At Symetra, we reach for great things and opportunities — they’re a plenty. But no project or position is exactly the same and you can only glean so much from a job description. Sometimes the best way to get a feel for a company is to talk to the people who work there.
Take a peek into ‘a day in the life’ of some Symetra employees.
Karen Beauchamp
Senior Buyer & Corp. Travel Manager
John Carroz
IT Specialist
Patricia Edwards
Medical Risk Consultant
Mike James
Director, Banking & Investment Services
Astha Parmar
Blended Learning & Instructional Design Analyst
Ed Chong
Project Manager
Milton Cantellay
Graphic Designer
A self proclaimed sports junkie and avid Seahawks fan, Karen is a regular at local sporting events. Karen has been in the “buying business” for a total of 20 years, 4 ½ of those at Symetra. You name it, she’s bought it! Here’s what she had to say about the company and her role in it.
“It never gets old. I really enjoy the challenge of trying to get the best overall deal and everything that encompasses – best vendor, best product, best price, best solution for whatever it is I’m working on.”
I am responsible for the corporate travel and discount programs, the procurement of numerous product lines and backup to many others. One other primary function is managing the Symetra Store – everything from product selection to web design, costing, inventory and special/custom orders. Additionally, I’m kind of known as the “go-to-person” for questions or vendor calls that come into the company.
At any given time, I’ve have several projects going. I enjoy that. In fact, I think I’d get bored if I didn’t have a lot going on. Thankfully, I’m very organized and enjoy multi-tasking, so I’m able to balance my workload and ensure I meet everyone’s deadlines.
You really need to be organized, detail-oriented and able to multi-task. Those are key. It’s also important to understand who your client or customer is, and what their different needs are. This helps you tailor a solution that will work for them.
You also need to keep an eye on expenses. This is always important, but even more so in tough economic times. I really pride myself in this area. I’m a “squeaky wheel” – I’ve always got my eyes peeled for potential cost savings. If there’s an opportunity to save money, I’m all for it. I think of it as “my” money so I’m always on the lookout for the best value and vendor for my projects.
Another valuable skill is the ability to see the big picture. I literally work with all departments in the company. This gives me a really broad view of the company, which I use to look for crossover. Repurposing products/solutions can save time and money, so I’m always looking for those connections.
The people! The Service Ops team (part of the Human Resources group) is very close-knit – almost like family. I’m fortunate to work with an interesting and diverse group of individuals – culturally, expertise-wise, and in terms of life experience and educational backgrounds. This makes for a very interesting work environment where many voices and different perspectives are heard.
In my position, things are consistently changing and that motivates me. It may sound odd, but I actually enjoy change. With it comes new challenges, and I love a good challenge! It also gives you an opportunity to learn and grow, and to meet and work with different people.
Another motivator is being involved in projects from the ground floor. There’s something really satisfying about seeing a project through from inception to completion. Whether it’s a custom job that you wrap up in a couple weeks or a larger project that takes a lot of time, organizing and planning, it’s nice to see the fruits of your labor!
Do your homework! It’s important to research the products and industry you’re buying for. For example, if you’re buying paper products it’s important to keep tabs on the key vendors, know what’s going on with wood, paper and mills, be knowledgeable about chemical changes to the paper and how it could affect the environment, etc. The more you know about the products and the industry you buy within, the better.
Also, don’t be afraid to put forth your ideas. Just because you’re new doesn’t mean you don’t have good suggestions. In fact, being new to a project or team, you bring a lot to the table including a fresh perspective and new ideas.
John is the son of a rocket scientist (father) and a beauty queen (mother).
Our resident technology guru, John has been in IT for a total of 16 years, two of those at Symetra. Here’s what he had to say about the company and his role in it.
“Technology should make life easier – not more complicated! I enjoy helping people find the right technology-based tools to meet their needs.”
I support the corporate finance area, Symetra’s enterprise-wide tools like Lawson, Hyperion, Great Plains, and am a subject matter expert for the Lawson system.
Training is also my responsibility. I’m one of the primary trainers for our financial planning system, so I spend a lot of time working with managers to make sure they understand our systems, answering their questions and helping them troubleshoot.
I also support Symetra’s Business Intelligence development, working to get day-to-day information from across the company into managers’ hands so they can make informed decisions.
Obviously you need to be tech savvy, but communication skills are equally important. You can learn technology, but if you don’t know how to communicate effectively, you won’t be as successful. I’m an active listener. I make sure to take note of all the customer’s needs, and then ask a lot of questions to help clarify.
