Advice from crew Archives - Vanguard Careers

Thankful at Vanguard

November 18, 2020/in Advice from crew, Culture crew, daily basis, environment, family, feel, holiday, home, jim c, learned, lessons, new environment, people, share, team, time, together, vanguard, work, working, working from home /by marcin

Thankful at Vanguard

Change has been one of the biggest themes of 2020. But one thing that won’t alter this holiday season is our hope and gratitude we have for friends, family, and co-workers. Vanguard crew have been resilient, adapting to the new environment. In this blog, they share the silver linings and lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Working from home has provided extra time to connect with family members and colleagues. We asked crew what have been some of the great, unexpected outcomes of our virtual working environment.

Many things about the current work environment are challenging—my toddler has been home from daycare, my husband’s business has been shut down, and I’ve been getting ready to welcome our second child. In the beginning I struggled to feel like I was doing my best at work or at home, but one morning, I realized how special it was to have breakfast together as a family. I typically would head to the office before my husband and son were out of bed. Now it’s something I look forward to everyday! – Lindsay B.

The biggest silver-lining for me has been the personal relationships I have been able to foster with those I work with. I really pride myself on engaging with people at the human level, and this new environment has really opened the door for an entirely new level of connection. We are getting to share a more authentic version of ourselves—seeing my colleagues interact with their kids and pets has been really special. I know at times we try to hide these things because we are “working” but I love the imperfect nature of our new environments and enjoy seeing our guards lower to be more human. – Shannon M.

I have gained the commute time and can now be with family more. I also never spent so much time with my partner on a daily basis, apart from when we were on holiday. It’s actually nice to work separately, but together, everyday! – Colette v.U.

Being away from the office and the people I have worked with for so long has made me appreciate the wonderful relationships I have made over so many years. It has also reminded me of the immense value of being together on a daily basis for better collaboration in carrying out our core purpose at Vanguard: “To take a stand for all investors, treat them fairly, and give them the best chance for investment success.” – Jim C.

When asked about the best leadership lessons learned during this time, our leaders weighed in.

The best lesson I have learned during lockdown is listen to yourself and be honest with yourself and your team about how you feel. I’ve enjoyed open conversations with team members and crew from around the world on how we have all been feeling and valued the support we have all given each other. – Lisa H.

Just talking to people has become so much easier—and more important. Whether it’s chatting on video or over the phone, the power of connecting with others is unmistakably important, especially now. It’s an absolutely wonderful way to work and the entire team has taken to it very well. – Michael M.

Be patient. People are dealing with a lot of uncertainty. Be sure to connect with everyone in the department at some point and let them know you care about them. – Christine F.

Living through uncertain times can be scary and make us feel like it is new and unprecedented. However, perspective is important. Remember that those who came before us also faced adversity and moments of crisis. Talking with others about our feelings really helps in making connections and understanding that we are not alone in how we feel. – Jim C.

Just say hi. It’s so easy to reach out to someone you haven’t seen or talked to since working from home started because you’re not bumping into them in the cafeteria or between buildings. I’ve been actively trying to say hello apart from any kind of business justification for getting in touch. It’s nice to get an email in your inbox that isn’t asking for anything other than a friendly response. We’re all consumed with making sure our work gets done, but it’s refreshing to read a note about what someone did for their Father’s Day, or what summer plans they have, or what great show they’ve watched recently. It’s easy to take a few minutes to reach out to a couple people to just say, “Hi.” – Brian B.

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Tips and advice when interviewing for User Experience jobs

October 28, 2020/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities Mid-level specialist business, client, client experience, client experience and digital, client experience work, design, digital, experience, experience and digital, experience work, group, investor group, labs, portfolio, product and marketing, rig, support, tom riley, user experience, vanguard /by mfield

Tips and advice when interviewing for User Experience jobs

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, Tom Riley provides insights and advice for candidates interested in pursuing an opportunity in our Client Experience and Digital group.

Tell me about yourself. How long have you been at Vanguard?

