bonds on a daily basis, and check for accurate evaluated prices on bonds with regards to the underlying company's performance, using good or bad news, as well as credit events. We run multiple reports on all the bonds that BNY Mellon holds. Stale Price Report, Broker vs. Vendor, Trade vs. Vendor, NAV Impact reports, New Buys, Day over Day Strat, and many ad-hoc requests from traders, portfolio managers, and senior management. This is a fast paced, detail oriented job with an ever changing environment. We are subject to monthly audits on our practices to ensure we are following and surpassing the strict SEC guidelines set forth for mutual fund companies. Transparency to the shareholder and investors is the most important aspect in my job. Investors want to know how, why, and where their hard earned money is invested, and what BNY Mellon does to manage their assets with the investors' best interests as the number one goal.
What were your steps toward a securities career?
Jason: I started out in finance accounts receivable for Fidelity Capital when I graduated from college. Most graduates have their ideal job in mind after graduation, but the reality is, you kind of go for a job close to what you went to school for. In the finance world, it is hard to jump right into a high paying job right out of school because all companies want to see experience from a candidate. In order to get the experience, you need to start at the basics: accounting and grunge work for low to mid 30's. It's tough, painstaking, and way underpaid, but this is the groundwork for a great analyst. In accounting you learn the basic fundamentals of credit vs. debit, and balancing the two. Unless you know someone in the industry, or come from a wealthy family, you cannot avoid this pledging/hazing aspect of the finance industry. I worked accounting for two years, and saw an opportunity to join a pricing group for the equity side at Fidelity Investments. The requirement of course was previous experience in accounting. I had over two years under my belt and they took me on as a beginner level pricing analyst. Pricing equities is considerably easier than pricing for fixed income. Equities are all traded on an exchange and have open prices and closing prices. Besides factoring in the every other day corporate action on an equity and factoring the exchange rate for foreign countries, it's pretty straightforward. From the equity side, I joined fixed income after two years because I moved out of Boston and purchased a home in NH. Fidelity has its fixed income operations up in Merrimack, NH, which happened to be just 10 miles from my new home. Not wanting to deal with the long commute into Boston, I transferred up to Merrimack, NH, and started a pricing group for fixed income. I enjoyed working for Fidelity, and my personal growth in the company, continuing knowledge, and learning the fixed income field is what motivated me. I have been performing pricing operations for over seven years now, and my next goal is to get over to the research side of the business. With my years of experience pricing out the bonds and equities that were bought into the portfolios, now I want to see the other side. Ultimately, I would like to become a trader.
What do you like about being a security pricing specialist?
Jason: I like training a newcomer into our group. Based on my experience, it's a good feeling to bring someone else up in the group. I like it when they ask questions and I can help them connect the dots as to how pricing works and interacts with the rest of fund accounting, and ultimately the trading desk. A story I have in particular stretches over a period of about eight months. I was training a new individual on the morning task of new buys. It is a big task, which only the most senior people are certified to handle. Joe was the person I was training. For the first two weeks he just shadowed me, and tried to take notes, and asked tons of questions. He looked at the task as mission impossible. He would constantly ask me how I knew everything I knew, and told me he could never get to the point where I was, and perform new buys efficiently. I kept encouraging him and pushing him to take on the task. Once you know new buys, you can handle anything. I liked it because it was a challenge for me, and it helped me to revisit the reason why we do what we do with new buys. It was a sense of accomplishment, for both Joe and me, and it helped me to realize just how far I had come as an analyst.
What are some of the challenges you face as a security pricing specialist?
Jason: The biggest challenge I face today is fair valuation from all the subprime junk debt that we are looking to get off the books from the big mortgage crisis meltdown. In general, whenever you come into situation where a bond still has holdings, and you are trying to liquidate it, and there is no market for it, that is the biggest challenge. There is typically no broker, dealer, or vendor that will touch it. The fair valuation methodology that you come up with to price the bond has to be approved by like three to four different committees, the auditors have to sign off on it, and it all has to be 100 percent transparent to the investor. It sounds easy enough, but there are a lot of factors that go into writing up a fair valuation. Another challenge in the job is finding the time to respond to all the multiple, "Priority!" ad hoc requests while you are trying to perform your daily operation tasks, and reporting. Some days it seems there is not enough time in the day and the stress level can get quite high. You need to find a way to remain calm under pressure and execute quick and accurate decisions within minutes most times. Sometimes the environment can get tough to handle; the challenge is finding a way to remain positive while the ship seems to be going down.
Do you have an interesting story about being a security pricing specialist?
Jason: While at Fidelity I was in pricing for a total of five years, and I went through nine managers. It may or may not have contributed to the slow climb up the career ladder for me. With each new manager, they "don't really know enough about you" to give you that outstanding review mark for merit. Also, with the high turnaround in management, I was constantly the one to train new members into the group, including my last two managers when I was a lead senior analyst. I was offered manager but refused it due to a fixed salary pay, and working the same hours. As an analyst I was hourly and qualified for the O.T. During my time there in pricing I saw the rise and fall of the junk bond, and CDS swap derivatives. I was working at Fidelity at the time when they would almost just hand you a bonus for showing up to work, through the times when they were doing layoffs. It's interesting to see who you thought would be lifers there, just walk out the door, and those who you thought would leave and move on become lifers there. My buddy Tim who shot up the ladder at lightning speed is a manager now, and pushing unit manager. However, now that he has reached the five year mark, he no longer likes playing the game, and is burned out by the everyday stress. In my five years at Fidelity, it was truly amazing to see the level of responsibility and tasks increase 10 fold, yet pay increases drop by half, with less staff. This is the reality that the world of finance is in right now. It's kinda gloomy, but hopefully someday soon it will turn back around again.
Do you have any advice for those interested in a career as a security pricing specialist?
Jason: It's not easy, and you need to have a ton of patience, and a can-do attitude. Also, politics. PLAY the GAME!! Be a YES man/woman. It will help you climb the ladder in half the time. Management will tell you they want to hear your ideas, but in most cases they don't, and it's a way for them to weed out who will be a nuisance along the way, and who will just do the task. If you are asked to do something, do it, or even offer to do it, even if it's the worse task in the group, and do it with a smile. Management remembers the yes people when it comes to review merit time. Even if you do a great job, and are efficient, if you show the slightest resistance on anything, that will be what they remember when it comes to review, and promotions. I have a key example. I was in pricing for four years and a new kid came into the group. He knew the game and played it well. I was an analyst for two years before becoming a senior analyst, and another two and a half years before becoming a lead senior analyst. This kid was promoted to senior analyst in less than a year of joining the pricing group, and then became a lead by two years time. He was a yes man, and entertained the idea of going out for drinks with management after work, and all social outings. That is also key.