Also, you need to be able to play well with others – a valuable skill at all ages! You need to be able to sit down with people, and help them figure out what they really need. My 14 years as a consultant really taught me problem-solving and interpersonal skills that help me every day in my work with managers across the company.
Symetra’s commitment to giving – its social commitment – is pretty cool. It’s nice to work for a company that cares about people and encourages employee volunteerism. We are very active in the community. In fact, when I talk to people outside the company, they usually recognize us as being involved in the community, through events like the Symetra Bellevue Family 4th, Heroes in the Classroom, and our matching money and time programs.
Beyond coffee, right? I like to learn. I like to be busy. Since I joined the company a couple years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to do both – I’ve been able to learn a lot and it’s been really busy! I like that I get lots of variety in my work life here.
Learn to listen. It sounds simple, but listening is really one of the most important skills you can have. You’ll get better solutions if you can listen – really listen – to all of the needs of the person making the request. Then you can ask questions to clarify your understanding. Listening is the key.
Patricia is a published author. Her book “In Search of the Green” provides information on how to start and maintain a successful investment club.
Originally from Jamaica, Patricia is a professional social worker and registered nurse (RN). She’s been a RN for 45 years, with Symetra for 6 of those. Here’s what she had to say about the company and her role in it.
“My job is probably one of the best jobs one can do as a nurse. You’re on the leading edge of medicine, and even though you’re not working with patients, you’re reading their stories and struggles. It’s impossible not to be touched.”
My basic deliverables revolve around reviewing new and renewal business, education and oversight of ongoing catastrophic medical cases.
The educational piece is really about maintaining an ongoing dialogue with our customers. It involves a lot of teaching, sharing and communicating. I write articles for our electronic newsletter providing current information about new drugs, trends in medicine, transplant updates, new laws affecting coverage, etc. This helps our underwriters and strengthens the quality of our reviews.
I also use my medical expertise to work with underwriters in the risk assessment process for new and renewal business. These reviews require that you bring everything you know to the table. Sometimes I feel like a detective or an attorney putting a case together!
Broad-based medical knowledge and good writing and communication skills are important. I work very closely with the team — especially the regional general managers to blend my medical background with the underwriting and financial aspect. Nurses fresh out of the clinical setting have to learn how the medicine and money are bundled. For many nurses, it is not an easy transition, so experience working as a case manager for an insurance company and/or managed care organization is very helpful.
Organizational skills and the ability to prioritize are also very important. We strive to work efficiently, effectively and accurately. In order to do this, you really need to be organized. Our busy season is September through December, so staying focused and not getting flustered is a must.
I really like the autonomy. I’m driven by independence. Thankfully, my manager does not micromanage, so I’m able to work with a sense of independence and self responsibility, while still being a part of a team.
I also really enjoy the diversity of my co-workers. And my “work family” loves to eat, so I enjoy coming into the office and sharing my home-baked goods!
I like what I do! As a medical risk consultant (MRC), I’m on the leading edge of medicine, medical economics and their impact. I get to use all my skills. I’m glad this is where my career has led me.The vision of the company does resonate with me and serves as an internal motivator.
Keep learning and stretching yourself. I’ve been a nurse for many years, and I’ve never stopped learning. When I look back on the last 6 years, I see growth. I’ve learned so much from the underwriters, and, as a result, my reviews are much more in-depth and my computer skills have grown.
Watch out – she packs a punch. Astha is currently taking boxing lessons with her husband.
With two Masters Degrees (one in Organizational Behavior and the other in Industrial/Organizational Psychology), Astha has been in human resources for about 8 years, and she’s been with Symetra for just under a year – her one year anniversary is coming up in August. Here’s what she had to say about the company and her role in it.
“In learning and performance, you have to be able to understand new technologies and leverage them to benefit employees. We try to be constantly on the edge asking what’s the next thing and how do we harness it to enhance employee development opportunities.”
My incredibly long tongue twister of a title – Blended Learning & Instructional Design Analyst – is actually a fairly apt summary of my responsibilities.
A lot of my work is around leveraging technology to provide employees with more robust, ongoing learning content. The new Learning Site, which we’ll be moving to shortly, is an example of this. The new site is designed to provide employees with more immediate and interactive resources. They’ll be able to pull up training documents, online trainings, register for in-person classes or take Webinars online.
