We recently sat down with Vanguard recruiters and asked them to share tips and best practices for interviews. In this segment of the Recruiter Q&A Series, Jennifer Faris provides insights and advice for candidates interested in pursuing MBA program opportunities.

1. Tell me about yourself. How long have you been at Vanguard? What has your career journey looked like? I started at Vanguard eight years ago as a contractor. After a few years of project work while raising two young daughters, I felt I was ready to come back into the corporate fold and transition into a recruiting role at Vanguard. Three years ago, I converted to a full-time crew member and have not looked back. I appreciate the ability to create significant impact and grow professionally in my role while having the work/life integration I need as a parent.
2. What business area do you recruit for? MBA Leadership Development Program and MBA Summer Internship
3. How do you recommend candidates prepare for an interview in this specific field? Schedule conversations with both current and former Vanguard MBA program participants to gain real world insight and perspective on the program, culture, and career paths available. Connect with these crew members through LinkedIn or your MBA program alumni directory. These conversations, along with your due diligence in exploring our company through current articles and our website, will pay off in the interview. Uncover what is exciting, what is compelling, and what aligns with you personally and professionally about this opportunity. Lastly, during your preparation process, focus on specific examples where you have demonstrated leadership impact, leveraged your strategic horsepower solving complex problems, and built meaningful relationships with stakeholders.
4. What advice do you have for recent graduates? Take the time to understand what specifically is drawing you to a role or company. Recruiters and hiring managers greatly appreciate thoughtful responses that reflect a candidate’s alignment to company mission, values, and longer term goals.
5. What advice do you have for experienced candidates who are interested in a career change? Leverage LinkedIn and try to find other individuals in your network who may have taken a similar journey. Understand the role’s profile and competencies that would make someone successful. Take some time to think about specific examples in your professional journey that reflect these competencies and how they would be relevant in this new role. Recruiters and hiring managers will also be interested in your understanding of the industry and company fundamentals, as well as how you plan on getting up to speed quickly in terms of transitioning to the new role and industry, learning fresh acumen, and developing relationships with key partners.
6. What additional resources can candidates reference to learn more about careers in this field at Vanguard? Our career site houses many blogs created by current crew that showcase a diversity of backgrounds, roles, and life situations. I also recommend leveraging LinkedIn and browsing our company page. There is a lot of great content on career paths, our culture, and community involvement.

– Jennifer Faris,
    Leadership Development Program Recruiter

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