Interested in Learning More?
Name: Kris Kingdon
Job Title: Executive Director, Carmichael Chamber of Commerce
Where: Carmichael, CA
Employer: Carmichael Chamber of Commerce
Years of Experience: 2.5 years
Education: High School Grad; Community College Courses, including Business Admin and IT
Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for the Average Salary for an Executive Director.
Executive Director Career
Not all organizations have the same idea of what to expect an executive director to achieve. Executive director positions aren’t all created equal, but one thing is for certain: the essential qualities of an effective executive director stay the same. In this interview with Kris Kingdon, she explains the ups and downs of being an executive director, how she got there, and a detailed breakdown of her job duties.
Executive Director Job Description
Kris: As the only paid staffer in the organization my duties cover:
What were your steps toward an executive director career?
Kris: For 12+ years I helped my husband create his three businesses from scratch out of our home. When my youngest was on a full-time school schedule, and the economy wasn't very construction friendly, I used the opportunity to get out and volunteer. I chose to volunteer at our local chamber because it revolved around what I knew best - small businesses. That lead to an admin assistant position. That lead to an opportunity to apply for the executive director position. I got the position, but resigned after several months after realizing their priorities were not in line with my philosophy to serve the membership. I then applied at a neighboring chamber and was hired as an office manager, and then promoted to executive director within three months. I love helping people with their businesses. I truly believe a chamber membership is an investment that, if used to it's fullest, can give you business networking and advertising at rates incomparable to most other organizations. If the chamber is doing its job, and you are taking advantage of your membership benefits, you will see a return on your investment. A chamber membership is also an accolade that separates you from another non-chamber business; it states that your business has a stake in the community and you are here to stay.
What do you like about being an executive director?
Kris: I meet business members in the community on a daily basis. They always have an interesting experience to tell me about and for me to learn from. Most recently, we sponsored, along with the Carmichael Recreation & Park District, the celebration of our community's 100th birthday. After nine months of planning, we put on a day-long free event, including free admission, free parking and free children’s activities (inflatables, rock walls, clowns, theater). We had free live entertainment, over 120 vendor booths and crafters and a classic car show, all prepaid by the member sponsorships. The event was attended by approximately 5000 people, including our opening ceremonies with guests of honor Congressman Dan Lungren, assembly members Roger Niello and Alyson Huber, Supervisor Susan Peters, and Chief Deputy Landry and board members from the Carmichael Rec & Park District, Water District and Cemetery District, emceed by our Honorary Mayor. We buried a time capsule complete with unique items, past and present. We ended the celebration with a grand finale fireworks show! This was a team effort of many chamber and park volunteers, and of course our generous sponsors. My face still hurts from smiling!
What are some of the challenges you face as an executive director?
Kris: As the only staff member, I am responsible for all administrative duties and executive duties. The key is multitasking. I have come to realize it is a 24/7 job. There isn't a day that goes by that someone needs something and it is my job to help them. You have to be able to get along with all board members regardless of your/their personal philosophies. Board members come with their own personalities and agendas and hopefully the chamber's best interest at heart. Board members come and go, but the executive director is there for the long haul.
What are some of the best aspects of being an executive director?
Kris: Challenging myself to take the job. Pulling off an event that people said couldn't be done! Meeting and working with some of the most amazing people in my community. Making mistakes and learning along the way. The satisfaction that I have done my best and seen our chamber grow and rise to a new level of integrity.
Do you have any advice for those interested in a career as an executive director?
Kris: Be flexible - your volunteers are your key. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Learn to be resourceful, work with what you have. Don't reinvent the wheel, find another organization that is successful and tweak it to your organization's needs. Thank everyone for everything they have ever done for you and the chamber, whether via phone or a personal card. Keep plenty of thank you cards on your desk. Ask advice from people who have experience in various situations. Use everyday as a learning opportunity. When introducing a business person, always mention their business name in the introduction. Be an advocate for the chamber/organization in board meetings. Go with your gut; if it isn't right, do some thing about it. Follow your instinct. Let your president shine; if she/he shines, the chamber shines. Ninety percent of your work is behind the scenes. Get used to it.
Interested in Learning More?
Name: Pamela Banks-Johnson
Job Title: Program Specialist, Assistant Director
Where: Piscataway, NJ
Employer: Not Disclosed
Years of Experience: 15+
Education: Keller Graduate School of Management, MPA - Concentration in Nonprofit Management
Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for median Nonprofit Salaries, including the Salary for a Nonprofit Program Manager.
Nonprofit Careers in Demand - Program Manager
Working in a nonprofit organization is not only a job, but a labor of love. In this inspiring Salary Story with Program Manager Pamela Banks-Johnson, you will learn all about the workings of a nonprofit organization as well as program manager duties, the challenges of nonprofit management, and what to expect from nonprofit salaries. Pamela is the definition of a quality program specialist. If you’re interested in the nuances of a nonprofit career or looking for a sample job description for a nonprofit program manager, then enjoy. You will find Pamela’s insights informative and invaluable.
Program Manager Job Description
As a program specialist I was responsible for program planning and development of five core programs dealing with asthma and lung health. One was “Camp Superkids,”a week-long residential camp for children ages seven to 13 who have been diagnosed with asthma. The duties included fundraising, grant writing, and recruitment of campers. Marketing duties included advertising and media coverage, creating recruitment brochures, and other needed documents. Then there were logistical duties (securing campsites, transportation, etc.), preparing and maintaining a program budget, and working with camp committee to develop appropriate programs. Since it was a medical based program I recruited medical volunteers (doctors, nurses, and respiratory therapists), collected medical documentation, secured medical supplies, etc. I also purchased various items for the camp and campers through the use of bids, and finally, administered and interpreted surveys of campers and their parent/guardian.
Open Airways for Schools/Open Airways for the Community - a six week program also for children ages nine to 11, diagnosed with asthma. The program was administered in a variety of settings, including schools, faith-based institutions, community centers, and health clinics. This educational program was taught by facilitators, with or without a medical background. I was responsible for facilitator recruitment, training, and technical support, media coverage, preparing and maintaining a budget, analyzing program results, ensuring the facilitators received their stipends, and any necessary follow up.