The new site is something we put a lot of time and thought into, and it’ll be a real benefit to employees and the company. For employees, it will provide easier access to the content they need, when they need it, and for our company, it will be a more cost effective means for delivering content, plus it’ll have a greater impact on the development and growth of employees.
I also work with business partners to review and customize external content that can be made available to our employees, and, where needed, to develop in-house online courses and trainings.
There are really three core skills needed for my position. The first is a deep understanding of learning theory, coupled with creativity. This helps in designing engaging and high-impact learning programs.
The second is the ability to quickly learn and leverage new technologies such as Web 2.0 platforms, social media, and e-Learning tools. Leveraging these technologies for learning and development often results in cost savings, and it allows us to reach people with a variety of learning styles.
Third is strong project management skills. In my position, you have to be able to balance priorities, understand business needs, and, most importantly, get results.
The people! I work with a very cool group of people. We have a lot of fun together, but also, because we each bring a different perspective and background to the job, I find that I’m constantly learning new things from them. That makes the job much more enjoyable.
I also love the autonomy. My manager is really great about setting challenging goals and then empowering us to achieve them. This style works perfectly for me!
I’m constantly learning new ways of doing things, new ideas, and new skills. That’s what keeps me challenged and motivated at work.
Learning and performance is really a field where you need to be open minded, always listening and learning. I would tell the people joining the field not to get boxed in. You need to have expertise in both instructional design and technology, but it’s easy to get boxed in or defined by one or the other. The key is to be able to focus on the business need, and be really creative about delivering on it.
Ed was born in the small country of Brunei, on the island Borneo. During his teenage years he attended an all-boy boarding school in England.
Ed joined the company in 1992 - before Symetra became an independent organization. He began his 17-year (and counting) career with the company as a pension analyst and transitioned into project management. Here's what he had to say about the company and his role in it.
"One of the fun things about project management is that you get to be involved in the process from inception to completion. Sure, you may encounter a few speed bumps along the way, but that’s part of the fun!"
My primary responsibility as a project manager is just that — to manage projects! Together with my team, I am responsible for managing and shepherding all the projects related to the company’s variable annuities (VA) products.
In general, I’m responsible for ensuring the successful, on-time, on-budget launch of VA-related projects. This includes launching new products, enhancements, etc.
Thankfully, I’m usually engaged early in the planning process. This is where the bulk of my work begins — defining the project, objectives, scope, risk, budget, etc., and building the schedule.
Recently, we launched the Focus Guaranteed Long Life Benefit calculator with an outside vendor. This is a great example of successful project management in the VA area — we accomplished our objective on time and within budget.
To be successful as a project manager, you have to be well organized, have great follow-up skills, able to multi-task and determine root causes. It’s also important to have good analytical, decision making, budget and time management skills.
"People-people" also find a lot of success as project managers — to have the ability and to enjoy working in a group setting, collaborating with a variety of people and personalities, and to be able to both give and take direction and make decisions. In addition, you need to be a logical thinker, able to see the big picture and how it impacts smaller-scale projects.
Also, it’s pretty rare that things go exactly according to plan. That’s why it’s extremely important project managers have strong communication skills and are nimble enough to make adjustments as needed.
The people at Symetra are the real differentiator. I’ve found the people here to be extraordinarily dedicated and customer-centric. Across the company, there seems to be a real drive and eagerness to band together, roll up our sleeves and get things done. And, while we obviously want the company to prosper, we’re constantly looking out for our customers. It’s part of the mindset here — we want to do what’s right for our customers and we want to sell products/services that we would be pleased to own ourselves.
Honestly, my co-workers are a big source of motivation for me. When you work with talented, dedicated professionals, it tends to rub off on you! I’ve always had a strong work ethic and it’s nice to work with like-minded people, to be part of a team where we motivate and inspire one another.
Project management is a field where you have to be proactive. No one is going to spoon-feed you the information, so you just have to take the initiative and go for it! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or ask questions that’s how we learn.
Also, sharpen your communication skills. Whether it’s via phone, email or in-person, communication is vital in keeping projects on-track. Especially on larger-scale projects, it's easy to get overwhelmed or confused about roles and deliverables. Frequent, concise communication can help alleviate this and ensure your projects run more smoothly.
Does he look familiar to you? Maybe you’ve seen him on stage, on bus boards or on TV. Mike’s been in a couple local productions and was an extra in the Bill Gates/Jerry Seinfeld “Shoe Circus” commercial.
