As of November, I've officially been with AZTEC Financial Group for a whole year! It's been a challenge in the best way, and I can easily say it's my favorite job yet. I'd like to tell you why, but first, let me explain what I do here. 

My Role

I am AZTEC's administrative assistant. I handle much of the reception work, as well as manage social media, our newsletter, and our blog. In addition, Joie (the executive assistant) and I share the task load of paperwork and data entry. That could be anything from opening accounts to ensuring funds are transferred from contra firms when they're supposed to be.

Intellectually Challenged

I'm the type of person that likes having my mind engaged instead of doing the same thing all the time; otherwise, I get antsy and unenthusiastic. But when I'm learning and being challenged, I find satisfaction in expanding my knowledge and succeeding at something that required effort. 

My job as an administrative assistant has definitely provided that mental stimulation. As I mentioned, complicated processes like estate transfers are the most challenging. Sometimes they can be overwhelming, due to their abundance of moving parts that need to fall in order like dominoes, but staying organized and asking for help when needed has helped me. The best thing about these, though, is that once they've been successfully completed, there's a huge feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. As long as I take steps to mitigate the overwhelm, the challenge is well worth it. 

Pleasant Work Environment

Coworkers and employers make or break a job, and I'm glad to have the team that we do at AZTEC. Eric is a flexible, understanding employer, and Joie is helpful and patient. We all have our separate tasks to accomplish, but we overlap as needed. I've had some good bosses and managers in the past, but I've also had lousy ones. It's refreshing to know that my needs are going to be considered, my time respected, and my thoughts heard. 

Flexibility

Coming from a retail background, flexibility was a foreign concept to me. Even though I was never overtly told to come in sick or risk my safety during a storm for my shift, there was the unspoken knowledge that if you didn't, everyone else suffered. Retail is understaffed enough, without having people dropping off the schedule at the last minute. 

That's why I'm incredibly grateful that here at AZTEC, we're allowed to get sick or stay home during a snowstorm. On top of this, I even have the option to work from home on those days, as well as when our office is closed, which helps when my schedule is interrupted. I don't have to choose between an important event in my life and getting a paycheck. When people talk about "work life balance", this is what they're looking for. 

Blogging 

Writing is a passion of mine; I can type away on a keyboard for hours without moving from my spot (although I try to get up and stretch once in awhile). My dream job is to be an author, but even though I've written and self-published two novels, it's highly unlikely I'll ever be able to support myself from it. I'm okay with that; as long as my books are getting into someone's hands and making an impact on them, that's what matters to me. 

Being able to write this blog feeds that feeling, too; it's hands-down my favorite part of this job. It may not be storytelling, but they are few things more enjoyable than coming up with an idea, forming an outline, and bringing it to fruition.

Blogging also provides another avenue of learning, since I often do research for topics I may be less familiar with. For example, I get to read about the lives of people that I don't know much about, like George Soros, Miriam Rivera, and even Dolly Parton, so that I can then write biographies about their financial journeys. I also come across intriguing facts that I then share through a blog post, like how 78% percent of professional athletes go bankrupt within three years of retirement, or that retirees watch more than double the amount of TV than younger individuals. I get to learn why a fact is true, and what to learn from it. It's educational and fun!

I also enjoy writing posts about local events and giving guidance about our beautiful area. I have lived in southern Maine my entire life, and I absolutely love New England. It brings me joy to share local businesses, experiences, towns, and more that I think others' will enjoy, too. This also provides an opportunity to support my local community, even in small ways, which never hurts!

What Will Year Two Hold?

I look forward to continuing to learn and grow this upcoming year. Some areas that I'll be giving more attention to: seeking a better understanding of SEO, building up a stronger social media presence, and growing in confidence with certain account processes. Also, it'll be nice to go on building relationships with our clients. This past year I've been able to meet most of you, but going forward, I'd like to cultivate these connections even more!

It's been fun to reflect on my first year at AZTEC, and I'm sure the next year will fly by just as fast! I look forwarding to providing better and better service as I learn and grow in this role. And if you'd like to learn a little bit more about me and see if we have anything in common, check out an earlier blog post I wrote to introduce myself.