Breathe Well, Live Well - an educational asthma program for adults with asthma. Duties were similar to those of Open Airways, except all facilitators were required to have expertise in the area of asthma.
Asthma Olympics - a one day track and field type event for children with asthma ages five to 12. I was responsible for securing a site, volunteer recruitment, program planning and execution, securing funding and supplies, advertising and media coverage, and recruiting children to participate.
Better Breathers Clubs - an ongoing support group for adults diagnosed with COPD and other lung health issues. I increased the number of support groups in the state of New Jersey by 50 percent. I was responsible for providing technical support, written materials, recruitment and training of new facilitators, and visiting each of the clubs at least annually. I instituted quarterly support sessions for the facilitators and was in the midst of developing the organization's first COPD Sharing Session.
I was also a member of several county and statewide asthma and lung cancer coalitions. I was responsible for representing the organization and reporting on developments of the organization. I have experience advocating on the state and federal levels, discussing the needs of asthma and lung health patients. Furthermore, I was responsible for representing the organization at health fairs and community gatherings and was often called upon by Horizon Blue Cross to provide trainings to school nurses across the state.
What were your steps toward working in nonprofit management?
I have always been interested in helping those in need. I recognized that many individuals were unable to navigate the social services network, making them unable to secure the help they most desperately needed. I obtained my degree in criminal justice, with a goal of becoming an attorney. Unfortunately, life forced me into another direction. I began my professional career as a social worker for a child protective service agency where I was responsible for providing services to families and children victimized by abuse, neglect, and other problems that caused family dysfunction and stress. Eventually I became a supervisor in the organization. I left the field after 9/11; after working in various homeless shelters, I obtained my Master of Public Administration degree with a concentration in nonprofit management.
What do you like most about your nonprofit career?
I love being able to help! At Camp Superkids I got to work with a volunteer committee that was active and excited to work at the camp for free. With the help of the committee, I was able to recruit over 80 children to attend camp located in a rural area of New Jersey. Many of the campers were from urban areas and had never experienced wildlife up close or swam in a lake (half of the children were from New York City). Under normal circumstances at home some of the children were not allowed to run and play like their peers for fear of having an asthma episode. At camp, the children were able to run, jump, swim, sit in front of a campfire, and see wildlife like frogs, fish, deer, and an occasional bear in the woods! They met new friends and went on a ridge walk or a hike up a steep mountain. Because of the possibility of an asthma episode, respiratory therapists, nurses, and physicians were at the camp at all times. The nurses and therapists also accompanied the children on the ridge walk to assist if needed. I am happy to report that the only medical issues at camp that week were banged up knees, a bruised toe (from jumping off the bunk bed), insect bites, and an occasional stomach ache. None of the children experienced an asthma episode while in camp. Letting the children experience camp was one of the highlights of my job.
What are some of the challenges in nonprofit management?
The biggest challenge for any nonprofit organization is funding. Although the need for asthma and lung health education and programs is desperate, the funding is small. Nonprofits rely on the generous contributions of corporations, governmental agencies, foundations, and individuals. Because of the downturn of the economy, funding streams have dried up. This leaves organizations unable to provide programming or salaries for their employees, which, compared to for-profit companies, is very small. One of my individual challenges was getting programs into the schools. School nurses knew the benefit of having an asthma education program for their students, but time constraints caused by the emphasis of improving standardized tests scores made it almost impossible to institute a program such as Open Airways for Schools. Neither the nurses nor the organization was able, in many cases, to convince the school officials that the benefits outweighed the disadvantages, i.e. loss of school days, increased visits to the nurse, and disruption of the classroom when a child had an asthma episode. Another challenge is time. There are so many in need of services and so little hours in the day to provide them. Time management is a must! The ability to prioritize is a must! The use of empathy and not sympathy is a must!
Do you have any advice for those interested in nonprofit careers?
I would advise anyone interested in working in nonprofit to realize that the salary is small, the work is demanding, but the rewards are great. You must have a heart for nonprofit work. I would advise that you seek wisely the type of nonprofit you wish to work for, as they are all different. I have had the opportunity to work in fields where it would have been beneficial for me to have a Master of Social Work degree. I have worked in fields where it would have been beneficial for me to have a degree in public policy or public health. However, if you sincerely desire to help, you can overcome these obstacles. You need to have thick skin, because often you will be rejected or unappreciated or feel abused. Know that your work is not in vain, even if you don't see immediate results; often you will not. What is rewarding is having someone you have assisted see you in a store or call you on the phone, out of the blue, and tell you how much you helped them years ago. You may not even remember who they are or what you did. I don't know of any advice I could have had when I began because this field really started me, not the other way around. It was not my chosen field, but it turned out to be the field I truly love!
Can you recall any interesting moments from your nonprofit career?
I had the opportunity to advocate on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. That was both interesting and amazing. Walking the aisles of Congress, meeting with senators and members of the House, talking to them about asthma, and the need for generic inhalers and more funding for programs was interesting and rewarding. I met with both New Jersey senators and several members of the House, all of which had a family member or close friend with asthma. I met Congressman Patrick Kennedy (who has asthma) and informed him of the change in the formulation of inhalers. His face lit up as he learned why he suspected there was a difference in his own inhaler.
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Name: Donna
Job Title: Licensed Practical Nurse
Where: Loris, SC
Employer: Not Given
Years of Experience: 9
Education: Brunswick Community College: Diploma; Neonatal resuscitation program instructor
Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for the median LPN salary range.
Neonatal Nursing Career
Donna has a passion for labor. No, not construction work, but the hardest labor of all, delivering a baby. Though most of the work is done by the mother, Donna shows that it’s definitely a team effort. She shares her newborn nursery nurse resume and describes some personal experiences from her neonatal nursing career. In this labor and delivery nurse article you will also find out what steps are taken to prepare for a delivery all the way to discharge of the newborn, and read about the challenges of the average neonatal nurse. If you are prepared to learn how to care for people during a tornado, then read on.
Neonatal Nurse Job Description
I'm a level 1 newborn nursery nurse. I'm in charge of taking care of the infants in our facility during my shift. I also attend all vaginal and C-section deliveries and assist in labor and delivery by hooking up laboring patients to monitors, starting IV's, assisting with getting patients ready for C-sections, and assisting on the postpartum floor with general patient care. Part of my job is to assist doctors with circumcisions, lumbar punctures, and umbilical catheterizations. I then enter all orders into the database. Sometimes I attend infants on phototherapy, maintain their IV fluids, oxygen needs, and conduct hearing screens on infants prior to discharge. I'm one of four neonatal resuscitation program instructors at my facility. I keep staff up to date on the latest Nurse Refresher Program (NRP) updates and procedures. Patient education is also an important part of my job.
