I began working in my role as an Operations Associate at First Covenant’s Sioux Falls, SD office in the beginning of October. In my short few months at the company, I have already learned an incredible amount about the nature of the business and how to best serve our clients. I have seen that FCTA is truly a unique and special company with the central purpose of bringing our clients peace of mind in the middle of a fiercely competitive and cutthroat financial/estate planning industry. I’d like to share a bit about my journey to FCTA and explain why I already believe First Covenant stands out in this industry.
I recently graduated from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa this past May with a double major in Finance and Economics. With all the festivities of college graduation came the anticipation for what was next – living on my own, moving somewhere new, and jumping into my career. I catapulted into the summer months on cloud nine with an eager desire to start my new life, and step number one of this plan was to find a job. Unfortunately for me, 2024 has been an extremely difficult year for fresh college graduates to secure any type of job, including entry level positions in their studied field. While it didn’t fade, my eagerness soon faced the realization that the job hunt was going to be a process and probably wouldn’t happen overnight.
A study from June 2024 found that nearly 90% of online job applications submitted by recent college graduates, who had adequate qualifications for the role, went unanswered from employers, while only 2% of applications led to interviews. Things were no different for me, and I realized I had to broaden my search. My applications soon turned into applying for more than 100 different positions every month, and I embraced any interview that was offered to me. I applied to nearly every sector of the financial industry – estate planning, financial advising, insurance, auditing, you name it. This took an attitude of resilience every single day.
Thankfully, I landed several interviews throughout the summer. Some companies were great while others were far from respectable. I say all of this about my job search as a foundation to demonstrate that I read hundreds of job descriptions and talked with numerous companies in the financial world, and I was astounded by the wide range in ethical practices and company priorities After some interviews, I walked away genuinely wondering what the company valued most—was it the well-being of their clients or simply maximizing profits at all costs? Some companies might surprise you. Without going into too much detail, I even had one interviewer imply I had no place in their company unless they could take control of and utilize some of my family’s assets. Needless to say, I walked out of that interview as soon as I realized their intentions.
As I neared the summer’s end, a small part of me was even questioning if this broad financial industry was right for me. In late August, I had finally made some traction and had a great job offer from a local CPA firm, but this is when I found FCTA’s job opening. As soon as I jumped on a Zoom interview with Clay and Virginia, I could tell this company culture and mission were different from anything I had encountered. The very first interview questions they asked me weren’t about how I could contribute to making a load of money for the company but were centered around my mission trip experiences and my motivation to serve my community. While generating revenue is crucial for any business, the motivation behind it matters just as much, if not more. Bringing clients peace of mind and embracing good stewardship with the money entrusted to FCTA as trustee were very clearly the most important goals.
The initial interview left a lasting impression on me. After subsequent interviews and later meeting everyone in person, I can see this mission stands true in our day-to-day activities, trust committee meetings, and interaction with clients. I had the privilege of travelling down to Johnson City, Tennessee for our annual company retreat, and the focus for the week was to grow closer together as a team. I believe the focus on relationship, both with our teammates and clients, is the foundation for an effective, sustainable business. It was great getting to know everyone on a deeper level, and I really enjoyed becoming familiar with the Johnson City area by visiting local restaurants and going on breathtaking hikes in the Appalachian Mountains.
As far as my role goes, operations involves a lot of behind-the-scenes work. My daily responsibilities typically include paying bills, making distributions, reconciling accounts, and managing all note payments associated with the trusts. There’s a true sense of purpose in knowing that my work helps provide security and peace of mind for our clients at every stage of life. Whether it’s navigating uncertainty in the job market, facing future unknowns, or dealing with life’s other worries, FCTA’s commitment to making our clients feel secure remains pivotal to our mission.