My career at Vanguard started two years ago when I was brought on to support hiring for design talent in our newly formed Client Experience (CX) pillar. CX was formed in January of 2018 to enhance our Retail Investor Group (RIG), Institutional Investor Group (IIG) and Financial Advisor Services (FAS) clients’ and participants’ experiences and build the infrastructure to scale rapid value creation, so that client experience work can live within the business. In summer of 2019, the client journey labs and the divisions were both ready for the labs to move into the business. RIG formed the Client Experience and Digital (CXD) subdivision to support existing RIG labs and create new labs to expand the scope of RIG’s client experience work to more client journeys, as well as key digital platforms and capabilities. IIG’s journey teams support diverse Business to Business (B2B) client segments (traditional institutions, plan sponsors, and consultants). Our FAS labs help improve the client experience with large transactions that are developing a toolset to provide advisors with dynamic portfolio analytics and recommendations.

What has your career journey looked like?

I was always interested in design. I took art classes in high school and considered going to college for Industrial Design. Professionally, I’ve always recruited for design roles going back to things like Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Controls, and Systems Design. My first real experience with Human Centered Design was with a reputable automobile company. There, I really got to see where design was forced to try to empathize with someone else rather than designing something for themselves. They designed something around that person’s wants and needs.

What business area do you recruit for?

At Vanguard I support a number of User Experience (UX) and creative roles for our experience, product and marketing labs in RIG, IIG, and FAS. Positions include UX Designers, Design Strategists, Researchers, Content and Journey/Product Owners. It’s an exciting time for design at Vanguard! Our product and marketing teams are being restructured into pods or labs as we adopt more modern practices such as Agile, Lean and design thinking.

How do you recommend candidates prepare for an interview in this specific field?

If I wanted to prepare myself as a design candidate at Vanguard, my focus would be on having a really solid portfolio. It’s the best way to tell the story of your work and the impact you’ve had. People learn in all sorts of ways. A formal degree in design or user experience is great because it shows you’ve put in the time to get a deep understanding of theory and practice. But a portfolio is how we are going to learn more about you and what you’ve been able to achieve. Here are some tips to consider:

Tell the full story. Our managers like to see depth and breadth. Your project overviews should summarize the problem statement, process, team makeup, and your role on the team. It’s a red flag when all they see are final mockups with no understanding of how you arrived at that solution.
Highlight your strength; what’s your superpower? When managers review a portfolio, they are trying to identify your potential strengths. It could be coding, complex interactive design, visual design, or something else. If you are newer to the field, managers will look for previous experience and skills that may be transferable, like the ability to problem-solve and use empathy to understand problems.
Make sure your portfolio is modern and up to date. Refining your portfolio is a great way to improve your chances of getting a job. The details are super important to make it look put together and organized. Double-check for typos, grammatical errors, proper alignment of elements, etc.

-Tom Riley, User Experience Recruiter
Connect with me on LinkedIn.

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Solving problems and innovating through data science

September 16, 2020/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Day in the Life artificial intelligence, artificial intelligence and data, artificial intelligence and data science, artificial intelligence and machine, artificial intelligence and machine learning, captured in 2018, data, data science, intelligence and data, intelligence and data science, intelligence and machine, intelligence and machine learning, machine learning, people all over the world, photo captured in 2018, reach their financial, street firms, vanguard, wall street, wall street firms /by mfield

Solving problems and innovating through data science

I graduated from Stevens Institute of Technology in 2002 with a Computer Engineering degree. The Institute was very close to Wall Street, and upon graduation, many of my classmates received offers from top Wall Street firms and investment banks. I too fell into the allure of working on Wall Street. I received a few offers from some of the top firms in New York—and I also received one from Vanguard, who was making it a priority to recruit from my school at the time. However, this was when the dot-com bubble burst and most of the Wall Street firms rescinded their offers for all of my classmates including me. Vanguard was the only firm that honored their commitment and did not rescind their offer. I am thankful to this day.

At Vanguard, I have the opportunity to do what I always dreamt of doing and much, much more at a firm where doing right by clients and crew is the guiding principle. I joined Vanguard as a software engineer and never looked back. At the time, all I wanted to do was to apply what I had learned in school to real life problems, but didn’t have much thought about where I applied them. As time went on, I realized how fortunate I was to be at Vanguard, whose main mission was to help people all over the world reach their financial dreams. Knowing you’re doing well for others is incredibly rewarding. I got the best of both worlds: I could apply my passion in technology and apply it at a company whose mission is to lift people up. I also got to work on our trading systems, sales systems, mobility (iOS) systems, customer relationship management systems and so on, all while learning about and applying analytics to everything we did.