What were your steps toward a nursing career?
I started out working as a nursing assistant at the age of 18 on Long Island, N.Y. I moved to North Carolina in 1995 and started working at Loris Community Hospital as a certified nursing assistant. I decided to go back to school after assisting the nurses with a lot of their procedures. The nurses I worked with were so encouraging and helpful. They were all great inspirations.
What do you like about being a neonatal nurse?
I love the staff I work with. We function as a team instead of individuals. We assist each other with everything we do. Recently we had a 28 week gestation baby deliver at our hospital in May. The baby weighed two pounds and measured 16 inches. We had to implement CPR upon delivery. The baby took a while to respond and even then its breath was very labored, as expected. We incubated baby, started IV fluids, and then transported him to our NICU, which is in another town. Last week we received a surprise visit from the baby and his parents. They came to thank us for all we had done. He is now a healthy, ten pound baby boy with no residual effects.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your nursing career?
We are constantly short of knowledgeable staff, which can be a major challenge. Most of the nurses that assist us are from other areas of the hospital and they may have some fears about assisting on the OB/GYN/NB Nursery/L&D (obstetrician/gynecologist/new born Nursery/labor & delivery). Sometimes we don’t have enough supplies and equipment to work with. Also, many times there is not a manager around to back you in difficult situations. One last thing to consider is that nurses often find themselves working long hours and extra days without thanks from others.
Can you recall any crazy moments from your neonatal nursing career?
One time I worked two and a half shifts in a row. We had delivery after delivery after delivery. All of our labor rooms were full. We had one girl on a stretcher and another in a wheel chair in the hallway both in labor. Yes, as you might have guessed, the girl in the wheel chair delivered first. I wish I’d had a camera to record that delivery. One nurse was tilting the chair back while two assistants held the patient’s legs in position. We got the job done, though.
Another interesting time: about four years ago we had a tornado touch down. The tornado wiped out the emergency generator that regulates our section of the hospital so we had no power for our floor. We had to walk around the hospital and attend patients with flash lights. We got the work done, though. Now we know how Florence Nightingale really felt as she carried her lamp through the dark hospital visiting wounded British soldiers.
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Name: Tricia Sullivan
Sr. Technical Writer Career
Tricia Sullivan not only shatters the stereotype of boring technical writer jobs - she makes them sound interesting and fun. In fact, when you read the, “What is the job description of a technical writer” section, you may find out that you've been working as a technical writer all along, just not getting paid for it.
In this Salary Story, Tricia explains the difference between technical writing and other forms of writing. You’ll get answers to questions like, “What are the different types of technical writing?” and “How did she find technical writer jobs?” Most importantly, she offers the inside scoop on dealing with clients and project proposals in technical writing. We hope you enjoy learning about this exciting career just as much as we did.
What is the job description of a technical writer?
I work with the business analyst and product managers in setting up user focus groups to better understand what the users need and want in terms of applications and documentation. Then, once a project is undertaken, I accompany the BA in the collection of requirements and visit with the users to understand how they do the job currently. Once the requirements for a project are collected and signed off on, I work with the business analyst to design and define the screens and reports. We work together to make sure the fields flow in the right sequence, that the field labels are clear and easily understood, and that any onscreen text or embedded help text is clear and concise. At each iteration of the screen design, we involve the subject matter expert, who represents the users, so that we can make sure that all of their needs and concerns are met. I then take the screen mock-ups and use cases and develop the documentation. This can be one document or many. My team creates many different types of user documentation (how-to guides, quick references, quick cards, or cheat sheets). Near implementation for the project, I work on product announcements, marketing brochures, adverts, newsletter articles, and marketing specifications. I also work with the stand-up training staff to put together class materials, CBTs, demos, and other training materials. When not working on projects, I do research into usability and give presentations to my team and other development groups (the business analyst team, the software engineering team, product managers, etc.). I also develop forms or web pages for different business units, produce marketing pieces, brochures, or newsletter articles for both internal and external newsletters. I am also the primary photographer for the newsletters. I take photos of different events, such as the Fall Carnival - an annual event of different games and events. The pie-eating contest and the dunk-your-manager challenge are two of the biggest draws, and we usually have slide shows at the fall team meeting depicting these events. I also mentor some of the junior writers, manage multiple projects, and edit two newsletters, while functioning as the team's information designer.
What were your steps toward a technical writing career?
I went to a party at the university with my husband, and it was there that I found my new career. My husband's professor casually asked me what I did for a living, and when I described my job, he said, "Oh, so you're a tech-writer!" I looked at him blankly, not knowing what he meant. What was a tech-writer? I'd never heard of such a thing. Seeing my blank look, he explained what tech-writers and procedural writers did and how it was a growing profession. It was then that I realized that I had been doing a tech-writer's job, but under the guise of administrative assistant and earning the pay of an administrative assistant. After the party, I started scanning the want ads under IT professionals and was amazed at the number of job openings I saw for tech-writers and procedural writers. It had been there all along, and I had never seen it. Although I spoke with my current employer about a title change and perhaps a pay increase, they were happy getting my services for the hourly wage that they had been paying me and could see no reason to move me to a salaried position or even change my title. So, that afternoon, I started creating a resume outlining all the tasks and responsibilities I had performed. Within a week of sending my resume out to a half dozen of the ads, I had three job offers - one for procedural writer and two for technical writer. They all paid about 30 percent more than what I had been making, and they were all for large companies in the Loop. After discussing my options with my husband, I jumped to a new company and happily began my new career as an official tech-writer.
What do you like about being a senior technical writer?
I love the creativity that's possible. I just spent the past year redesigning some of our company's deliverables. I got to do the usability and information design research; then present the information to the team. After that I and two others from my team set up several focus groups comprised of users and product managers to determine what worked and what didn't. We pulled together the results and came out with some sample documents, which we then presented to users at different client sites. We asked them to try the documents for a month or so and let us know their likes and dislikes. This led to another round of creative strategy as we had to make modifications not only in the design of the deliverables, but also in the delivery type of some of them. After several rounds of testing and redesigning, we got our deliverables approved and are now using them. The product managers love them. The team loves them. But best of all, the users love them. They love the fact that they were included, they love the new look, and most of all, they love how easy the new documentation is to use. We are now working on redesigning the training materials, and again, I'm looking forward to the research and creativity in finding new and better delivery methods for the training. I hope the users will be as helpful as they were before.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your technical writing career?
