Considering a New Career Path? Why Not Financial Services? Part 3

Finding out if a prospective job is right for you can be challenging. It is even more complicated when you are considering a new field, altogether. If you are unhappy in one job, how do you know another job will help you feel fulfilled? The honest answer is that you will never know until you try. However, hearing from others about their experiences, switching careers might help you glean insight into a possible future job. Here are four different experiences from people at Ambassador Advisors who have made the switch and are thankful they did.

“I never considered working in financial services. How can I tell if my background will fit a career in financial services? And how can I know if it might be for me?”

Ambassador is made up of many different people with very different backgrounds. Some of the people working at Ambassador did not envision themselves working in Financial Services. MB Nolt has a degree in English, but is now the Assistant Director of Operations. Despite this seeming mismatch, her experience in public health, data analysis, and public awareness apply directly to this role. She leads many operational, cybersecurity, and regulatory projects and collaborates on initiatives across the company. The operations team ensures all the internal teams have the technology, data, and processes to serve the clients best. She feels her past experiences have been invaluable to her career at Ambassador. “Past projects I’ve worked on highlighted the importance of spending time in the weeds to build a strong ‘big picture’ architecture. For example, designing a public health initiative couldn’t be executed well until you understood the causation, needs, and current perception of the issue – similarly, to offer elevated services to our clients, we need to understand both the fine details and the big picture.” She was drawn to Ambassador, specifically, because she respected the everyday application of values to finance via our Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) ethos, as well as Ambassador’s focus on changing the world by helping nonprofits. MB encourages people to apply for a position at Ambassador because of the incredible team members who create an enjoyable environment.

Finding a job that aligns with your personal beliefs can make you feel purposeful in your daily living and is a great reason to make a change. Bradley Wilcox is a CRM (Client Relationship Manager) on his way to becoming a financial advisor. At Lancaster Bible College, he studied Intercultural Studies and Biblical Studies. He planned on going on the mission field as soon as he paid his college debt. After graduation, he became a youth pastor. However, after a few years, he found that he needed a job with more financial potential to take care of his growing family. He says, “my friend told me about the open CSA position. I thought this would work out for my family, and if I make it to an advisor, I have the potential to take care of my wife and special needs son on one income and still have time to be home with them. So, I took the leap.” In all of his past jobs, interacting with people has always mattered. Finding his clients’ motivations and goals has always been key to showing them that we understand and care about them. Bradley finds great fulfillment in his new job. While far from a “missionary,” he can help people achieve their goals and be stewards of their financial resources. When asked what he enjoys most about his job, he responded, “I enjoy the everyday conversations I get to have with the clients. It’s not just about investment ups and downs and where the markets are; it’s about life and the goals and passions these accounts and conversations represent.” Bradley switched career paths to provide for his family, which is a great reason to look for another job.

Katrina Flick is another member of the Ambassador team who had a different vision for her life. After graduating from Penn State University with a major in Theatre Performance and a minor in Business and Liberals Arts, she spent ten years of her professional career performing, assisting in casting, and teaching performing arts. She left the performing arts when she felt called to seek simplicity and consistency in work. She also desired to have more flexibility for her family. She said, “Ambassador pulled me in with their stand-out approach to finance by seeking God first.” Katrina has made several internal moves with Ambassador. She is currently an Operations Associate. She has also been a CSA. Katrina spends most of her time supporting her coworkers. She says, “Helping my coworkers brings me so much joy. Without providing them with the support they need, we can’t offer our clients the best possible service. I love knowing that each layer of our company ultimately exists to provide better financial guidance and education to our clients.” She credits her performing background with helping her gain skills that make her better for her current position, particularly with the aspect of a group effort. There are many layers at Ambassador Advisors, and everyone does their part to keep everything running smoothly. Seeking a calmer, more reliable job is a common and significant reason to make a change.

An additional valued member of the Ambassador team is Tessa Cox. Tessa holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Shippensburg University. Before working for Ambassador, she worked in mental health and education. She was a TSS (Therapeutic Staff Support), Behavioral Technician, and a Preschool Teacher. She worked with many children of all ages, some on the Autism spectrum and others who were neurotypical. When talking about her past experiences, she says they “have helped me so much, as I have so much experience with problem-solving and being able to relate to others emotionally to assist them with making decisions that will impact their futures and their legacy. My background in Psychology has been essential to navigating the personalities of our clients and advisors and being able to communicate effectively with all types of individuals respectfully and helpfully. Understanding behavior has been beneficial when guiding clients through tough situations that may affect their decision-making abilities with their finances and legacy planning.” Tessa has enjoyed the switch to Financial Services. Tessa believes that what makes Ambassador an enjoyable place to work is everyone’s different experiences in the workplace. These differences have helped her learn about the industry and have made Ambassador Advisors a very positive work experience. With everything she has been able to learn, she has assisted others with accomplishing their financial goals. Feeling fulfilled in a career is another strong motivator to find a job that fits your needs. Feeling rewarded is a bonus.

At Ambassador Advisors, we enjoy bringing diverse people with different talents together. A well-rounded, multi-faceted team means people who have learned various things because of unique life experiences. If you are considering making the change in your career, think about following Bradley’s advice, “Figure out what God wants you to do, and let it drive you. My drive every day is that God has given me a family to take care of, my wife and son. I know I need to care for them, but it means providing monetarily and being present. I have found that hope in this reality has led me to be more and more satisfied through the hard times and more focused on the everyday tasks.”

If this sounds like you, take some time to prayerfully consider a career in Financial Services with Ambassador Advisors.

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