Her Story
About Sandy
I am the benefits specialist for the largest school district in Utah, where I manage benefits for 7,000 employees. My key responsibilities include being the benefits specialist, handling maternity sick leave, and serving as the web manager for our department. A typical day for me can be bouncing from doing sick leave to adding a baby on benefits to helping new employees enroll into benefits. I also have seasonal responsibilities - right now we're in our hiring season and our term season, so I have to term teachers with their insurance who aren't coming back and then enroll brand new teachers, administrators, and classified personnel. Two years ago, we went to an online insurance enrollment system, which I took part in developing and customizing for our district, moving 7,000 employees from paper enrollments to an online enrollment. I not only have mastered this encompassing difficult system but I train others on how to use it. Technology seems t come easy to me and I am not afraid to learn. It challenges me, I love that kind of stuff. I've been called the geek in heels because I wear high heels but yet I can get into the computer and help solve just about anything when it comes to the website and this system.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sandy
01What do you attribute your success to?
My internal desire to learn and improve, to master whatever task that is put in front of me. Also, the wonderful people I have had the privilege to work with over the years have helped shape and molded me.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
There is nothing that can't be fixed, admit your mistake freely and then correct the problem.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't let anyone tell you you can't. Be prompt in action with everything you do, from returning phone calls to responding to emails. When you are prompt in action to assist an employee, you make them feel like they are the most important one in the world and that their situation matters.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is keeping up with any/all new changes in the laws making sure we stay in compliance with those laws. From; Health Care Reform law, to FMLA Laws and Workforce service laws.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
To do an honest days work for an honest days pay. To just listen with no distractions, when I get a phone call I turn away from my computer so that I can fully concentrate on the needs of the employee.
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