By L (they/their), Financial Customer Associate
FIND YOUR FIDELITY when you need it most.
The call to our customer service center that started a new career at Fidelity.
Transitions. We’ve all been through them. And when it comes to career changes, they can be especially daunting. L is the perfect example of someone who was in the middle of a big life change and unexpectedly found a new start and promising career through one phone call. Learn more about L and what they have found at Fidelity.
A Customer First
I was working for a coffee chain in upstate New York when I decided to move across the country to Albuquerque to start a new life with my partner. I was excited, but worried about how I could pull it off financially.
I’ve always been a saver but knew that no matter how quickly I got a job, it would probably be at least two weeks before I’d be paid. I remember questioning myself, “What am I going to do?” so I reached out to Fidelity since they managed my 401(k) account. That was my first time really speaking with them and I was so floored with the customer service that I got. It was so unlike the experiences you have when you call anywhere else.
So, when I found out there was a Fidelity in Albuquerque, I was so excited to potentially be a part of a company that delivers such an exceptional level of service. In just that one phone call, I learned exactly what it takes to succeed at Fidelity. They were so patient with me. And when I found out that I had options with my account, it helped save my sanity. I honestly felt very cared for, even though the person on the other end of the phone didn’t know me.
A Brand-New Start
I was still in New York when I applied for the job as a Financial Customer Associate. After a relatively easy and intuitive job application process, I was excited to get the job offer, and things started to fall into place.
After driving across the country, I started my job two days later. We did video chat calls (even before the pandemic) and when I came to Albuquerque, I felt it was meant to be – Fidelity was that glowing beacon of a brand-new start and I wanted to work for a company that was interested in their people.
It was overwhelming at first, but I was so grateful to have a group of people going through the exact same experience as me and getting to bounce ideas off them. We had a good sense of camaraderie after training. Everything was well explained. I couldn’t imagine doing it alone and I could tell that Fidelity put a lot of thought in the way they put their training together.
Finding and Sharing Perspectives
I really enjoy working with people and helping them with the options they have with their money. When I take calls, I get to hear people’s situations and I get to show up for them. We just went through a really tough year, so there has been a lot of opportunity to help people.
Everybody comes from a different background in this job. I’ve met people who have worked as janitors, people who worked in healthcare, people who were doctors, people who were chefs. And all those experiences, even if they don’t seem like they could apply to this job, they do.
I’ve learned that at Fidelity, our life experiences, not specific work experience, make a difference when helping people. By sharing our experiences with customers and colleagues, we learn how important different perspectives can have in our day-to-day jobs of relating with others.
And it’s not in the job description to have empathy, but everybody you work with here does. I deal with some really difficult situations. People who have lost family members, people who have gone through a lot of loss and a lot of despair. But what I appreciate about the job that I get to do is being able to show up for those people. Just like the associate I had spoken with did for me when I needed the help.
This job has taught me about openness, and I hold stronger relationships with everybody in my life, even outside of this job, because of it. I have come to appreciate the vulnerability.
Supported, Understood, and Heard
The minute I had a goal in mind, the leadership team listened. And once I was assigned a manager, they were already aware of what my goals were, and we had serious conversations about where I wanted to go and what I needed to do to achieve them.
I’m thankful because I have been achieving my dreams. I recently started learning about 401(k) plans and that gave me an opportunity to become a Peer Coach. Now I get to train and have my own dedicated class and help others go through the same thing I did. And I know where I want the team’s strengths and weaknesses to go and I’m listening to their dreams. And it feels really nice. I like that I can do this for others now and give people the opportunity to learn and grow.
Everyone I encountered at Fidelity proved to be immediately caring and kind, and I’ve only felt that from day one. Today is no different.
I appreciate that I have people in my job that want to help me follow my dreams. I feel so supported here and I couldn’t have been happier to find out about this place. By always putting people first, I believe that Fidelity stands out from the rest.
Fidelity has helped change my life. My only regret about my first experience with Fidelity is that I wish I wrote down the associate’s name who had helped me so I could thank him today!
