During the past five months at NorthWest Financial, I have learned a remarkable amount about all aspects of financial planning, from the technical side of concepts and strategies to the relationship essentials of connecting with clients and fellow employees. I have enjoyed my time very much and hope to continue working in this industry.
I am studying for my second of four certified public accountant tests. Once I finish the CPA tests, I will have the Series 65, insurance and certified financial planner tests waiting for me. It is an incredible amount of studying. But since I am working as a financial planner, I am able to apply the material to real-world situations. This allows me to see how the material actually helps individuals and makes the studying — dare I say — fun.
The firm has tasked me with a variety of projects. I have made multiple templates: new client bill, tax data worksheets, etc. The firm also has had me preparing client plans before meetings and doing the follow-up work. Thus far, my highlight was when our investment professional found out a client had stock options the day before they expired. The client had no knowledge of it because it was passed down from a parent (who was not our client). We had to work quickly to obtain the proper paperwork and signatures, but we were able to make the client money that otherwise would have passed by. The client was very appreciative of our help and sent me a restaurant gift card and movie tickets. Experiences like that allow me to see the value we can provide our clients.
In addition to the financial planning work, NorthWest Financial has me doing multiple aspects of the corporate bookkeeping. On a recurring basis, I write company checks and do payroll for the company. This aspect of the job allows me to see how the business is managed from a financial perspective. The accounting side of me finds this very intriguing.
I am excited for my future at NorthWest Financial. The more I learn about planning and taxes the more interesting the job becomes. I have a number of clients for whom I act as a secondary contact and plan to continue to serve. I also hope to play a large role during tax season.
Treavor Dodsworth graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with a double major in accounting and finance, and he'll be kicking off his career at NorthWest Financial Services.
