November 29, 2017
Everyone who comes to HDF Stamford office must have talked to our front desk officer Jada Williamson. She probably will welcome you or answer your phone calls, but do you know how her day at HDF is actually like? Jada is here today to share her working life and personal life with us!
What is a typical day like for you here at HDF?
A lot of what I’ve been doing is lead intake. I also do other administrative tasks and helping other employees with small tasks that they may need help with. For example, I am helping out with the upcoming Home In A Day event by reaching out to the registered attendees to make sure that they bring in all the documents that they need, and making sure that we have all the supplies that we need.
What channels do you get the leads?
Multiple ways. Some people come in and bring their documents. Another channel for leads are email and via phone calls. Most of our leads now are from online – that is people who create their profiles on our customer portal. But sometimes I get a phone call asking “I want to know more about the programs,” so I need to be able to explain to them the process of applying and carry on with lead intake.
What work did you do part time at HDF before? And how is it different from your current role?
When I first came to HDF in March 2014, I was studying Accounting in school, so I worked as an Account Receivable/Account Payable Analyst. I was a junior in college and wanted to get an experience in accounting. Later, I was transferred to my current role as an office administrator once I became full-time.
Could you tell us about a rewarding experience you had since working with HDF?
It feels really good to be able to help customers when they come in, whether being frustrated or nervous. Some people come in and tell you about what they’re going through. You kind of need to sit there and listen, comforting them a little bit and making them feel at ease. Fortunately, I’m really good at doing that. Customers are both excited and nervous about buying their first home, so I need to be patient when explaining the process to them and guiding them through the initial part.
It feels really good when they say “Thank you so much. You’re so welcoming. You’re so nice” or something like “This is great. I’m so happy you are here helping me out.” I think that’s really rewarding. Than seeing them transferred to counseling makes me feel good too. Even if it doesn’t work out for them, at least that’s their first step.
What are your work goal over the next 2 years?
I definitely see myself here still for the next 2 years because it feels like family here. I’m thinking of a way to make my position better, like coming up with ideas to improve the way I do things. At some point I think I’ll go to grad school to study accounting/finance. I love finance stuff. I’m also doing online currency trading as a hobby.
What is your most important lesson you’ve learned from working at HDF?
I learned saying no to people is not necessarily a bad thing. I usually say yes when people ask me to help out, because it’s my job too. I’m also learning how to be more professional and to solve problems by myself. For example, how to get a carpet clean, how to fix a printer, how to mail stuff, how to fix the toilet problem and so on. What I really learned is asking for help, too. Actually, I’ve learned the most from my current position, just from doing the administrative work. It was crazy in the beginning, but I finally got a grasp of it all. Learning to ask for help has been the most important lesson for me.
What do you do when you want to take a lunch break?
I almost never take a lunch break because I need to be at the desk all the time just in case customers come in. I don’t want to bother other people to listen to the doorbell because I know it’s my job. I always pretty much bring my lunch, but if I do take a lunch break I’m most likely on social media the whole hour lol.
What do you do on your free time?
I love being home. I’m studying currency trading. I’m trying to make money as much as possible. I also like reading and meditating. On Sunday, I am at Church all day. I’m a trustee of the Church, counting the money that people give and keeping the data in the system. Doing that takes a large amount of time.
What do you want to do if you have unlimited money?
I’ll probably get a house for my grandma, my parents, and help out my family paying their bills. Get everything paid off. Invest!
Next time you come to visit our Stamford office, don’t forget to say hi to Jada and tell her that you’ve read her staff blog post!