Tag Archive for: PAS
I come from a service-oriented family. From teachers and nurses to law enforcement and the military, my parents, grandparents, siblings, and even in-laws have all fields covered. So you can imagine how much of an oddball I was when I decided to pursue a career in finance after really enjoying my business classes in college. I had a personal dilemma of feeling like I needed to choose a career path that either put me or put others first. I graduated college in the midst of the global financial crisis, during which the reputation for most firms in the industry was at an all-time low. I pictured my future self sitting at a family dinner and talking about my day working with investments, and then hearing about family members saving lives or risking theirs for complete strangers. Talk about humbling.
Doing well while doing good
In researching companies with whom I wanted to work, Vanguard rose to the top after I spoke with a few crew members through mutual college friends. The biggest thing that struck me was the way they spoke about helping investors, genuinely putting others first, and the client and community-centered culture. I had a flashback to interviewing for another financial services firm where I was asked how many wealthy people I knew so that I could begin selling them products (Answer: Not many, and no thank you). At Vanguard, there seemed to be an opportunity to mix both ‘doing well’ in building a great career and ‘doing good’ for others through service.
My ‘day job’: Serving our clients
Fast forward eight years and Vanguard has given me the opportunity to help serve in both my ‘day’ and ‘night’ jobs. In my ‘day job’, I lead a team of investment analysts in our Personal Advisor Services group, where my team is responsible for building out the methodology used to construct and manage our clients’ portfolios. Each day, we work to solve complex issues that will ultimately impact our clients’ ability to reach their financial goals. Knowing what is riding on our success is a terrific motivating factor and our entire team is focused on the collective goal of doing the right thing for our clients.
I also get to see Vanguard’s financial advisors helping clients that need it most: those that don’t have the time, willingness, or ability to manage their money. I get to hear real stories about our crew making a difference in people’s lives by helping them achieve a goal or giving them peace of mind in volatile markets.
My ‘night job’: Serving the community
In my ‘night job’, I am a member of the leadership team for My Classroom Economy, a completely free financial literacy program that enables educators to teach children financial responsibility. The program was developed by an incredible group of volunteers, many of whom were educators prior to working at Vanguard, and has reached over 800,000 students. I lead a team focused on building partnerships at the state and federal level, and pushing for district, county, and state-wide adoption of financial responsibility programs. Our ultimate goal is to ensure children receive the basic financial responsibility education they need, as having this skill has been proven to play such an important role in their lives.
Earlier this year, two peers and I went to Washington D.C. to meet with staff members in the Treasury Department, House, and Senate, in an effort to promote the importance of teaching financial literacy at an early age. We were frequently asked how much the program costs and, after saying it is 100% free, are asked “What’s in it for Vanguard, then?” The truth is that the program is powered completely by Vanguard volunteers, each and every one of us are driven to serve and make a positive difference in the community for no other reason than that it is the right thing to do.
If you’re currently seeking a job or choosing a career path, my advice would be don’t compromise on what is most important to you (your ‘non-negotiables’) and find a company you would be proud to represent. Doing this requires that you take the time to reflect on what you won’t compromise and do your due diligence to learn about the culture at prospective employers. My non-negotiables were working for an organization with a service mindset and for which there would be no conflict of interest between our success and our client’s success. I’m incredibly proud to represent Vanguard in both my ‘day’ and ‘night’ jobs, and I now have great stories to tell at the dinner table!
-Nick L.
I come from a service-oriented family. From teachers and nurses to law enforcement and the military, my parents, grandparents, siblings, and even in-laws have all fields covered. So you can imagine how much of an oddball I was when I decided to pursue a career in finance after really enjoying my business classes in college. I had a personal dilemma of feeling like I needed to choose a career path that either put me or put others first. I graduated college in the midst of the global financial crisis, during which the reputation for most firms in the industry was at an all-time low. I pictured my future self sitting at a family dinner and talking about my day working with investments, and then hearing about family members saving lives or risking theirs for complete strangers. Talk about humbling.
