After graduation, young professionals have to make a lot of decisions about their career and one of the biggest is choosing the right industry for them. For some, this is a straightforward decision, but most new grads explore a wide variety of fields before they find their perfect fit.
Since there are so many potential industries to pursue, we’ve decided to highlight an amazing industry that is often overlooked. The Vehicle and Equipment Finance industry is full of amazing career opportunities for ambitious individuals who are looking to sharpen their skills and advance their careers.
TalentEgg connected with 4 talented recent graduates who have started their careers in this field. Take a look!
Shil Patel: Finding new opportunities
“This industry has great people, and I have no plans on leaving it. If I had to give new grads advice on whether to join the industry, my answer would be 100% yes.”
Shil Patel
Credit Analyst at Equirex
As a Business Commerce graduate from the University of Windsor, Shil Patel was focused on finding a career in Finance. While he never intended on working in the Vehicle and Equipment Finance industry, he was encouraged to look into it through a series of professional connections.
“I started with Equirex in their customer service department,” says Shil. “I got my foot in the door and worked there for 6 months. Then I moved into credit when a position became available.”
Shil’s knowledge was put to the test when he applied for the credit position in his company. Luckily, his experience in the customer service department equipped him with an understanding of how the industry worked and what they were looking for. He was given an hour to analyze a sample credit deal and offer a recommendation. Later, he was told that it was a real scenario, and the interviewer offered him insights into which recommendations the company had proceeded with.
“I thought it was interesting,” says Shil. “how the company looked at the same scenario and came up with different responses. But the feedback was valuable – the way they went about it was excellent.”
Shil says he is currently working with some of best professionals in the industry – among them, the founder and Credit Director of Equirex. Each day, he says they support him as he encounters new situations and gains fresh perspectives on the business.
Shil says there are endless opportunities in Vehicle and Equipment Finance. He sees himself growing within this field.
“Before I started here, I had contemplated going into a different industry,” says Shil. “Now, I have no plans on leaving. My goals stretch as far as I can see.”
Veanne Dong: Exploring the industry
“When the customer finishes their lease and they come back to say thank you… you know you’ve helped them grow their business into what it is today. I think it’s really rewarding.”
Veanne Dong
Customer Service and Insurance Coordinator at Bodkin Leasing
As a Customer Service and Insurance Coordinator at Bodkin Leasing, Veanne Dong is responsible for providing top service to her customers. She is the first line of contact for start-up entrepreneurs who are looking for information on financing and leasing contracts.
“We’re here to support them,” says Veanne. “We help facilitate sales, help them understand their contracts… we have flexibility to provide good service.”
Although Veanne does not work in the credit and finance departments, she says that her role in Customer Service has given her an amazing understanding of the industry. Her position requires her to be connected with many different areas of the company, which has helped her gain great insights to the field.
“We like to say that we know everything, even if we don’t necessarily specialize in it,” says Veanne. “We learn about the finance and leasing side of things so we can be confident we’re providing the right information to the customer.”
Veanne’s experiences in this role have now provided her a great platform to advance her career. She says in the future, she hopes to continue pursuing a career in Finance and possibly become a Credit Officer. Her advice for students and grads looking to pursue a career in this field? Stay open-minded and flexible.
“Remember that there are always different avenues when solving a problem,” says Veanne. “Always come prepared with a solution and don’t focus too hard on the issue itself. That’s what the customer is looking for from you.”
Molly MacGregor: Hatching a career in HR
“There are a lot of opportunities for individuals to grow personally and professionally within the Vehicle and Equipment Finance industry.”
Molly MacGregor
New Business Specialist/Trainer at Mercedes Benz
After graduating with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from Brock University, Molly MacGregor was looking to start her career in Human Resources. She landed her role as a New Business Specialist/Trainer at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services through a friend, who told her about the amazing work environment and career opportunities.
“I love being able to work with people on a daily basis, motivate them, and improve processes within my role,” says Molly. “That’s what initially drew me to this position.”
On a day-to-day basis, Molly works to develop and improve the training processes for new employees at the company. Molly enjoys the fact that each day is different, and that she has such a wide variety of responsibilities.
“There’s so much happening behind the scenes when it comes to financing and leasing a car,” says Molly. “It is a very busy work environment but we all work together to make sure we give our customers and dealers the best experience possible.
Since assuming her role, Molly knows she’s made an impact on the company and their processes. She hopes to advance her Human Resources career and is certainly open to continuing her work in the Vehicle and Equipment Finance industry.
“I’ve been given a lot of trust and autonomy in a short amount of time,” says Molly. “There are a lot of expectations to meet, but they also give you support to make sure you’re meeting your career goals and being challenged.”
Maciej Broszko: Influencing the workplace
“Our company does a good job at creating an environment where people are open and accepting. Even the managers are open and easy to talk to.”
Maciej Broszko
Collections Account Manager at Mercedes Benz
Maciej started his career at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services as a co-op student at the University of Toronto. After completing an 8-month work term, he returned to school and completed his degree in Accounting and Economics. Soon afterward, his old co-workers contacted him about an open position. Naturally, he jumped at the chance.
While he didn’t always intend on pursuing a career in the automotive industry, Maciej was enthusiastic about working in a field that related to his personal interests.
“I loved cars growing up, so I felt that this field really fit me,” says Maciej. “I feel like working within the automotive industry allows you to put your knowledge of leasing and finance into play on a more interesting level.”
As a Collections Account Manager, Maciej is responsible for collecting payments, as well as helping customers develop their own payment strategies. While he enjoys his role, Maciej says that his favourite part about his career is the work he does to develop and better the company’s processes.
As part of a taskforce with several managers, Maciej has helped design strategies and policies to improve customer assistance plans and improve the company’s operations.
“They give me a lot of autonomy here,” says Maciej. “I am able to experience things outside my role, which has helped me learn even more.”
Maciej is excited to continue his career within this field and encourages students and grads to explore this field for the networking and growth opportunities.
“Whether you’re looking at sales and marketing, credit, or even insurance, there are so many opportunities,” says Maciej. “Plus, there are so many people who want to help you. It makes it easy to grow and plan for the future.”