Featured Professional: Dan Spinelli
What’s your current position?
Financial Analyst – Research Finance, Partner Solutions
How long have you been at Wiley?
Just about 4 years
What degree did you receive?
Bachelors in History and Communication Studies from The College of New Jersey received in 2018
Give us a quick rundown of your career path. Where did you start, and how did you get to where you are now?
When I graduated from The College of New Jersey in 2018, I wasn’t exactly sure where I would work. As an avid reader and History major, I was attracted to the publishing industry and found Wiley was hiring. I got a job in Research working with Author Products and Services on The Cover Image Team, and grew my skills for three years there. Over the last year, I have worked in Research Finance within the newly formed Partner Solutions area of the company. Finance wasn’t in my background, so I had to learn a lot on the job. As a company that is dedicated to education, I have experienced great patience and training from my colleagues in adapting to my new position as a Financial Analyst. I look forward to continuing to grow my career at Wiley in the years to come.
How would you describe your current role? What are some of the key activities you perform on a regular basis?
As a Financial Analyst in Partner Solutions, I concern myself with the recent “partners” that Wiley has gained such as J&J Publishing, E Journal Press, Knowledge Unlatched, and Atypon. I have worked closely with managing the hires and making sure they are aligned to our fiscal year headcount plan. I perform month-end activities to ensure that the numbers are continuing according to the plan and are delivered to the greater Wiley finance colleagues to include in the company’s data.
Top three skills you think are useful in your current job.
- Familiarity with the financial systems used to analyze the data (IBM, SAP, BPC, etc.)
- Excel experience
- Communication skills – being able to tell a story with the data and explain it to others.
How did/do you gain skills and experience that aligned with your career goals?
The skills needed for my current job as a Financial Analyst are more specific than my previous role at Wiley. I used LinkedIn Learning as a tool to familiarize myself with some of the terminology and methods for analyzing data. Also, I tried to use my brain as a sponge right away when hired. I asked my manager many questions and watched him closely doing the work eventually expected of me to do. Through practice and repetition, I have found myself gaining the skills that now make my job easier.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone during their job search?
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. I have helped several of my friends get interviews at Wiley over the last few years having them include me as a reference in their application. Use what you know AND who you know.
Do you have any interview tips?
Be confidant, honest, and make them laugh. People want to work with other people they genuinely like.
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