Sarah Fralick: Inspiring others while climbing the corporate ladder
Sarah Fralick describes how she worked her way up from the reception desk to Director and Team Lead in Commercial Funding by setting realistic career goals.
25 years ago, I was fresh out of college and working as an esthetician and part-time at a gym on the front desk. My then boyfriend’s mother knew Janice Dobbin who worked at First National, and decided to take it upon herself to submit my resume to Janice. Janice has since retired but at that time was the manager of Commercial Funding which is the department I work in today. I guess things have come full circle. At any rate, I wasn’t actively looking for a new job and had no plan to work in finance, but I got an interview for a receptionist role. I became the 69th employee ever hired by First National.
We didn’t have a mailroom, so it involved taking inbound calls, opening envelopes and sending courier packages. The company was a lot smaller and sitting at reception gave me the advantage of getting to know everyone in the office. The originators used to joke that they could hear my laugh at the very back of the office.
I had a preconceived notion that First National’s culture would be rigid. It wasn’t like that at all. It was very welcoming and still is today. By speaking with everyone and witnessing my colleagues grow their careers, I knew very quickly that this is where I wanted to build my own. One of the people who inspired me was Abby McQuire. She started at First National around the same time and we were among the very few young women in the office back then. I watched Abby move her way up the corporate ladder and wanted to do the same.
About seven months after I joined, I was approached by the Manager of Residential Administration who said she wanted me on her team, but she said the Manager of Commercial also wanted me, which was amazing and my proudest career moment. Ultimately, I chose Residential because I liked the idea of working for a woman, I looked up to her and I thought it would be a good stepping stone for my career. To be honest, I also didn’t know anything about mortgages and residential seemed approachable while commercial finance seemed intimidating.
I don’t know, but I’d like to think it’s because I had a good attitude, built good relationships with everyone and made a good impression.
After working in Commercial Administration, I decided that Funding was the place I really wanted to be. I liked the urgency involved in closing multi-million-dollar mortgage transactions and the importance of the job itself. So after three years, Rita Casinha, the Manager in Funding asked me if I planned to apply for an opening in that department. I said I did and the rest is history. I’ve worked in Funding for the past 20 years, first as a Commercial Funding Specialist, then as Senior Funding Specialist, then Manager and since 2023 as Director and Team Lead. I now have a team of six and I work closely with the Assistant Vice President, Veronique Clermont on special projects and managing escalations while providing support and mentorship to my direct team.
I was realistic in setting personal goals. I wanted to climb the ladder, but I was honest with myself about career expectations. I knew I had to learn along the way. In fact, I wanted to learn. My motivation wasn’t about getting a better title. It was about knowing and understanding what I was doing at each level so I could create the foundation to progress.
Network by genuinely getting to know your colleagues through everyday conversations. Know and understand their roles because when you do, it will help you determine where you want to go in the company. Also, avoid flying under the radar. Attend company events so you can be seen. And be clear and transparent about your career aspirations with your managers. Don’t make them guess.
We emphasize accountability. I take that one personally as I believe in holding myself accountable and recognizing that I hold the key to my own success.
Absolutely. When I look at my team today, it’s very diverse. We have different age ranges, different genders and ethnicities and great skills across the board. That is very encouraging. It’s also important to say that when I started, First National’s employee base was predominantly male, especially in the Commercial division. The senior leadership team acknowledged that the industry was historically male dominated, and they committed to changing that dynamic at First National by ensuring that women are not excluded from the workplace or from senior management roles. That effort is still ongoing, but as a woman, I absolutely feel supported in advancing my career here.
Related stories:
- We emphasize accountability
- Ten years
Robyn Molenaar: Emphasizing improvement and accountability
- We aim for better
- 25 years
Doug Farmer: Growing careers while growing the business in The Prairies
- We emphasize accountability
- 20 years
Amoreena Birchall: Digging in and taking on challenges to grow a rewarding career
Careers
Ongoing growth. Confident ambition. Collaborative excellence. Continuous learning. Find your place, purpose and people while building a fulfilling career at First National.