Doing well while doing good
In researching companies with whom I wanted to work, Vanguard rose to the top after I spoke with a few crew members through mutual college friends. The biggest thing that struck me was the way they spoke about helping investors, genuinely putting others first, and the client and community-centered culture. I had a flashback to interviewing for another financial services firm where I was asked how many wealthy people I knew so that I could begin selling them products (Answer: Not many, and no thank you). At Vanguard, there seemed to be an opportunity to mix both ‘doing well’ in building a great career and ‘doing good’ for others through service.
My ‘day job’: Serving our clients
Fast forward eight years and Vanguard has given me the opportunity to help serve in both my ‘day’ and ‘night’ jobs. In my ‘day job’, I lead a team of investment analysts in our Personal Advisor Services group, where my team is responsible for building out the methodology used to construct and manage our clients’ portfolios. Each day, we work to solve complex issues that will ultimately impact our clients’ ability to reach their financial goals. Knowing what is riding on our success is a terrific motivating factor and our entire team is focused on the collective goal of doing the right thing for our clients.
I also get to see Vanguard’s financial advisors helping clients that need it most: those that don’t have the time, willingness, or ability to manage their money. I get to hear real stories about our crew making a difference in people’s lives by helping them achieve a goal or giving them peace of mind in volatile markets.
My ‘night job’: Serving the community
In my ‘night job’, I am a member of the leadership team for My Classroom Economy, a completely free financial literacy program that enables educators to teach children financial responsibility. The program was developed by an incredible group of volunteers, many of whom were educators prior to working at Vanguard, and has reached over 800,000 students. I lead a team focused on building partnerships at the state and federal level, and pushing for district, county, and state-wide adoption of financial responsibility programs. Our ultimate goal is to ensure children receive the basic financial responsibility education they need, as having this skill has been proven to play such an important role in their lives.
Earlier this year, two peers and I went to Washington D.C. to meet with staff members in the Treasury Department, House, and Senate, in an effort to promote the importance of teaching financial literacy at an early age. We were frequently asked how much the program costs and, after saying it is 100% free, are asked “What’s in it for Vanguard, then?” The truth is that the program is powered completely by Vanguard volunteers, each and every one of us are driven to serve and make a positive difference in the community for no other reason than that it is the right thing to do.
If you’re currently seeking a job or choosing a career path, my advice would be don’t compromise on what is most important to you (your ‘non-negotiables’) and find a company you would be proud to represent. Doing this requires that you take the time to reflect on what you won’t compromise and do your due diligence to learn about the culture at prospective employers. My non-negotiables were working for an organization with a service mindset and for which there would be no conflict of interest between our success and our client’s success. I’m incredibly proud to represent Vanguard in both my ‘day’ and ‘night’ jobs, and I now have great stories to tell at the dinner table!
-Nick L.
About 10 years ago, before ‘distance-until-empty’ technology was standard in vehicles, I had a couple of friends who often played the ‘gas light’ game. The rules of the game are simple: Reset your vehicle’s tripmeter once your gas light goes on, and see how many miles you can go without running out of gas. Because MPG can vary for each vehicle, my friends never played against each other, but rather the game was always them vs. their car. Interestingly, there’s no way to win the ‘gas light’ game. Either you eventually go to the gas station to refuel, or you run out of gas and lose the game. Consequences of losing the game included calling a loved one, explaining why you ran out of gas, and then humbly asking for their help. Studying for the CFP® exam is a lot like playing the gas light game. Each study module is its own challenge where you must push yourself to the limit and increase your knowledge, but you must know when to give yourself a break and refuel. You must understand that it is a lot like planning for a wedding, not a toddler’s birthday party, and the inability to pace yourself appropriately can cause one to get burnt out and ‘lose the game’. Another key similarity between studying for the CFP® exam and the gas light game: There is no way to win the game. “What?! Don’t I get credit for passing the exam?!” Well, yes, but that’s not the end. If you’re like me, it is more of an enabler towards the ultimate goal: Helping people who need help. What matters most is what you do with the knowledge and how you use it to positively impact people’s lives, and there is no end to that, but rather it can be a life-long calling.
