Our Two Cents, New Job Jitters, and Eating Healthy on a Budget

Welcome to Work & Wallet—a newsletter where finance meets career advice.

Our Two Cents with Sangeeta Moorjani, Head of Tax Exempt & Lifetime Engagement at Fidelity

We recently chatted with Sangeeta Moorjani about her role in advocating for people both inside and outside of work. Read what she has to say!

How would you describe your role to those unfamiliar with Tax Exempt Markets & Lifetime Engagement?

As the Head of TEM & Lifetime Engagement, I help people make financial decisions through thousands of moments across their lifetimes. My team and I work with nonprofit businesses and help these organizations attract and retain great employees through world-class retirement solutions and benefit offerings. We serve those who serve others, like health care workers or faculty, students, and staff at universities. We do this at every step of their financial journey.

You spoke earlier this year at a conference about financial mobility. How does that play a role in the work you do?

Financial education is foundational to enabling financial mobility early in life, and it’s critical everyone have access to it. This is part of my work in TEM & Lifetime Engagement. We have different programs, apps, and initiatives to provide the youth access to education since starting early is key to attaining financial mobility and independence. Explore our resources here.

What qualities do you think make the best leaders?

I’m all about the 4 Cs: compassionate, collaborative, competitive, and curious.

Being compassionate, kind, and open-minded is the starting point of any relationship. The role of a leader is to shine a light on others and bring out the best in them. Success is possible when we work and collaborate across all levels of the organization.

The word “competitive” can have a negative connotation, but there is unanimous agreement that we want to provide our customers with the best solutions. To be the best, one has to commit to continuous growth. It’s important to change the narrative that being competitive is a superpower and not something to shy away from. Being curious means that you show up ready to learn, that you’re always exploring and constantly looking for a better and faster way to solve the needs of customers and your employees.

What is one of your biggest joys as a leader?

Hands down, my biggest joy as a leader is seeing people thrive. Helping people to figure out what they love doing is awesome. I love to help people multiply their strengths. That’s where cool stuff happens.

How do you create an environment where everyone feels like they can have a voice?

It goes back to my values of compassion and collaboration. Everyone brings unique value to a team. My role is to make sure that everyone has a seat and a voice at the table. First, it’s about creating a culture, but you can’t stop there. You must understand that people have different ways of communicating—invite people in, make room for them, give them the chance to make their voice heard.

How would you describe your career path using a metaphor?

Life is like an improv show. There is no script. It’s great to have a plan. It’s great to get excited about your Plan A, but you should be able to pivot to Plan B. My plan when I graduated from college was to become a lawyer. Then I got a job in marketing. Then I moved into product, and today I am passionate about helping people be financially well. I’ve tried to embrace pivoting over perfection. It has helped me grow, take chances, learn new skills, and meet new people and leaders.

What leadership skills are important to you? Let us know in the comments below!

Overcoming new job jitters

It's understandable to be nervous at the start of a new job. Here are some tips for your first day, so you can get off to a smooth start.

• Know your role. You won’t know exactly what your new position entails until you start doing the work, but it doesn’t hurt to review the information you have about your new job. Go over the job description again and your contract and notes you’ve taken throughout the hiring process.
• Take it all in. Learn people’s names (write them down if you have to), ask questions, and go in with a can-do attitude.
• Keep up the research. Continuing to learn more about the company can help you make a good first impression. Check out their website, new social posts, and your new coworkers’ LinkedIn profiles.
• Stay calm. Got first day jitters? That's OK—a boost of nervous energy can get you firing on all cylinders and ready to face the day. Consider meditation and other mind-body techniques to help with this too.

Starting a new job can be scary, but it’s exciting too! Read all of our tips to have a fearless first day here.

How to eat healthy on a budget

Eating a healthy diet and sticking to a budget are often tough to do at the same time—especially if you’ve always got coworkers pinging you to grab lunch. The good news? We’ve got some tips to help.

• Skip the kale... especially if you hate it. You're not doing your wallet or health any favors by buying foods you won't eat. As long as you're eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, there's no reason to torture yourself and bust your budget over superfoods you think are super gross.
• Embrace frozen produce. Lower-cost frozen fruits and vegetables could be just as nutrient-dense as their fresh counterparts because they tend to be picked and preserved at peak ripeness. Besides being cheaper, frozen produce lasts longer than fresh, so you're less likely to waste it.
• Think twice about organics. Weigh the pros and cons—like you might decide to go organic for produce known to be treated with a lot of pesticides, such as strawberries and spinach. And you might skip the organic versions of avocados, onions, and other produce that isn’t intensely treated.

Check out all 10 tips for eating healthy on a budget.

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