From a career perspective, Vanguard invested in my professional development. Today, I’m the Head of AI & Machine Learning for Enterprise Advice. focused on artificial intelligence and data science. About 7 years ago, with the advent of big data technology and infrastructure, I started to focus on advanced analytics and data science exclusively. I saw an opportunity to use data science and artificial intelligence to provide better, more personalized, and smarter services to our investors.

Vanguard now wants to do for financial advice what we did for Exchange Traded Funds and mutual funds: make top notch, holistic advice accessible to anyone who needs it at an incredibly low price. That’s where my team comes in. I now help lead our advanced analytics and artificial intelligence team for Vanguard’s advice program. My department is comprised of data engineers, data scientists and artificial intelligence and machine learning scientists who collaborate closely with our investment experts and economists. And they come from diverse educational backgrounds—some have computer science or engineering backgrounds, while others studied physics or statistics.

Group of workers standing in office hallway

Photo captured in 2018

In order to create highly personalized advice experiences, we seek to incorporate behavioral economics to better personalize the advice needed. To that end we are utilizing artificial intelligence and other data science techniques on a variety of financial advice projects. Our goal is to create experiences and services that will help more people than ever before reach their financial goals. My team is directly empowering Vanguard’s mission and I personally feel inspired every day to come to work. Being able to learn about cutting edge technology in artificial intelligence and data science and use it to help as many people as possible is extremely rewarding.

Investing is complex, and sometimes, it’s a challenge for people to know how to make wise investment and financial decisions. Vanguard is committed to giving investors all over the world a fair shake, and is investing in services—such as advice—to do so. I am passionate about trail blazing artificial intelligence and machine learning at Vanguard, which is enabling us to fulfill our mission and help millions of people all over the world reach financial independence.

Now, who will join us on this noble mission?

-Amir A.

Man and woman talking in an office setting

Photo captured in 2018

If you’re seeking an environment where you can make a difference and develop professionally, check out our Data & Analytics and Information Technology & Security career opportunities.

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What a career in the Leadership Development Programs looks like

September 2, 2020/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Day in the Life career blogs, click, college to corporate, crew, crew members, development, development program, full, full story, investment management, leadership, manager, program, program manager, program participant, purpose, read, rotation, story, vanguard /by deepikasharma

What a career in the Leadership Development Programs looks like

The mission of the Vanguard Specialty Programs (VSPs) is to advance Vanguard’s core purpose by delivering the next generation of talented and diverse leaders through focused attraction and accelerated development.

The programs provide a fast-tracked path to leadership opportunities for motivated and aspirational undergraduates and MBA graduates. They offer targeted rotations that educate participants about our business and provide them with personal development opportunities, including feedback, coaching, and mentoring. Talented professionals can hone their leadership skills, have a functional focus, and build a supportive professional network.

In this blog, we highlight excerpts from articles our VSP managers recently published that provide insights into the personal experiences of alumni as well as crew who are currently participating in the undergraduate programs.

Lisa H., Program Manager for the Emerging Leadership Development Program (ELDP)

sits down with Marcos V., a member of the 2018 cadre about his experience with ELDP and Vanguard. Marcos shares, “The culture here at Vanguard is built around our 3 C’s – Clients, Crew, and Community – and how all three work together is the key to our success! Being a participant in a rotational program has provided me with broad and unique experiences that have prepared me to contribute to the company in many ways. In addition to my program and rotation responsibilities, I have the opportunity to get involved in on-campus clubs such as Toastmasters and CRG’s (crew resource groups), including the Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement (HOLA). These opportunities to build relationships and skills outside of your day job are what makes working at a company like Vanguard truly rewarding.”