Mike’s been in finance for over 25 years, with Symetra for 8 of those. Here’s what he had to say about the company and his role in it.
“I’m not your typical accountant. I’ve never been introverted; I’m more of a people-person. I’m analytical, but I’m also creative and able to think outside the box.”
Essentially, my group does three things – investment accounting on the investment portfolio, cash management and separate account financial reporting.
The bulk of my work, about 70 percent, is around our investment portfolio. My group is responsible for the accounting and analysis of the investment portfolio, so we work very closely with management to provide ongoing analysis and reporting on how the portfolio is performing.
Our group also handles cash management – wires, checks and reconciliation of cash accounts. And, we are responsible for the separate account financial reporting which includes accounting on our variable annuities, SEC reporting, prospectuses and new product filings.
A lot of what I do is very technical work, so it’s important to have the right educational background. I have a CPA and CMA, which has been helpful in keeping me up-to-date on changing accounting rules and regulations.
Similar to how a good auto mechanic can disassemble car parts, the best accountants are able to grasp the inner workings of finance – they’re able to take complex financial instruments/situations apart and understand them in pieces. That depth of understanding enables you to do more thorough, detailed analysis.
I really enjoy the people at Symetra. I know everyone says that, but when you think about it, especially in my field, the day-to-day work is very similar regardless of what company you work for – accounting is accounting! It’s the people and relationships I’ve developed at Symetra that make it such a fun and interesting place to work.
I’m self motivated to do a good job. I want to be seen as capable, someone who gets things done. I’ve worked hard to ensure a seat at the table – the ability to weigh in and be involved in the interesting things that the company is doing. Personally, I shy away from cookie-cutter type projects; I prefer to work on more complex, “meaty” projects. And, thankfully, I’ve had that opportunity here.
Know your stuff, but be flexible! Take the time to learn as much as you can about the company, industry, regulations, etc. The more background knowledge you have, the better prepared you will be. Your career is your own and you need to treat it that way.
Self-taught, Milton has worked as a graphic designer at Symetra for just shy of two years, but he has more than 10 years of experience working in both Web and graphic design. He started when he was just 17-years old! Here’s what Milton has to say about the company and his role …
“Symetra’s one of the ‘good guys’ – we strive to offer solutions that help people. You can tell that the company truly cares about its employees, its clients and the communities it serves.”
As a graphic designer at Symetra, my projects vary quite a bit. Essentially, my role is to develop visually-appealing creative solutions. Together with Brian Heileson, our senior designer, I work to develop communications, advertisements and marketing pieces for departments throughout the company.
A lot of our time is devoted to producing and enforcing the visual identity of the company — ensuring that the “look and feel” of all design pieces are consistent with Symetra’s brand guidelines.
For example, I recently took on a project to create HTML email templates for company-wide use. The goal with this project was to develop a user-friendly tool to deliver communications effectively while also remaining true to Symetra’s brand. At this point I’ve designed six templates.
It goes without saying that you need to be a creative thinker, but communication skills are equally important. In design, you need to be able to listen and interpret — to filter through specs and come up with design solutions that work.
Problem-solving skills are also really important. After all, selecting the right fonts, lines and colors to create a balanced composition, while simultaneously conveying meaning and staying within brand guidelines, well … it’s not an easy task.
The old cliché, “the only constant is change” is definitely true in the world of graphic design, so you also need to be up for a challenge. It’s important to easily adapt to — and be eager about — new and/or enhanced technologies.
The first thing that springs to mind is the people. I really enjoy working with my co-designer, and, overall, I’ve found the people at Symetra to be extremely helpful, collaborative and patient.
Also, at the end of the day, this is a company that I can feel good about. Symetra’s one of the “good guys” — we strive to offer solutions that help people. And, unlike other companies, it’s not just lip service; you can tell the company truly cares about its employees, its clients and the communities it serves.
I have a need to make things. At home, I find myself consistently “constructing” — drawing, building or assembling things. A lot of this probably stems from my dad. I’ve always looked up to him and he’s had a huge influence on me. When I was younger, he was a graphic designer for the Marines. A strong work ethic, the importance of creativity and a drive for excellence were instilled in me at an early age.
It’s easier said than done, but learn to cut yourself some slack. So many designers, myself included, are really hard on themselves — we look at our work and only see the flaws. (Often the “flaws” are so minute that no one else would ever even notice them.) Learn to celebrate your successes while always pushing yourself to do/be better.
Learn more about Symetra, its history, current press releases and financials in the About Us section.
