Skill #2: Thinking: Critical and Creative
Thinking critical and creative is a very important skill to have, especially working in the financial field. When monitoring the accounts, problems are bound to arise and when they do, solutions need to be found. It is very critical that appropriate solutions are found in order to keep each account accurate. Not only do solutions have to be found, but they need to be justified to the Financial Manager for final approval.
I have been able to develop my critical thinking throughout both my schooling and careers by developing solutions for both major and minor problems that need to be adressed. With the experience that I have developed from my internship and school, I feel confident that I will be an asset to your organization.
Below is a excel spreadsheet that I was involved in designing for my internship at Johns Hopkins University. It became difficult to monitor the graduate students pay distribution and what lab they were assigned to. Keeping track of the pay distribution is very critical since it effects the amount allowed for spending on each accout, both internal and external. To address this issue, I sat with the Financial Manager to see what exactly needed attention, then I developed the graduate student spreadsheet in order to better monitor each student. This spreadsheet allowed me to show the Financial Manager that I was able to help solve the problem that had arised.
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A second example (see link below) that demonstrates my critical thinking skills is an effort report conversion template that I helped develop for the Financial Manager. Effort reporting is very critical when it comes time to renew the specific grant. With this template the administrative coordiantors no longer have to estimate the effort reported for each PI. Instead, they just need to plug in the appropriate numbers and an accurate effort percentage will be provided for them. This ensures that accurate information is being applied to each grant renewel which ensures of proper funding for each department.
Effort Report Conversion Template
Please proceed to my third skill:Technology