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.

Interested in our Advice career opportunities? Start your search here.

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.

It’s a new year, and for many that means new opportunities! If you’re ready to begin your job search or are already looking, these five blog posts can help set you up for success.

1. Tips and advice when interviewing for data & analytics jobs

Our very own data & analytics recruiter Brian Uff reveals what he looks for in candidates, tips for recent graduates, and ways you can prepare for your interview.

2. What NOT to ask a recruiter

This careers blog gives some tips on how to bring your ‘A’ game to the interview by reviewing these questions to avoid asking the recruiter—and some great alternatives.

3. 8 tips from an IT recruiter on how to ace your interview

Are you an IT professional with an upcoming interview? Sharon H., a Vanguard IT recruiter, provides eight tips to ace your interview in this blog.

4. Debunking 5 common LinkedIn myths

Do you have a LinkedIn profile? If the answer is no, what’s holding you back? In this blog, we set the record straight and debunk five common myths about LinkedIn.

5. Preparing For A Vanguard interview – Be a STAR

At Vanguard, we almost always include behavioral questions in our interviews. Learn about answering these questions in the STAR format and nail your interview!

Make your career count—search our opportunities.

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We asked 7 leaders from all across Vanguard, “What is your career-related New Year’s resolution?” Here’s what they had to say:

1. Christina Selby, Principal in Finance:

Spend time each week reading to increase my understanding of the asset management industry and the markets.  There is so much change going on in today’s world and I want to make sure I carve out time to focus on my personal learning this year.

2. Steve Holman, Principal in Institutional Sales:

In the new year, I’m going to make a concerted effort to spend more time with front-line crew in their interactions with advisors and clients. I am still relatively new to my role as Head of Vanguard Retirement Plan Access (VRPA), so investing the time with our clients will not only force me to deepen my knowledge of our products and services, but it will also allow me to gain valuable first-hand insight about how we can serve clients better.

3. Jodi Miller, Principal in Retail:

Increase my investment acumen. Specifically, being new to Vanguard, I want to learn more about our investment and advice methodology as a firm and how we build funds for our clients.

4. Joe Davis, Chief Economist and Principal in Investment Management:

Read even more daily than I do (from 2 hours/day to 3 hours/day). Finish my Python course I am taking online. Complete 20 read books in 2019.

5. Kevin Jestice, Principal in Information Technology & Security:

My career New Year’s resolution is to schedule more unscheduled time. Sounds funny, but my most productive and creative times come from talking to members of our team, drawing on white boards, and spontaneous interactions. I intend to free up more time in my days for those types of interactions by scheduling free time.

6. Lisha Davis, Head of the Innovation Studio:

Go completely paperless and create more teambuilding time.

7. Manuel Calero, Principal in Retail:

I love to read books that can help me be a better leader. Some of my favorites are Thinking: Fast and Slow, Factfulness, and The Captain Class. I often recommend books I think offer relevant and practical ideas for improvement, but I think I can do more than just recommend the book. For the new year, I am committing to hosting one lunch per month where I facilitate a hands-on activity that introduces a concept I read about in a way that makes it easy to apply to our day-to-day responsibilities.

Are you ready to make it count this year? Search our opportunities.

More careers blogs you may have missed

Our Most Popular Careers Blog Posts From 2018
We pulled together the top five career stories from 2018. Read about our leaders, working parents, veterans, and more!

Preparing For a Vanguard Interview – Be a STAR
Do you have an interview coming up soon? Read this blog to prepare for the STAR format questions and nail your interview!

4 Hacks for Your Best Social Brand Ever
In this step by step series on creating your brand, you’ll learn how to get started, glean tips from branding experts, and discover what really hooks an audience.

One fall day in 2017, it was time for my 1-on-1 discussion with my manager, Christine. I work as a solutions architect and my team researches emerging technologies and ways to experiment with these technologies. So it made sense when, during our 1-on-1, Christine asked me “How do we get more innovative?” I thought about it for a few seconds and said “we ask the crew.” My manager’s eyes lit up, and she said “let’s do it!” What sounded like a simple answer spun into a new web of ideas on how we could get the crew equally excited about this new opportunity.

