Pay Your Own Way to SLA 2009 and Get the Attention of Your Boss!

With the bad economy driving restructuring and lay-offs, now is the time to be doing everything that you possibly can to demonstrate to your employer that you are a valuable asset to the organization.

Our own SLA New York Chapter President Michelle Dollinger was recently featured in an AP article, Employees Shouldering Costs of Conferences. According to the career experts they spoke to, if you take responsibility for your education and skills development by attending the 2009 SLA Annual Conference on your own dime, you will get the attention of management at your company, and do a lot to insulate yourself from the next round of lay-offs!

 “…an employee who is willing to cover part of the expense is going to get the attention of management, said Ed Rigsbee, an expert in trade association conferences and president of Rigsbee Research Consulting Group in Los Angeles. "If someone is willing to spend a nickel of their own, I'm going to be more willing to listen," said Rigsbee, who believes employees should invest 5 percent of their income in professional development.”

Michelle and Rigsbee make a strong case about the importance of attending conferences like SLA's in Washington D.C.  If your professional development budget has been cut, you may still get some help from your company to attend SLA2009! 

In the article, Rigsbee suggests that you approach your employer, offer to shoulder a portion of the expenses, and ask where the company might be able to supplement.

“Spend some time organizing your proposal before approaching management, recommended Peter Meyers, who runs User Effect, a consulting company in Chicago. Meyers, who wrote an article for his company's Web site entitled "Getting Your Boss to Pay for Conferences," suggests providing your manager with information about the seminars you plan to attend and how they will make you a greater asset to the company.” 

Meyers also suggests that you concentrate on justifying the benefits to your employer, be sure to promise that you will bring back a summary of what you learned, and then deliver on that promise. Doing so will pave the way for getting funding for a conference next year!

For those who have gone this route, please comment here and share your story with your fellow SLAers! How did you put together a plan which included a few options for your employer to provide partial assistance without busting your budget or the company’s?  Have you had success with this strategy?

Comments

[Maureen Festa]

I had determined I would go to SLA this year regardless of whether I would get funding from work (I've had to pay my own way or most of my own way numerous times in the past) but this year, I wrote a business case around why it is worthwhile for me to attend, highlighting severals sessions and how they will contribute to my prof growth, as well as citing networking opportunities, etc. Not only was my case well received, but my boss, a non-information prof, is also going to attend. :)

[Pat Alderman]

I have been paying my own way to conferences for 20 years, and/or used my own vacation time on an as needed basis. If I wanted to go, it made sense to put my money where my mouth is. Its not a big deal. People that do not participate unless the organization provides the time and the money will not get it anyways.

[Sharon Roney]

I had to pay my own way and write two justifications as to why I should at least get time off with pay. No one will care or notice that I am going to a conference.