Click here to read Marcos’s full story

Elijah A., Program Manager for the Technology Leadership Program (TLP)

shares Natasha M.’s story. Natasha is an Early Start TLP in the 2020 cadre on the Application Development track who says, “The most important pieces of advice I can give are pretty cliché: be yourself and have a purpose. Vanguard is always striving for a diverse set of crew members from all backgrounds, as that’s how we cultivate new ideas and appreciations. But Vanguard is also very compassionate towards its clients and crew members. We have a purpose and care about that purpose, so it helps if you do, too.”

Click here to read Natasha’s full story.

Lynn M., Program Manager for the Acceleration into Financial Professional Program (AFP)

connected with program participant, Kiara K. about her Vanguard journey. Kiara shares, “Aside from the great reputation Vanguard has, the benefits and the rotational culture throughout the enterprise, this is what set Vanguard apart from other companies I was looking to join. Fast forward to my role as an AFP program participant, my rotation manager and program manager still continue to express that same interest in making sure my rotation is an impactful learning experience and that I am growing as a professional.”

Click here to read Kiara’s full story.

Jillian C., Program Manager for the Investment Management Development Program (IMDP)

sits down with program alumnus, Max W., who is now publishing research as a member of Vanguard’s economics team. Speaking of the IMDP offer, Max says, “IMDP is a unique offer because it affords you subject matter depth and breadth as well as the chance to build a network and learn from different leaders as you rotate. IMDP’s rotational structure means you can become a specialist four times in two years and ensures you never stop learning. During each rotation, you will be trained to be a fully-fledged member of the team. The advantage is a deep skillset you develop in each role while having the unique opportunity to learn about four areas of the investment management trade. Each rotation will also grow your network and afford you the chance to learn from different leadership styles and team dynamics as you think about your own leadership ambitions.”

Click here to read Max’s full story.

Daniel S., Program Manager for the Financial Advisor Development Program (FADP)

shares Brittney H.’s story. Brittney attended a Vanguard EXPLORE Day, completed the College to Corporate Advice Internship, and later accepted an offer to join FADP. She says, “My favorite part of being a member of FADP is my team. No matter if it’s studying or taking client phone calls, I have the chance to go through this whole experience with like-minded individuals who I don’t see as just coworkers, but friends. We are there to support each other through anything, both work and non-work related, and love hanging out inside and outside of the office. I am very lucky to have them. The transition from college to corporate life can be tough, but being surrounded by people going through the same thing makes it easier.”

Click here to read Brittney’s full story.

Interested in exploring VSP career opportunities? Click here to learn more.

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Tips and advice when interviewing for Client Services jobs

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, Kendall Walsh provides insights and advice for candidates interested in pursuing a Client Services opportunity.

Colleagues recruiting at Women in Business event

1. How did a Marketing major end up at Vanguard?
If you would have asked college me where I saw myself after graduation, I would have said at a marketing agency supporting big campaigns, not working in the financial industry. I graduated with a degree in Marketing, so when I pictured my career, I envisioned a job closely aligned with what I had studied for four years. What I quickly discovered was that I could not find the right fit in a company to really start and launch my career. Enter Vanguard. I had heard so much about the company, and after talking to a representative at a college career fair, I was hooked! The mission of Vanguard, as well as its client ownership structure, blew me away. The representative talked to me about the different career growth opportunities and I realized that Vanguard was so much more than just a financial company – it was a place where someone from any background could launch a dynamic career.

I decided to apply, and here I am four years later! I joined Vanguard in August of 2016 in Client Services within our Retail Investor Group, where I attained my Series 7 & 63 licenses – something I never thought I would do! I found that I truly enjoyed helping our clients through their investment journeys and had grown confident in speaking about finance. In fact, the only time I talked about investments prior to accepting my role at Vanguard, was when my grandparents would tell me to open a Roth IRA. I now know how to do that and why it’s important!

I wanted to help others experience the same life changing career growth, so I continued my career at Vanguard by moving into Global Talent Acquisition within Human Resources. I have spent the last three years in Talent Acquisition, holding various positions. Currently, I recruit for our Retail Investor Group, where I first became a crew member. Each day I am able to talk to people who are looking to start their career in Client Services and learn and grow within the financial field.

