Dallas City Audit Coordinator Appreciates Working For Government
David Henley speaks out about the importance of the grants and funds the City of Dallas receives to improve the lives of its citizens. Dallas is unique in the way it offers such exceptional services such as environmental monitoring and social services. His degree got him into this line of work and it has been gratifying ever since.
What exactly do you do?
"The City of Dallas receives a large number of federal and state grants. Government regulations require that these grants be audited to ensure that the funds are being properly spent. My job is to provide auditors with the information they need. The ultimate goal is to show how the city has complied with all of the grant rules and regulations."
What kind of degree is required for your position?
"There is no formal degree designed specifically for this job. However, accounting, finance or business management degrees provide most of the knowledge and skills needed to perform. Most coordinator positions in the City of Dallas require a bachelor's degree, however, many such positions are filled with city staff, who have no degree, but considerable experience. I have a bachelor's degree is in accounting. I also hold a professional license as a Certified Public Accountant."
How do you think working for the City of Dallas is unique from other cities?
"What makes Dallas different from most cities is its size; few other cities are as large. Dallas provides more services to a far greater number of citizens so there is a huge variety of jobs to perform at the City of Dallas. All cities have certain core services such as maintaining streets or offering public safety; however, very few offer their citizens the range of social services, environmental monitoring or development services that the City of Dallas does."
Do you have any advice for someone interested in working for the City of Dallas?
"Learn as much as you can about the various city departments from public sources such as the City of Dallas website and local news services such as the "Dallas Morning News" or the local television stations. Get familiar with the services performed by the departments that interest you and research what their challenges are. This sort of background will prepare you for any opportunity to meet city staff and discuss that department. This type of discussion is the best way to learn about what opportunities would be available and what sorts of challenges a new employee would face. Jobs for the city are like similar positions in any large organization; but city jobs are always in the public eye. That can be intimidating, but it also makes a career far more interesting. Ultimately, each job at the City of Dallas is performing a service to citizens, and that makes it very satisfying."
Judy Serrano writes romantic thrillers at www.JudySerraon.com. She graduated from Texas A&M Commerce with a BA in English. She is also a freelance writer for Examiner.com. She lives in Texas with her husband, four boys and five dogs.