One of the biggest challenges for me are the users/clients. They usually aren't sure what they want. They want some documentation, but don't know if they want online help, a quick reference, a full how-to guide (which includes the business processes), a quick card, etc. Trying to determine what type of deliverable would work best for the users, plus the format in which the deliverable should be delivered (paper, electronic (PDF, web, CBT, etc.) can sometimes feel like pulling teeth when trying to get the users to make a choice. I usually have to make the choice for them, and then convince them that what I've chosen is their idea. While it's a challenge to get the users to decide what they want, for me, it's also fun. I like putting together samples and ideas and showing them to the clients. I love to see their faces light up when they see some of their ideas become real, or to see their reaction to something they had never thought about. Being a tech-writer is more than just words, it's also being creative and imaginative and being able to come up with different presentation ideas. It might be as simple as adding a bit of color to a how-to guide, or as complex as coming up with a logo or cover. Either way, it can be fun or a chore - it's your choice. The next biggest challenge I usually face is the ever-moving deadline. First, they'll tell you that you have six weeks, and then the next thing you know they've moved the deadline and it's the end of this week. I try to keep my personal plans flexible because I can't always guarantee that I won't have a deadline move on me. Luckily for me, my husband is okay with this, and it always keeps our life exciting because we never know what our users will bring to our lives.
Can you recall any amusing moments from your technical writing jobs?
One of the first jobs I had was for a radio and cellular company in Chicago. On a Friday I was told we were going on a photo shoot the following Monday. I was all excited. In my mind, I was seeing models and fancy sets. Come Monday, I showed up wearing one of my most fashionable outfits (not wanting to be outdone by all the models I was expecting) only to find that the "model" was a van outfitted with some of the latest in cellular tower testing equipment. We took the van out to tower in the countryside, and proceeded to photograph it from every angle, inside and out. Not exactly the glamorous photo shoot I had in mind, but it turned out to be a fun experience, even so.
One of my later jobs was working at a large pharmaceutical company. I was nervous as heck but really wanted the job. When I got to the interview, the gentlemen asked me a few desultory questions, but seemed distracted. I answered, then waited. Finally, he looked up at me and said that he didn't really know what to ask me. He'd never hired a tech-writer before, but the clients wanted some user documentation. Without missing a beat, I jumped right in and told him that I would give him a list of questions to ask the other contenders for the job. So, I fed him the questions, and then answered my own questions. We spoke for about an hour, laughing and enjoying the whole interview process. (I admit it was one of the few times I didn't mind being interviewed for a job.) When we finished, he thanked me for coming and for providing him with some interview questions. I drove home second-guessing myself as to whether I had done right by giving him questions to ask other tech-writers. Finally, I decided that there wasn't anything I could do to change it, and let it go. The next morning I got a call from the man at the pharmaceutical company and he said that he couldn't see the point in talking to the other candidates. After all, I seemed to know what I was doing, and could I just come back up there and meet with the clients and get their requirements. I started that job the next day, and he and I worked together for six years building a team of writers as we went along. By the time I left he knew quite a lot about tech-writers and became quite adept at interviewing them.
Do you have any advice for those interested in a technical writing career?
Be flexible. Granted, when I started out the field was new and we were expected to do many things besides just write technical copy, but even now I find that the more flexible I am, the better I can serve my clients. Most clients think they know what they want, but trust me, they don't. You have to be able to bend like a tree to accommodate their ever-changing needs and wants, and you have to be able to adjust to moving deadlines. Be creative and imaginative. Because the users aren't always sure what they want, you need to be able to read their minds and come up with ideas that spark their interest and convey the message(s) that they're trying to get across. Sometimes they need you to be a graphic artist, and other times they need you to simply take their dry, overly-technical copy and turn it into something interesting and provocative - something that tells their users how wonderful this new application is. You need to be able to see through their eyes, and find creative and unique ways to present information. Love words. If you don't like words or writing, then you won't like this job. And if you don't like the job, the clients will be able to tell. One of my favorite pastimes has always been writing - short stories (blogs now), poems, research papers, and white papers. This job is just an extension of what I love doing anyway.
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HR Manager Job Description
Carol: I am an independent contractor with a portfolio career as the human resource person for five companies. Additionally, I provide career counseling to displaced workers to help them find a new career. I also provide compensation services to not-for-profit agencies and create compensation programs for their organizations. I teach HR at a local college for other individuals who want to become certified as an SPHR or PHR. I have been able to take all the things that I love to do and put them into one interesting career. I never thought that I would be an entrepreneur.
What were your steps toward an HR Manager career?
Carol: After being laid off from my dream job, I was paralyzed. Having lunch with a friend one day, I was explaining how I was helping others in HR, but not being paid. She said to me, "Wake up, you are in business." I started my own company and now have retained clients, special projects and actually have found a way to "give back" to others. My business grew so fast that I took on a partner five years ago and will be adding another soon. My first client was actually an interview for a full time position. Realizing that the company was in a downturn, I suggested that they not hire me, but that they couldn't afford not to utilize my services. They agreed and so it began. That was eight years ago. From there, they have referred me to two other businesses. As a presenter at state-wide not-for-profit organizations, I have been able to grow my business having a specialty in compensation for the not-for-profit companies. My name is my brand.What do you like or dislike about being an HR Manager?
Carol: I love having the flexibility of managing HR for a number of companies that keeps me current in my field. The fact that I name my hours and provide service to clients who could not otherwise afford to have an HR person in their business is a win-win proposition.The biggest challenge is that I am now responsible for all the business matters: taxes, paying bills, billing companies, and all the other things that come along with running a business. It took some time to adjust to this since I was used to having a secretary take care of all of this. However, there are ways around this. Understanding that my time was worth more actually doing what I liked rather than the financial aspects, made me decide to hire someone to do this. The second challenge was keeping every client straight. With five of them, I needed to remember who was who and which policies applied to whom.
Can you recall any amusing moments from your HR Manager career?