2. What best practices can you share around interviewing at Vanguard?
Someone once gave me advice on interviewing that has stuck with me all these years. They told me that there are only two parts of an interview you can control – the beginning and the end. These parts of the interview are where you get to lead the conversation and include the information you truly want to focus on. At the beginning of an interview you will typically be asked to introduce yourself and provide information on your background. This is your moment to shine! On average, spend a minute or two highlighting related experiences and skills you want the recruiter and interviewer to be aware of. Make sure to also share why you want to work for the company and do your research ahead of time. Demonstrate passion for the opportunity—there is a noticeable difference between reciting facts found online and having a true desire for the mission and values the company holds. To wrap up the interview, have 3-5 questions prepared for your interviewer. These questions should be well thought out and should allow you to reference more information about yourself as well. For example, “I really enjoy volunteering and in the past have been a part of XYZ organizations – does your company offer opportunities to participate in volunteer efforts?”

Photo taken at a fall recruiting event with colleagues

3. How do you recommend candidates prepare for an interview in Client Services?
A career in Client Services is rewarding, whether this is your first job out of college or a mid-life career change. If you are a recent graduate, you might not have much “real world” work experience, and that is okay! You can pull answers and experiences from school, extra circulars, or part-time work. Do not discount part-time work because you have likely developed very valuable skills from these opportunities. When answering questions, share the most relevant experience that demonstrates the competencies the interviewer is asking for instead of only focusing on your internships that you think sound “fancier”. Choose the best answer for each question!

In Client Services, remember that you will most likely be the voice and/or face of the company for their clients. Therefore, companies will be looking for someone who can represent them well and showcase effective communication and problem solving skills.

4. Is Client Services the right career for you?
Clients are the heart and soul of Vanguard, and that’s why we invite you to help us change the way the world invests through the many career opportunities we offer. My time in Vanguard’s Retail Investor Group taught me so much about the company, our clients, and the industry overall. But don’t just take it from me, go check out what our crew members in client services have to say about their experience.

-Kendall Walsh, Client Services Recruiter
Connect with me on LinkedIn.

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My rad year

August 12, 2020/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Day in the Life acronyms, actually expanded, comfort, comfort zone, expanded, experience, grow, help, helped, know, learn, learned, lingo, lynn, lynn e, opportunity to learn, peers, questions, role, zone /by marcin

My rad year

In this blog, Lynn E. shares her experience taking a role that was out of her comfort zone, and how it actually expanded and further developed her skillset.

A year ago, I was asked to take on a role that was outside my comfort zone. I said yes, and here’s what I learned.

Last year I was in a good spot. I enjoyed my work and was learning a division of our business that I hadn’t worked in before, and was building and growing my team. I was working for a great leader who supported me and helped me grow. In short, I was happy and things were going well. Then, I was asked to consider a leadership role on a firm-wide transformational program working in a deeply technical environment where I hadn’t worked before. I was both flattered and hesitant. I was asked to take on the role because of my expertise and skill, but I’d need to navigate the new environment….and quickly! As I thought it through and discussed the role with my sounding board, I realized that this role would stretch me. I could bring what I do best and I would have an opportunity to learn and grow.

Immediately, I was challenged. Within days of starting the role, I was told of a firm-wide tabletop exercise, scheduled for four weeks away. It sounded interesting and I was thrilled to participate. My “Hunt for the Red October” moment came when I asked who was leading it. “…you are!” was the answer! It was a long four weeks spent quickly coming up to speed and leaning on peers whom I had just met, but the result was a very successful event. It was a great experience and a good way to get my feet wet.

Soon after, my days were filled with meetings that were jam-packed with jargon and lingo that was foreign to me. As I took notes, I circled what I didn’t understand and forced myself to ask for an explanation. It wasn’t easy; I was used to being the “go to” person with answers and it was uncomfortable to admit when I didn’t know something. But, as I asked for explanations, my knowledge grew…and I started to build relationships. While I was worried about being a burden, my peers actually liked answering my questions. In meetings, I saw the same peers shift to start to explain concepts and acronyms as part of discussions.

What was surprising to me was how rich the conversations became. I discovered that others had similar questions, and those with the answers started to ask me questions about the expertise I brought to the role. I was happy that I could help my peers learn, too.

