Promoting Financial Aid as a Career
Building a pipeline of future financial aid professionals starts on campus, with students and recent graduates. Yet, many students — and even other campus professionals — are unaware of the vital work that financial aid administrators do or the rewarding career opportunities the field offers.
Raise Awareness Through Campus Partnerships
Partnering with the career services office and academic advisors on your campus can be a strategic way to raise awareness around the financial aid profession. These campus partners are well-positioned to introduce students to the financial aid profession. Through intentional collaboration, financial aid administrators can:
- Host or participate in career panels and informational interviews;
- Offer job shadowing, internships, or part-time roles within the aid office;
- Share financial aid job postings, career guides, or professional association resources;
- Present to classes or student organizations focused on education, policy, or business; and
- Promote the profession through stories and testimonials of aid administrators on campus.
Partnership Resources
NASFAA and the Career Awareness Task Force have compiled resources to help you build partnerships and raise awareness about the financial aid profession.
- Partnership Invitation - Utilize this customizable language to share with potential partners on your campus to outline how and why they should promote financial aid as a career to the students they work with.
- What You Need to Know About a Career in Financial Aid PowerPoint Presentation (PPTX) - Download this customizable presentation for financial aid career information sessions.
- Sample Financial Aid Career Ladder (PDF) - This sample career ladder illustrates potential pathways for growth within the financial aid profession, highlighting how knowledge, skills, and responsibilities evolve across roles.
- Widescreen version (PDF) for use in PowerPoint presentations.
- Educational Background of Financial Aid Administrators (PDF) - Display this flyer to showcase that there is no singular educational path to financial aid administration; instead, a diverse range of learning experiences helps develop the skills necessary to thrive in this multifaceted profession.
- Widescreen version (PDF) for use in PowerPoint presentations.
- Why Consider a Career in Financial Aid? - This webpage outlines the numerous benefits of working in higher education, which extend beyond financial compensation.
- Where to Find Financial Aid Job Postings? - This webpage provides information on where to find open financial aid positions.
- Financial Aid Administrator Profiles - To help raise awareness of the depth and diversity of the field, share profiles of financial aid professionals across various stages of their careers.
- Financial Aid Competency Framework - NASFAA's financial aid competency framework outlines key competencies that define the role of a skilled and well-rounded financial aid administrator.
- Sample Financial Aid Position Descriptions - NASFAA has compiled sample job descriptions for various positions within financial aid offices. These may be helpful to share with campus partners so they better understand what the job entails.
- Sample Interview Questions - As advisors work with their students, it may be helpful to review sample interview questions to help them prepare.
Additional Resources
As you consider recruiting new employees, review the Advancing the Profession Toolkit's Staffing and Succession Planning section.
Share Your Story
Has your institution used these materials to raise awareness about careers in financial aid? We want to hear from you! Whether you hosted an event, shared job resources, or partnered with a campus office to promote the profession, your insights can help shape future efforts. Submit a brief summary of how you've used these resources and the impact they've had on your campus to Margot Manning. Your feedback will help NASFAA continue to strengthen and expand career awareness initiatives.
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