APA (Accredited Pension Administrator)
(Female, Age 42) from Franklin, NJ
This is a REAL-LIFE job profile written by a Female aged 42 who works as a APA (Accredited Pension Administrator) in Franklin, NJ. We have removed all names and personal information in order to protect privacy. This professional kindly spent a bit of their time to complete one of our job profile surveys so that prospective job seekers like you could read their insights. Please excuse any punctuation or grammatical errors in this profile.
At a Glance
Current Job
Basic data on your current job
| Job Title | APA (Accredited Pension Administrator) |
|---|---|
| Salary | $42,000 |
| Other Compensation | None Set |
| Hours/Week | 40 |
| Company Size | (not answered) |
| Location | Franklin, NJ |
| Years Experience | 6 years |
Career Ratings
Opinions on your CAREER overall (i.e. not just your current job)
| Years in Career | 0 |
|---|---|
| Education | (not answered) |
| Income Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Interest Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Work-Life Rating | 0 / 10 |
| Fulfilment Rating | 0 / 10 |
Current job Q&A
Describe the type of organization you work for.
We are a small family owned Third-Party Pension Administration company with approximately 10 employees.
Describe your job role and responsibilities.
We do compliance testing and complete annual tax returns for qualified plans (401k, profit Sharing, Defined Benefit, POP). We do this for the plans of small & medium sized companies. We also prepare new plan documents, amend current plan documents, & help withn all aspects of plan structure.
Please list an additional benefits (beyond compensation) that you receive.
Safe Harbor 401K, Health Insurance, Vacation, Personal time, & flexible hours
Do you feel you are under/over or well/fairly compensated at your current position?
under
Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Please explain.
I work with others on a daily basis. I find working with others increases my knowledge and resources.
Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it.
It’s an old house that has been converted to office space but still has a homey feel. I love having a home like kitchen fot lunch & coffee breaks.
Please rate each of the following aspects of your current job on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest/best):
Income: 3
Benefits: 2
Hours: 1
Co-Workers: 5
Supervisors: 4
Job Title: 8
Level of Responsibility: 6
The Actual Work: 7
Table of Contents
How you got your job
How did you get your current job?
newspaper
What was the application process?
submitted resume
Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail?
yes. 2 interviews and several follow up phone calls
If you can remember, what questions were you asked during the interview?
I don’t remember
Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain.
yes. they were patient and answered the questions I asked more than once
Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Yes. I had to takes classes online and was trained by both of my bosses
Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain.
yes. I took the NIPA classes and became designated APA
If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare for your job?
If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Have a payroll background (helps when dealing with clients when discrepancies come up) and take courses with NIPA – National Institute of Pension Administrators (Nipa.org).
What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours?
attention to detail, excellent math and problem solving skills
Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
yes. Need classes at NIPA.
What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Should keep up with all law changes through constant continuing education and seminars
Long-term career plans
Is your current employment part of your overall career plan? Why or why not?
yes. I love the attention to detail and that I am focusing on the area of qualified plans. My last job I had many duties with no focus on a particular aspect. I am no longer a jack of all trades.
What are your current career goals?
I would like to work from home more.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
no
Prior work history
Please list your most recent jobs prior to this current job:
| Title | Length | Salary | Description | |
| Prior Job 1 | Bookkeeper | 8 years | 15600/year | Part time bookkeeper, 16 hours per week. Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Collections, Reconciliation,Payroll, Tax payments & Filings, Computer Troubleshooting/ installation/ repair. |
| Prior Job 2 | Benefits Administrator | 8 years | 31200 | Payroll (Salaried & Union, Health Ins, 401K Admin, Union Negotiation |
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