It would have been easier to ignore things, both about the role and what I didn’t know. Getting out of my comfort zone actually expanded it. I’ve learned a great deal and am indebted to those who helped me along the way, and it’s gratifying to know that I’ve helped them, too.

So, here’s what I learned (beyond the acronyms and lingo!):

Don’t be afraid to jump into a role that stretches you. A position that may not seem to be a good fit at first may actually be a great role. Dig in to see if you have an opportunity to learn and can bring unique perspectives that help others to grow too.
You’re likely not the only one with questions. I developed key phrases I could use to ask my question and was judicious about when and where I asked.
If you’re speaking, assess your audience’s level of understanding, especially when you’re the one using acronyms and technical lingo. You may want or need to weave in explanations to help your peers.

Thank you to everyone who’s helped me and has answered my questions…and my follow up questions. You have expanded my world! If I can help you out, even in a small way, give me a shout.

-Lynn E.

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Hiring managers share virtual interview best practices

In this blog series, we sit down with three Vanguard hiring managers who share best practices and things to keep in mind when preparing for and participating in a virtual interview. Here is what they had to say:

As we’ve transitioned to a virtual environment, what changes have you experienced?

Ken B.: The biggest change for me is that I am very much a read-the-person interviewer. Doing that on video is different than sitting down together in a room. Be mindful of not just the words used in your answer, make sure you express passion in your response and that you’re engaged with the questions. Most individuals tend to be more relaxed at home. Sometimes too relaxed. Keep in mind this is still an interview, even if it’s on video.

Nima P.: So far, none of the interviews I’ve conducted have felt different, except for the fact that they aren’t in person. We have continued to hold panel interviews, consisting of back and forth questioning. We tell the candidate in advance how we will approach the interview and have still been able to observe verbal cues in the moment.

Sandy M.: In my experience, candidates continue to come to interviews well prepared. They have been professional, flexible with the format, and overall successful in their deliveries. In all cases, they were dressed in professional attire.

What advice do you have for candidates preparing for a virtual interview?

Nima P.: Make sure you have set up the technology needed. I’ve had interviews start late because they weren’t set up and ready to go. Make sure the audio and video work, and that you’re in an area with a solid internet connection. If possible, select a location that isn’t noisy and blur your background if you cannot find a professional backdrop. We understand this may not be easy. If you happen to have trouble with any of the above, just tell us about your situation.

Ken B.: If you’re in a virtual interview, using video is critical. It gives us some insight into the person we’re meeting. Second, treat this as though you’re in the office and set yourself in a quiet room. Earlier this week I held an interview and the candidate was in front of a blank wall. Nothing was there to distract me and I could focus on the candidate. Not everyone has that luxury, but if possible, find a secluded space with limited distractions. Lastly, dress appropriately and watch your body language. Make eye contact and if you’re taking notes, just let the interviewer know.

What final thoughts can you share about virtual interviews at Vanguard?

Nima P.: I’m pleased with how well technology is working. We haven’t had one issue. I’m completing interviews daily for internal and external candidates and it’s been smooth. That feels good. Our hiring managers have a rhythm down. At first, I was worried about holding virtual interviews but it has been a seamless transition.

Are you getting ready for a virtual interview? Please be sure to read our recent blog titled, How to prepare for a virtual interview.

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Three steps for breaking the mold

May 20, 2020/in Advice from crew, Culture build, career, challenge, crew, feedback, group, hiring, hiring process, leader, leaders, leadership, leadership team, people, people leadership, process, role, senior, technology, understand, vision /by kkilgarriff

Three steps for breaking the mold

I began my school career with a passion for building things and anything involving numbers. The spread of computers and the Internet led me to study Engineering and Math. I hold a Bachelor of Technology degree from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Madras) and a Master of Science from Pennsylvania State University (University Park). I joined Vanguard in 2001, and after several roles, I am now a Senior IT Program Manager supporting Vanguard’s Office of General Counsel, responsible for providing technology solutions for Legal and Compliance teams. Additionally, I am a member of Vanguard’s crew resource group, Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals (LEAP).

Posing with colleagues.

