IU MoneySmarts

Student Financial Educator

January 2023 • Bloomington, IN

What I liked

It's a very supportive work environment because they care about you both as a person and as an employee, and we are given a lot of opportunities for professional development. In addition to one-on-one appointments, I've had the chance to be a part of many different projects including creating Instagram posts, flyers, and Excel spreadsheets for clients and learn a lot about the industry.

What I wish was different

When I don't have appointments, I am sometimes responsible for finding things to work on without a specific instruction, but this also gives me the flexibility to decide what I think would be useful for the office and our clients.

Advice

Be open to learning new things. You will work on a variety of projects outside of one-on-one appointments, so be ready to learn new skills along the way.

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Student Financial Educator

January 2022 • Bloomington, IN

What I liked

Working at IU MoneySmarts gives you a lot of opportunities to work in different areas. The main focus is meeting with clients but you can also participate in social media, tabling events, presentations, blog posts, and many other activities. Having different things to work on throughout the day is refreshing so you are not constrained to one task. The work environment is also very supportive and your ideas to help the office grow will often be implemented.

What I wish was different

There are some weeks when you do not have many appointments with clients but other weeks when you could be much more booked. So, there is a lack of consistency with appointments but there are other tasks you can work on during slow weeks.

Advice

Be open to trying new things and getting out of your comfort zone so you can explore what work tasks might interest you.

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Student Financial Educator

January 2023 • Bloomington, IN

What I liked

Overall, a great and supportive atmosphere. The team is easy to work with, there is plenty of training and education to get students ready to take meetings, and there are opportunities to initiate projects and focus on helping the office with your strengths. I also really enjoy getting to connect with students across all nine IU campuses and help them with their finances.

What I wish was different

Advice

Don't let an absence of financial knowledge deter you from applying. The team is focused on building an enjoyable culture and is committed to helping you learn everything you'll need to do to be successful in this role.

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Student Financial Educator

November 2022 • Bloomington, IN

What I liked

This is a very hands-on, learn-as-you-go working environment that immerses you into the personal finance and wellness space at a level you as a student can understand and connect with others on. Great coworkers and great leadership team.

What I wish was different

Day-to-day is never the same, so don't expect much to be routine about this position. I went six weeks without an appointment for example and now have at least two a week. Some days are relaxing where you can take time to work on personal things and others are a fully packed schedule.

Advice

Come in with an open mind ready to learn, and don't be afraid to ask for help and feedback! You will have some of the most supportive supervisors possible in this position who want to see you grow.

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Student Financial Educator

January 2023 • Bloomington, IN

What I liked

The Office of Financial Wellness and Education provided an amazing environment of people, working together to provide an essential and impactful service to the IU community. Working here, you can tell what you are doing is making a difference.

What I wish was different

The office covers a lot of responsibilities, all of which are incredibly important and serve to further the office's mission of helping the IU community. However, this wide breadth of varying activities can make some days incredibly chaotic, and others very quiet. You rarely know exactly what you will be doing on a given day, which can make for an interesting experience but can also at times be difficult.

Advice

You do not need to come into this position with a deep base of prior knowledge, you do not need to be studying finance/accounting/economics, you only need to have a genuine desire to help those around you in our IU community, and to always be willing to learn and ask questions to further your ability to fulfill that goal.

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