So, I bet you can guess what my motivation was for wanting to pass the CFP® exam. What is your motivation? What is the very specific, extremely tangible reason why you yearn to be a CFP® Professional? I strongly believe that you must have a confident, consistent answer to that question, because you’ll need that ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ amidst your long study sessions. What else might you need? Here are a few things for you to consider:
Leverage a professional education provider and trust their process. At Vanguard, we have a program where we partner with a professional education provider, and they have a myriad of resources that improve one’s ability to be successful. If your company does not have a formal partnership established, do some research and ask for corporate sponsorship through a provider of your choice.
Know your learning style and study habits. I cannot stress enough that this is, in my opinion, the most critical piece of one’s study strategy. You must know your learning style and what works for you. This allows you to be efficient and spend your time learning how you learn best. For me, self-study is key, and a classroom environment isn’t as effective. For you, it is likely something different. Adjust your learning style as appropriate.
Set a study schedule and get buy-in from your support system. I have five young kids. NOTHING is getting accomplished at home. For me, study time started in the office at 6:00am each weekday before my work day began. Whatever it is for you, make sure those supporting you during this journey, both at home and at work, know your study schedule and agree to help hold you accountable to it.
Final encouragement: If I can do it, anyone can do it. I hadn’t studied for a formal exam in over 10 years, and my fifth child was born a month and a half before exam day. That means my study skills were rusty, and I wasn’t getting enough sleep when I needed it the most. You’ll likely have your own challenges, but if you hold on to that motivational reason and persevere, you’ll be well on your way to positively impacting people lives. Just don’t run out of gas.
-Matthew B.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
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Like many college students, my senior year involved tackling my job search. As a finance major with a concentration in financial planning, it was important that I found a job in this industry, while also connecting with a company that would support my desire to pursue the CFP® certification. I wanted to work face-to-face with clients, as helping people was one of the main reasons that I chose a career in financial planning. Working for a company that valued their employees and cared about career progression was another necessity. In the midst of my job search, a Vanguard representative attended one of Virginia Tech’s Financial Planning Association (FPA) Student Chapter Meetings and presented on a new program they were offering for financial planning students – the Financial Advisor Development Program (FADP). I learned that FADP was a two-year accelerated rotational program created for recent college graduates interested in pursuing a career as a financial advisor. I quickly found that FADP sounded like the job for me. The first three months of the program are dedicated to achieving the proper licensing requirements, FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 licenses, with substantial support and resources provided by Vanguard. Not only did Vanguard provide support and resources to help me prepare for the CFP® exam, but they even paid me for the six weeks of studying leading up to the exam. I would receive the CFP® certification in two years (as opposed to the industry standard of three years) through the Apprenticeship Pathway experience exception. This program gives participants a well-rounded education, mentor relationship and hands-on experiences before they start their career as a financial advisor. In addition, the overall environment I found at Vanguard assured me I had found everything I wanted in a company. Every person I met wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. When I got the call that I had been chosen for the program, I excitedly accepted. Fast forward a few months to June, when I began my career with Vanguard as an FADP participant. I was glad for the opportunity to be around people who were going through the same experience of studying for the CFP® exam. I grew close to my coworkers very quickly and found that having their support was a key component to staying motivated. Together, we all benefitted from the support and guidance of both the FADP leadership team and our assigned mentors – experienced CFP® professionals. Starting a new position in a brand new program can be pretty overwhelming, and having so many friendly faces on your side is very beneficial. With the testing phase behind me, I am currently in the program’s first rotation within Vanguard’s Business Development Group. In this role, we communicate with clients in hopes of bringing them to Vanguard. We will uncover clients’ needs and educate them on what Vanguard has to offer. During the second rotation, I’ll help Vanguard’s high net worth clients in Flagship Services, serving existing clients who work with a financial advisor at Vanguard and focusing on deepening my relationship management skills. The third and final rotation will take place in Vanguard’s Advice department, Personal Advisor Services (PAS), creating opportunities to learn Vanguard’s Advice methodology and demonstrating how our advice offer can help clients looking for guidance with their portfolio. I am excited to begin speaking with clients and helping them to get on the right track with their financial success. I am confident the knowledge and experiences I’ll gain from FADP will set me up for success as a financial advisor and I’m looking forward to all that is to come! -Sara Beth W. If you’re seeking an environment where you can make a difference and develop professionally, check out our career opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.