Beliefs, values and cultural stereotypes can keep you from seeing how far you might go in your career. If you choose, it is possible to change your perspective and challenge preconceived notions about what you can do. As someone who never considered people leadership as a viable career option, I have learned a few things along the way which allowed me to break out of the mold. Growing up in an Asian culture, I focused more on building subject matter expertise only, always deferring to authority and never speaking up unless asked. These rules influenced how I saw my career options, especially in an American corporate culture where my strengths didn’t necessarily align with typical leadership traits.

Looking back on my journey, here are three approaches that helped me:

1. Use Feedback

I’ve always stayed open to feedback, whether it was from my leaders, peers or crew reporting to me. Feedback enables you to figure out how to create a concrete path forward to achieve your professional goals and prepare for your next role. I give credit to my leaders and peers for providing ongoing feedback that helped me grow into the leader I am today, despite my somewhat limited view of my career trajectory. I still vividly recall when I was seeking advice from a leader and he brought up the idea of pursuing a people leadership opportunity. My immediate response was, “No way! What makes you think I can do that?” The thought had never occurred to me. When I reflected on the recommendation, I realized I had mentally blocked the idea as I hadn’t seen a senior leader who looked or acted like me.

Being able to observe someone who has similar experiences and background enables you to see outside the mold. But role models are not always readily available. My recommendation would be to build a strong support network and actively seek feedback from that group to understand the opportunities that might be available to you. Remember, feedback is a gift.

2. Be Fearless in Taking Risks

My career has taught me it can be transformative to experience discomfort. Even if it feels scary, taking a leap of faith can move you into new realms. Having the courage to speak up and express my thoughts was a big challenge for me. I appreciated how my leaders encouraged me throughout my career to share my thinking and put forth my ideas for tackling problems.

An example I can share is from my role as the Head of Workforce Planning for Information Technology (IT). When I was first asked to consider the position, I was reluctant since it didn’t align with my strengths. The job responsibilities were completely out of my comfort zone, not requiring any direct IT skillsets, like using technology to build products. After my initial hesitation, I decided to take it on as a way to build additional skills. For one of my early challenges, I was tasked with scaling up our crew hiring from 30 people per year to over 300 per year. At the same time, I wanted to modernize our hiring process so it fit the needs of the new, fast-moving IT group. Working with the IT Senior Leadership team and HR, I created a new hiring process. This included real-time programming tests, as well as hiring managers asking more deliberate, open-ended questions to truly understand the candidate’s thinking process. My leadership team stood behind me, and the new approach proved successful at identifying the right people as we continued to meet our growing hiring needs while keeping the bar high for talent.

3. Expand Your Vision

I believe a critical skill for being a successful leader is to have a strong vision. As your career journey evolves, you need to look farther afield for strategic advantages that can help define a future state for your business and assure its success for years to come. To build this vision, it is important to understand how the world is changing, from both a business and a technology perspective. At Vanguard, by setting our sights beyond the technology and financial services industries, new inspiration can bring innovative solutions and new ways of working. I find it equally vital to have the conviction to follow your vision, even if it is unconventional.

I believe that with an open mind and a willingness to take risks, you can challenge and break out of molds.

—Srinath C.

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Expanding my network shrunk my world

May 6, 2020/in Advice from crew, Culture all call, calls, change, check, enjoyed, enlightening and empowering, meeting, mentors, network, office, personal, skip-level, thanks, time, together, touch, video, video call, working, working remotely /by fanwar

Expanding my network shrunk my world

A few weeks ago, I ended the week on a high. Why? Two video calls boosted my spirits and prompted me to make a simple change.

Two calls sparked the change

The first was a morning skip-level video call with my manager’s manager to discuss a new assignment. I was surprised when he asked a personal question: “How are you doing?” My short reply (“very well, thanks”) didn’t cut it; I realized that this meeting was also a “check in” with me. I elaborated on what it was like working among my new office mates (my family) and enjoyed sharing how I let my teen know when she could enter my office. Less than five minutes was all it took to set the stage for good feelings throughout the day.

The second call I had was with one of my mentors, someone I’ve known for most of my career. She and I worked together and have stayed in touch, although it has been difficult lately with living in different time zones. Receiving her call, out of the blue, and catching up was a nice boost.

