Hi, I’m Moumita, and I’ve been with APEXA as a Document Validation Specialist since 2019.
My journey to APEXA
I completed a specialized Honors in Environmental Studies and wanted to work in an NGO focusing on social justice issues so that I could help people. However, my life took some unexpected but exciting turns, which led me to the financial industry. My first role within the industry was as a Credit Officer at Scotiabank, with responsibilities that included processing and validating documents based on whether the clients could qualify for the loans they sought. Afterwards, I moved to the Home Equity Bank, where I worked as an Operations Coordinator. There, I worked with reverse mortgages, which also involved document validation that informed the client’s suitability to acquire a mortgage from the bank. Subsequently, I moved to the Equitable Bank as a Mortgage Renewal officer with similar responsibilities to the previous roles.
You could say that my experience has primed me to help people – many people become frustrated when faced with what appears an insurmountable ask for documentation. My strength lies in simplifying the process and taking them through sourcing the right requirements one document at a time. I needed to find the same role within an organization that could make a difference. I believe that within APEXA I found a space to provide value to people in the life insurance industry. A key characteristic that APEXA possesses is its caring for its employees – I felt this attribute during the interview process.
What I do in APEXA
At APEXA, my primary role is a Document Validation Specialist, which comprises validating Advisors’ licenses, E&Os, fraud coverage, and verifying corporation and banking information, among other responsibilities. Validating documents is a repetitive task requiring meticulous attention to detail. Each province has a set of rules we must follow per each Advisor’s documents; however, it is a role I thoroughly enjoy. I essentially help Advisors ensure that their profiles are in good health by confirming that all the required documents for suitability and contracting are correct and updated.
My role makes it easier for Advisors to understand the APEXA system and all the documents required for suitability. With my assistance, their documents are validated, putting them in better standing to take the next step in their professional journeys. By facilitating their onboarding and profile creation process, I’m helping them achieve their goals of advising life insurance customers while also making contracting easier and faster for the MGAs and Carriers who work with the Advisors. I’m a naturally ambitious person who loves to see things through. This skill enables me to prioritize each Advisor who starts and finishes creating a profile on APEXA.
In addition to these responsibilities, I lend a helping hand to recruit and train new hires to the team. This involves helping trainees understand the procedures by explaining key points, reviewing policies, and relaying other information that the trainees need to know. I also worked briefly as a Client Support Specialist. Working in those areas demonstrated my desire to help people – the clients and the team – get where they need to be so that they can start being productive.
My go-to productivity trick
I reach for coffee every morning and throughout my day to sharpen the focus that I need to carry out my tasks. Concentration is crucial as it enables me to ensure that the Advisors’ profiles are correctly checked to begin contracting with their clients and advising their customers. While coffee prevents me from missing errors by keeping me alert, I also employ tricks such as taking short breaks and using organizational tools. A five-minute stroll around my block clears my head and refocuses me, and I integrate project management tools such as a workback schedule to help me stay organized. I also put reminders and block off time in my calendar, to avoid forgetting any daily tasks.
My dream skill
Intuition is one of my strongest assets. I can read a person or situation and deduce the best way to proceed so that everyone comes away with their needs met.
One skill that I would love to wake up with, though, is playing the piano and simultaneously singing to a stadium full of people, like Alicia Keys.
Away from work, you can find me here
I’m a singer with professional training who has won national awards in Bangladesh. I have an album titled Bishoshathe Jog that was released by G-Series in 2014, which contains songs written and composed by Rabindranath Tagore. Bangla Television Canada filmed and broadcast my music across 14 South Asian channels. I have a YouTube channel where I have uploaded some of my songs. While I was at York University, I joined the cultural club and occasionally performed through them. I have also participated and performed in the South Asian Heritage Month Celebration at Toronto City Hall. My last performance was at Retro Bar before the pandemic began, where I sang some Bollywood songs for the audience. Weekend mornings find me practicing the piano as a form of therapy because music makes my day.
Outside of music, I’m an extreme outdoor person. I love spending time in nature. After work, summer and fall evenings, I am often hiking a trail, while I spend the weekends on road trips. Before the pandemic, I drove to Alberta with two friends and made the 18-hour drive to Nova Scotia.
Whenever I am hiking a mountain and have reached a significant height, looking down makes me feel as if all my problems are small. I feel more grounded and grateful that I have such a beautiful life.
Last but most importantly, I participate in community work involving volunteering in a kitchen that serves food to the needy. Sometimes, my passion for volunteering and the outdoors intersects, so I go on walks or runs for any cause.
On days that I spend indoors, you will find me snuggled up with a book or watching TV shows, such as The Office, Modern Family, and Friends, to name a few.