Carol: A life in human resources is never dull. You never can plan a day. Every decision you make affects someone's life. HR people are either disliked or well-liked. There is no in-between. The craziest thing that happened to me was during an interview process. I asked to take the candidate's coat and she said, "Oh no, I don't give my coat to anyone, and don't ask for my hat." She clearly was nervous. Halfway through the interview, she suddenly was short of breath and the next thing I knew, I was riding in an ambulance to the hospital and trying to contact her family. I was also asked by a client to see if I could train his goldfish to all swim in the same direction. There are many more stories like this.Do you have any advice for those interested in an HR Manager career?
Carol: Anyone can become their own boss. You do need to have a clear vision of what services you offer and try not to be all things to all people. I tried to do all pieces of HR for whoever asked. Choose a niche for yourself and get known for that niche. Also, understand how to charge for your time. I really undercharged my time on my first assignment and became very smart about it very quickly. Lastly, you need support from others. I actually joined a group of other entrepreneurial women. We meet once a month and share marketing tips, fee structures, financial help, etc. We don't compete with each other, but are allies for each other.Interested in Learning More?
Name: Julie
Job Title: Ambulatory Patient Care Coordinator
Where: University Medical Center of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV
Years of Experience: 26
Other Relevant Work Experience: Assistant Director of Nursing, Nursing Supervisor, Charge and Staff Nurse. ER, urgent care, oncology, medical, surgical, GYN, many others. ACLS, BCLS, PALS
Education: Adelphi University, BSN, 1983; ACLS, BCLS, PALS, ATLS trained, battlefield nursing, FEMA certificates of training, many others.
Salary: See PayScale’s Research Center for median salaries in ambulatory care.
Ambulatory Patient Care Coordinator Salary
With 26 years of nursing and medical experience to back her up, Julie decided to take the next step in her career. As ambulatory patient care coordinator, Julie has put her extensive knowledge to use, educating other nurses, improving hospital policies, conducting peer reviews and managing numerous other tasks. In this Salary Story, she explains how she reaches ambulatory department goals, improves the system, and thrives in a challenging position.
PayScale: What is the job description of an ambulatory patient care coordinator?
Julie: I coordinate nursing education, nurse and physician peer reviews, quality improvement studies, statistics, patient complaints and praises, emergency management, infection control for the division, inspections, the hospital intranet and anything else that comes up. This is for 22 clinics that include urgent, primary, pediatric, adult, AIDS/HIV, women’s centers, and outpatient clinics.
PayScale: How did you begin your career as an ambulatory patient care coordinator?
Julie: Actually somebody was let go from the position and the director asked me to step in until someone was permanently hired. I ended up liking the job, applied and got it. This job is big on problem-solving and there is a lot of in-depth computer work. I love computers and have always been the first person to jump in to solve a computer problem that arises. To me, it's like a game to beat the problem. It is also a very autonomous position, which allows me to be creative. I have made many changes, and they all seem to be appreciated.
PayScale: What do you love about your job as an ambulatory patient care coordinator?
Julie: I love the genuine, caring people I work closely with. We have had many tragedies in our personal lives over the past year, like deaths of spouses or parents as well as surgeries and major illnesses. This is between the main four or five people I work with. All of us have been there for each other in any way we were needed. This is why I became a nurse, to help people, and all of these people feel the same way. We are there personally and professionally in any way to help each other get through. This is what makes it worth staying at a job.
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as an ambulatory patient care coordinator?
Julie: I am the program coordinator of 22 clinics that are all in different locations, including the main hospital.This makes communication a real challenge, especially with the main hospital. I have been working to find a connection between our clinics and the hospital because we are very often forgotten, or left out, causing us to not be on the same page in very important ways. We have a hospital intranet with an e-mail system, but communication problems continue and are the greatest cause of frustration for me.
PayScale: What advice can you offer to someone in your field?
Julie: You need a lot of experience as a medical professional in many different areas to do this job. You have to not be afraid of computers, making decisions, or working independently. You should be comfortable with communicating with physicians, administrators, etc. People look to you for answers, so you need to be confident enough to supply the correct information, or to figure out where to find it. This can be a very satisfying job because I have been able to take my 26 years of nursing and the huge range of experiences I have had and apply all of it in a constructive way. This job is for someone who has been around the "block" or "nurses station" a few times. It's not for a rookie.
PayScale: Could you tell us about some interesting moments that you’ve experienced during your career as an ambulatory patient care coordinator?
Julie: I have finally been able to influence the administration, physicians and many other hospital areas that I never thought would listen. You could go in so many directions with this job and make it as interesting as you like.
I have gotten into emergency management because of my military experience and worked with the county in case of a widespread pandemic or other event. All agencies met and had a drill, including the fire and police departments, all of the hospitals in the area, and the nearby military base. It was an excellent experience.
How does your salary compare? The PayScale Salary Calculator is a quick and easy way to compare positions. But when you want powerful salary data and comparisons customized for your exact position, be sure to build a complete profile by taking PayScale's full Salary Survey.
Name: Tom Rybak
Job Title: Rehabilitation Engineer
Where: Richmond, VA
Employer: Dept. of Rehabilitative Services, Commonwealth of Virginia
Years of Experience: 15
Education: BFA-Painting, Washington University, St. Louis, MO; MFA-Painting, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Relevant Experience: Exhibits Fabricator, Science Museum of VA; Cabinetmaker, various shops
Annual Salary: Find average salaries with PayScale's Research Center.
Becoming a Rehabilitation Engineer
If you want to combine compassion with science to help people with disabilities, consider a career in rehabilitative engineering. This versatile career uses both sides of your brain: the creative and mathematical.
Tom Rybak's art school background and knowledge of mechanical engineering helped him choose this unique career path. In this Salary Story, Tom Rybak discusses the challenges he faced in becoming a rehabilitation engineer, and what he loves most about his job. Tom’s inspiring career helps make life simpler for people with disabilities by providing them with devices that give them greater independence and quality of life.
Job Description of a Rehabilitation Engineer
I build custom assistive devices to make life simpler for people with disabilities. The assistive devices help them perform employment related tasks as well as other individual daily living tasks, which in turn gives them greater independence.
When I build assistive devices, I start by researching existing products to see if something is available off-the-shelf. Often there is something that is partly useful, but it might need modification to work for a specific individual because of the nature of their disability or the types of duties required for their job. Sometimes we have to make a device from scratch. My modifications include things like modifying switches, putting buttons on electronic devices for easier access, and building stands to hold items where they can be reached by someone in a wheelchair, or from their bed because they have a limited range of motion. I also do things like adjust or fabricate computer workstations for better ergonomics, and add steps to tractors for farmers with arthritis in their legs.