These two calls made me realize that now, more than ever, I needed to stay close to those in my own network. I recalled how last year a former colleague posted on LinkedIn immediately after I had connected with him. He wrote, “Check in with your mentors, I guarantee you they can help. Just checked in with one of mine; it was enlightening and empowering.” I knew I needed to get in touch with my network and be “enlightening and empowering” to others.

Small changes, big results

I reached out to someone who was new to my company. Working remotely when you’re four months into a new job likely wasn’t easy! Taking a page out of my skip-level meeting, I started our call by asking how she was doing and used the opportunity to share a little about myself. The time flew by and together we came up with a plan to build her network.

I recently had another week end on a high as well. I had a video call with another senior leader at my company, as suggested by a mutual colleague. We’d done the “schedule shuffle” for a few months. It was energizing to make a personal connection and discover both educational and professional parallels.

This may not seem like a lot, but making personal connections has been positive for me during these past few weeks. Along with many at Vanguard, I have embraced our strong networking culture and enjoyed with individuals in person in our galleys (cafeterias). In this “virtual new world,” I’m making new connections and rekindling with colleagues from the past, without an impact on my schedule.

This change has strengthened and expanded my network and has made the world seem a bit smaller.

Note: I’ve been thinking of writing an article on networking and this COVID-19 era of working remotely seemed like the right time to publish it. Thanks for following!

—Lynn E.

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Onboarding into a new job in uncertain times

Accepting a job offer can be a time of excitement, confusion, and anticipation. When you add in an environment of uncertainty, you may be questioning your decision. We spoke with three crew members who recently joined Vanguard and went through the onboarding process. They explain what to expect and how to ease your transition into a new job.

Valerie F. attended our standard Vanguard orientation, but was transitioned to remote work after just two days in the office.

My manager told me, “I need you to be prepared to work at home.” A big aspect that really helped was being able to understand how to get the appropriate technology access needed for me to do my job virtually. I was able to get everything set up on my mobile device and for this reason, I was able to work from home immediately.

A few other items are worth noting. My manager was already prepared for the situation and had everything ready for me. All department resources were available online, which put me at ease. I was also able to network with my team and others, while they showed me the ropes virtually. I can call anyone, anytime on my laptop.

The situation was a little different for Mike M., who was one of the first crew members to go through a new onboarding process. He had originally received the typical new hire information, but instructions changed along with our new ways of working.

About a week after I received my job offer from Vanguard, the global environment changed. I was wondering what the impact would be and whether or not I would still be able to onboard as planned. I continued to receive normal communications and completed all steps in the pre-hire process.

I did, however, participate in a unique onboarding experience, where new crew came onto campus in small groups at designated times, and practiced social distancing throughout their two-hour orientation. We were provided with the equipment and information needed for a virtual set-up, and then returned home.

As a member of the IT department, Mike went through an IT-specific onboarding program the following day—all virtual.

Hiring manager Nima P. also felt that the onboarding experience was seamless.

Vanguard made it easy for me and my peers. Although I was unable to be on campus to welcome my new crew member, I talked to him the day before orientation. I told him once he was set up, to make sure everything worked before leaving campus. The day of, we spoke on the phone once he had all he needed before heading home. It was perfect.

Valerie and Mike feel integrated into their new teams and have been able to work productively from home.

Mike M.: From my experience, with the level of collaboration and inclusion, this new way of working does not appear to be an issue for crew. Vanguard places a real emphasis on ensuring employees feel connected.

Valerie F.: The team I’m working with has been very accommodating. They regularly check in on me. It’s really great. We meet virtually often and look for ways to drive engagement, collaboration and business results. To me, it doesn’t seem virtual because we see each other regularly. It feels normal.

Valerie also had some advice for those who are encountering this new work environment.

Keep actively learning. Broaden your network. Just because we’re virtual doesn’t mean you can’t talk to people on your floor. I had a video conference with someone that sits two desks over from me, and I’m looking forward to meeting him/her in person. To anyone looking to work at Vanguard, the company goes so far to make sure its clients are taken care of, but also does this with their crew. It’s amazing how much work we’ve been able to accomplish. I’ll look back years from now and think that it was pretty amazing.

Since interviewing these individuals, Vanguard has moved to a 100% virtual onboarding model for the foreseeable future.

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