2020 Fall Newsletter

PROFESSIONAL DESIGNATION SPOTLIGHT

Jarron M. Paronto IAAO Credentialing Manager paronto@iaao.org

Briefly describe your experience with IAAO. I joined IAAO in May 2015. I’d say our focus during my time here has been to modernize our credentialing programs to better-serve our mem- bers. We’ve made some operational improvements to allow us to dedicate more time to proactively serving members, which I think has contributed to the increased completion rate. We’ve also made some changes to the rules that increase accessibility without diluting the purpose and value of the programs. For instance, creating paths for those who do not hold a college degree. What seems to be a common misconception of candidates pursuing IAAO designa- tions? One for sure is that a college degree is required to earn an IAAO designation. We now have alterna- tives in place for those who do not hold a college degree that involve years of professional experi- ence, completion of select college courses, or both. We’re available to advise potential candidates to see if they qualify ( College Degree Alternatives ). What advice/suggestions would you give to someone considering an IAAO designa- tion? Well, first is to just take the plunge… decide to begin. Set the goal for yourself and decide you are go- ing to do it. Once you have that resolve, talk to current designees to gain their advice and experience. They’ve been through the process and can help you decide which designation to pursue and how to go about it; they can also convey what their designation has meant to their career. Even if you don’t know them, you can find them in our online membership directory; I don’t know of any designee who is not open to offering advice to those who ask. Candidates have access to an advisor, but these informal relationships are an important source of support, whether they are your co-workers, from your chapter, or even someone new you find in the directory. Have there been any recent changes to the designation program? Yes, aside from the college degree alternatives I’ve already mentioned, we also have paths for design- ees of other professional bodies to earn our designations, such as a shortened path for MAI’s to earn our CAE and others. Details on the designations we recognize can be found on our website. For our current designees, we’re transitioning to a new online tool to track and submit continuing education hours to recertify one’s designation. This online log allows the designee to bring-together both IAAO and non-IAAO credit hours in one place and is viewable to both the designee and our of- fice so we’re all on the same page. This fall, we will release an online platform for designation candidates to select an advisor based on advisor profiles. For the first time, a candidate can look for an advisor who’s “designation journey” most closely matches the path of the candidate. We’re really excited about this new resource. What is the role of IAAO designation advisors and who qualifies? In short, Professional Designation Advisors are IAAO designees that use their experience in earning an IAAO designation to advise candidates on their path to designation. Any IAAO designee in good standing can qualify. Once the new online matching platform launches this fall, an advisor will be able to display their credentials and allow candidates to select the match best-suited to them. There Jarron M Paronto

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Fall 2020 Newsletter of the FCIAAO