Sometimes I make recommendations for home and work site architectural models so that they meet ADA requirements. For this I work with contractors who perform work by obtaining bids. I provide oversight and final inspection of their work. Sometimes I also conduct workshops and training sessions to share my experiences with those in and outside of our agency.
PayScale: What experience preceded you in becoming a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: I went to art school since I wanted to be an artist and planned to teach at a college level. When I got out of school I needed a job but could not find any teaching positions. I worked as a cabinetmaker and carpenter for several years so I could pay my bills. Then a friend told me about an open position in a fabrication shop at the Science Museum that required less than two years of building interactive exhibits, and worked with a combination of materials such as wood, metal, plastic and electro-mechanical components. So I applied and got the job.
Once I got the job, I realized that I could never go back to working in a production line cabinet shop since I loved the variety and creativity needed to solve the problems of each exhibit. Then I found an opening at DRS for a newly created fabricator position and got it. After five years, my supervisor left for a better position and I was able to get my current position, where I have been ever since.
PayScale: What do you love about your job as a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: I love this job because every day is different. I get to use all of my creative skills to develop solutions that directly help people either keep or get a job and become taxpaying citizens. I have built up our fabrication shop from a couple of toolboxes and power hand tools to a well rounded workshop capable of working with all types of materials: wood, metal, plastic, fabric, and electronics. Nearly every day is different since each person's ability, need, and job is different. I thrive on the challenge of finding the right solution. I like that I get to work with a wide range of clients, family members, and co-workers. Often I work with a team of OT/PT, computer systems specialists, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and contractors to help remove barriers from employment.
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges for those interested in becoming a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: It takes a long time to build up the skills needed to do this job right. You have to be open minded, flexible, and willing to take chances that will likely flop and leave you back at square one. You need to learn a lot about how things work, know how to build with many materials, research existing products, and reach out to others to obtain needed info on how to solve issues. You need to find solutions quickly to save job opportunities for clients, which is often the most difficult part of this job. You also need to learn basic medical info related to disabilities. If the condition is progressive you must consider how that will play into possible solutions in overcoming barriers.
PayScale: What advice can you offer regarding the qualifications to be a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: It is a very difficult field since there are so few positions like this. Someone with an engineering background might have some advantages but few engineers are taught to be flexible and creative. Some biomedical engineer programs include rehab engineering, but my experience with several student interns from biomedical engineering is that their ability to perform the basics of my job were very poor. Only one out of five was really helpful to me. The others were more of a burden and got in my way.
Anyone wanting to go into this field should get experience with housing construction, cabinetry, welding, sewing, electronics, ADA guidelines, and be willing to get dirty on occasion. Additional experience working with disabilities and wheelchair repair would also be very useful. Basic medical, psychology, and any creative field experiences are also good.
PayScale: Could you name a few interesting moments in your career as a rehabilitation engineer?
Tom: Every day is different and often crazy. Nothing surprises me anymore.
Name: Mary Anne Taylor
Job Title: Professional Nanny
Where: Seattle, WA
Employer: Self-Employed
Years of Experience: 5
Education: Bachelor’s in Child Psychology from the University of Washington
Relevant Experience: Part-time babysitting jobs all through high school and college. I helped take care of my little brother growing up. Received a bachelor’s degree in Child Psychology and now am taking classes to get my teaching certificate.
Annual Salary: How much money does a nanny make? Use PayScale's Research Center to find out.
Becoming a Child Care Provider
What training is needed to be a nanny? How much money does a nanny make? Exactly what is the job description of a nanny? If you’re thinking of becoming a child care provider, these are all questions you are probably asking yourself. In this Salary Story, professional Nanny Mary Anne Taylor answers these questions and explains why her answers tend to vary depending on who she is working for. Overall, becoming a child care provider can lead to a challenging, versatile career that also helps prepare you to raise your own children.
What is the Job Description of a Nanny?
The job description of a nanny can mean a lot of different things. I think it all depends on the needs of the family that you’re working for. Some families want their nannies to focus all of their attention on their kids, and not worry about housework or anything else. Others prefer more of a mother’s helper that not only helps with the kids, but also does laundry, dishes, and maybe even shops for groceries. I’ve even had nanny jobs where it was part of my duties to walk and feed the family dog. (This isn’t for everyone, but sometimes they’re the easiest members of the family to deal with!)
In my current nanny position I mostly take care of the family’s three children. However, I also help with housework such as making dinner, doing dishes, and folding laundry. Taking care of the children entails picking them up from school, driving them to their activities, making sure they are eating healthy food all day, helping them with homework, and playing games with them in their downtime.
My job encompasses the role of a counselor, dietitian, teacher, friend, parent, role model, and coach. The responsibilities of a nanny job are really endless and spending time with kids is the best training for becoming a child-care provider.
PayScale: What experience led to you becoming a child-care provider?
Mary Anne Taylor: When someone asks me, “What training is needed to be a nanny?” I always tell them that a love of children and time spent with them is the best experience you can gain in order to become a nanny. I have always loved kids, and gained the experience by default.
When I was in eighth grade I began babysitting for my younger brother when my parents couldn’t watch him. I eventually found more babysitting opportunities in high school. Becoming a child care provider was my preference over working as a waitress, like a lot of my friends did, because I enjoyed it and the schedule was a lot more flexible.
When I went to college I thought I’d study child psychology since I wanted to learn more about kids. I think my psychology classes have really helped me in becoming a child care provider.
PayScale: What do you love about your job as a nanny?
Mary Anne Taylor: What I love best about my nanny job is that the work is flexible, relational, and it pays well. If the family needs to go somewhere for a long weekend and vice-versa, it’s not like we have to have our vacation approved by a bigger organization. We just have to communicate with each other, and that makes it a lot easier to take time off when you need it.
Kids are such a joy to be around, and I often go home in a good mood after being around them. I think kids tend to be more creative than adults, and this brings out my creative side. What other job allows you to play with sidewalk chalk, jump rope, and build block castles? I love that this job allows me to be a kid again myself.
I also love feeling like I have a second family with the family I’m working for. I guess I’m lucky in that I’ve always had families treat me like I’m part of their family, as opposed to just an “employee.” I know they genuinely care for my well being, just like I genuinely care for theirs.
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as a nanny?
