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Job Title: Director Of Executive Benefits
Type of Company: A major financial services and insurance company in the Northeast.
Education: BS, Psychology
Previous Experience: I worked as a recruiter and director of personnel at major insurance companies. Before that I worked as a manager in a steakhouse franchise.
Job Tasks: I spend most of my day answering e-mails and phone calls from executives in our company who have questions about their company benefits. I administer several special benefit plans for our top executives and counsel or educate them on how these benefits work. When they are hired or promoted, I inform them of any benefit plan changes they need to be aware of. As individuals approach retirement age, I counsel them on the retirement process, walking them through each step of the paperwork process. Other responsibilities include being a source expert on various benefit plans, involvement with payroll (payment of benefits and salary to all executives of our company).
Best and Worst Parts of the Job: The best part of my job is providing counsel and education to our executives so they won't lose out on any benefits provided by the company. This involves meeting one-on-one with them and their key advisors (lawyers, accountants, tax accountants, etc.) Occasionally, I even get to meet with their husbands or wives (when they're considering retirement, for example).
Job Tips: Work hard on anything given to you. Show people that you are a person who can follow through on any task given to you. If you work hard, you will gain recognition and opportunities to show your skills. Volunteer for special projects or for things that others may not want to do, not only to gain additional experience but to gain exposure to new people in other areas of your company. Show your best effort, keep yourself organized, show up early for appointments or meetings (never late).
Additional Thoughts: If I could change one thing I would have contributed to my 401(k) earlier in my career and more than I do now. An early start would have given me more of a retirement income later in life. Other than that, I would not have changed anything. When you are early in your career, you can afford to take risks. Don't be afraid to step out and learn new things. I once told my boss that I had learned a new piece of software that could design presentations and she had me develop a presentation for our Board of Directors and I was just learning it. It enabled me to develop a new skill that was quickly used and recognized. Be a "GO TO" person, not a "PERSON TO AVOID".
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