Mary Anne Taylor: The biggest challenge I face as a nanny is trying to apply consistent rules to kids that all respond differently. So if one technique works on one kid to get him to go to bed, it may not necessarily work on his sister. It’s a challenge to figure out which technique works best for which kid. It’s the same thing with parents in that some parents have different forms of discipline that they prefer to use, different boundaries, different rules, etc. It’s a challenge to learn how to deal with each child and parent in the best way possible for their individual personality, and still get the job done.
PayScale: What advice can you offer to someone in your field?
Mary Anne Taylor: I advise anyone in this field to maintain as much patience as possible because you will definitely need it. You have to remember that kids are not going to learn things as fast as adults, and they are also way more rebellious than most adults. This can be really frustrating, and require consistency and patience on your part.
As far as finding families to nanny for I know a lot of people use nanny agencies, which are great because they’re very professional and you can often receive health care benefits. I decided to work independently because I met families on my own, who then recommended me to their friends. Once you find a good fit that’s usually what happens, and then all of the sudden you’ll have way more nanny positions than you can handle.
PayScale: Could you name a few interesting moments in your career as a nanny?
Mary Anne Taylor: Where to start? There are so many. One time I was playing a game with a four year-old boy where we were pretending we were different scary things like a monster, a tiger, etc. I was pretending I was a monster, and all of the sudden the kid said, “Now I’m a …a…FEMALE!” I was laughing for a good five minutes on that one, because I’m sure he didn’t actually know that a female was just another word for girl.
One of the sweetest things that has happened in my career was this note I received from a little girl I had been watching for years. I was leaving for three months to study abroad, and she wrote me a goodbye letter. At the end of the letter she signed it, “I’ll miss you as much as missing means.”
Name: Jen Uh
Job Title: Residential Architect and Project Manager
Where:Bellevue, WA
Years of Experience: 6
Education: Bachelor of Arts, Architectural Studies (UW); Master of Architecture (UW)
Salary: Use PayScale’s research center to find the average salary for an architect.
Becoming an Architect - Average Architect's Salary
What skills do architects need? According to Jen Uh, a residential architect and project manager, having a love of both math and art is key for a career in architecture. In this Salary Story, Jen talks about how she fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an architect. Even though the education required to become an architect is lengthy, the work is rewarding and the progress is tangible. Just imagine the satisfaction of standing inside of a house you designed, knowing how much planning and work went into the process.
What is the job description of an architect in your field?
I manage the architectural design team for custom residential projects. I generally enter a project after the conceptual design phase and coordinate all phases from schematic design, design development, all jurisdictional requirements (including permitting), construction drawings, and construction administration. I am also responsible for coordinating between all outside consultants, (i.e. interior designers, structural engineers, mechanical engineers, etc.) and the contractor, to ensure that everyone involved in the project has current and relevant information.
A significant portion of this job is client relations, as having a satisfied client is essential in custom work. This involves numerous meetings at the office, their home, various vendors, and especially the site, to help the client make informed and intelligent decisions throughout the process.
PayScale: How did you begin your residential architect career?
Jen: I decided I wanted to become an architect at a young age when I realized that my favorite subjects in school were art and math, and that architecture was a natural merging of the two. I had always liked to draw, and especially liked to draw straight lines, so I suppose it was a no-brainer! I went into college knowing that I wanted to pursue architecture, so I began taking the prerequisite courses during my sophomore year. I really enjoyed learning about architectural history and taking all the drawing courses.
Even after getting into the program and working my way through endless all-nighters building models and structures, I was still convinced that architecture was fun and this is what I wanted to do for a lifelong career. During my schooling, I was able to study abroad in India and Mexico for a quarter, working on a design-build rehabilitation clinic. It was during these trips that I realized I love to experience other cultures and actually get my hands dirty and work on the projects. I especially am passionate about serving others in marginalized and/or impoverished areas.
PayScale: What do you love about your job as a residential architect?
Jen: When I saw my first project that I had fully managed, under construction, I was thrilled. To see the house being built from the drawings I had done was so satisfying! Watching the house become more of a reality each time I visited the site was not only a learning experience, (those lines I drew actually mean something to the person interpreting them!) but a rewarding one; especially when seeing the clients so happy to see the end product of a long process. The cherry on top was being invited back out to the house for a party after the clients were moved in, and enjoying the space together!
PayScale: What are the biggest challenges you face as a residential architect?
Jen: One of the challenges in this field is that it is a looooong process to get to become an "architect." Once you finish the education required to become a architect, which is challenging enough itself, you enter your first job as an "intern," and spend several years learning the trade and paying your dues.
In this field, experience still trumps education, so no matter how many degrees you have behind your name, if you don't know how a building goes together, you're really at a disadvantage. After this "internship" period, you are eligible to sit for the licensing exams (currently there are 9 sections), which takes anywhere from 9 months to 5 years to complete. After passing these exams, you are qualified to call yourself an "architect.” Unfortunately, even with this achievement, the salary for an architect won't increase dramatically, nor will your position at your firm, which explains the reluctance of many to even take the exams.
Another challenge that we face is that we're taught in school that architecture is all about becoming the star designer, but most jobs in this field are more in a support role. We may spend hours in front of a computer drafting a stair detail or laying out parking spaces, when we thought that we'd be designing world-class art museums.
PayScale: What advice can you offer to someone in your field?
Jen: Practice drawing. It's important to keep your arm moving and train your eye to see details. Travel. Go see the world and see the people and cultures around you. There is so much more to this life than what we see and know in our small corner of the universe. These life experiences will go further than any schooling will.
Have an open mind. Everyone has good ideas, so listen to them. Go out and get dirty. Having first-hand construction experience will teach you so much. Volunteer. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity & Architects without Borders offer plenty of opportunities to learn construction techniques while you serve others.
PayScale: Could you tell us about some interesting moments from your architect career?
Jen: For me, the contrast between working for some very affluent clients who want for nothing in their 10,000+ SF house, and the two-room simple concrete block house that we build for a family of six in El Salvador, has been truly eye-opening. To see the difference between "want" and "need" and the various scales of that when it comes to one's home, is truly amazing.
I don't know if I will ever be able to reconcile those two things in my life - my paycheck comes by way of those who have plenty, yet the work I want to do is to serve those who have little or none. At the end of my life, I'd like to look back and wonder how many people I helped out. I doubt that will mean how many flat screen TVs I got to put in a house.
I'm lucky that I'm in a career that I truly enjoy and that also offers opportunities to be able to do more than just my daily work in the office. It allows me to be creative, to meet different kinds of people, to share my life with others. . .and that is pretty satisfying.
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