After shopping around our idea and gaining support from leaders to move forward, Discovery Challenge was born. Discovery Challenge was basically an ideation event for crew to submit ideas that would solve a business problem using a new or existing technology. Amber, a participant in this event, described it as “Vanguard’s version of the TV show, Shark Tank. It was an opportunity to take an innovative idea and plead its case for viability.” Over a 3 week period, 196 people participated and submitted a total of 121 creative ideas! The 4th week consisted of crew getting 5 votes to use on the ideas they liked. An astounding 5,255 votes were cast! After 2 rounds of narrowing down ideas, 5 ideas were selected to present in front of a panel of senior business and IT leaders at what we called Discovery Challenge Day.

Looking for a change in your IT career? Make it count with Vanguard.

Planning an event like this is definitely not easy and I now have a new appreciation for event planning. Of course, I could not do it all myself. My planning team was just as much involved in the intricate details as I was. And keep in mind, we were doing this as an extracurricular activity. We still had our day jobs, but we were meeting at least twice a week to coordinate all aspects of Discovery Challenge. My partner in planning, Charlotte, summed it up as, “Discovery Challenge was about discovering new ideas, but I also discovered my own potential while planning the event. I was able to develop skills that I don’t normally use in my day-to-day job. I feel grateful to have the opportunity and the support of my manager and team to learn new things and be creative in a new way at work.” Planning also involved marketing to get people thinking and excited about submitting ideas. We held promotional events to entice participation. We created a positive energy for Discovery Challenge, as well as generated an opportunity to have fun at work. Our efforts even led to getting idea submissions from departments we didn’t market to. It was amazing to actually see this event getting around to so many people!

Discovery Challenge Day was full of energy! What was even more special about this event was we were able to successfully do it cross-site with crew from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Arizona. The teams and individuals presenting their ideas did a fantastic job impressing the judges and the audience. Claire, a planner and emcee for the presentations, said it best: “My favorite part of the Discovery Challenge was seeing the innovation and creativity of my fellow crew. I was blown away by their intelligence and how connected they are with cutting edge technology and how we can use it to better serve our clients and crew.” It was awesome to see crew showcase their talents outside of their everyday work. The winning team from our North Carolina site, husband and wife, David and Jess, were very appreciative of the opportunity, “When we submitted our idea to the Discovery Challenge there was an excitement that so many people wanted to be a part of. We bounced our ideas off crew members across job disciplines, divisions, and job sites. The enthusiasm we received while we looked for feedback blew us away. By the time we presented our idea to management we had all the business knowledge we needed to make an effective pitch. It’s a good thing too because the judges didn’t go easy on the Q&A portion! The whole experience made us realize that innovation is on everyone’s minds all across Vanguard.”

Since the challenge ended in April, the rest of the planning team and I have been busy trying to find a home for as many of the ideas as possible. We feel it is important to connect ideas to owners to show that every idea is important and has the potential to make a difference. Alex and her team had a great experience with Discovery Challenge, “The Discovery Challenge was a great process for our team. We were able to submit a problem with divisional impact and that we knew had been an ongoing opportunity. Although our idea was not selected as a part of the competition, we still felt validation knowing our idea was heard and is currently being pursued by the impacted groups.”

Our mission for the Discovery Challenge was to provide an opportunity for crew to share an innovative idea on how to use technology to meet a business need, to be creative, and to give crew exposure to a forum outside of day-to-day project work. The whole experience was gratifying for everyone that participated. I am so proud of this event and to have accomplished the mission set forth. It has been personally satisfying to be able to make a difference, especially when you have the right support from your leaders. This whole experience has emphasized Vanguard’s dedication to crew development.

Who would have thought a random idea in my 1-on-1 could positively affect as many people as it did? Pretty powerful.

-Linda C.

More careers blogs you may have missed

Solving Problems and Innovating through Data Science
Driven by Vanguard’s mission, crew member Amir shares his career journey through technology and data science in this careers blog.

My Dad Sparked My Investment Passion; Vanguard Fueled It
In this blog, one of Vanguard’s department heads shares about his career journey and how important investment acumen has been for his success.

A Different Kind of Investment
In this blog, Information Technology Developer Elijah writes about how Vanguard has invested in his professional development.

Remembering Vanguard’s Heritage through our History Center
In this blog, we take some time to reflect on Vanguard’s past four decades with a virtual tour of our History Center and a sneak peek into our mission and business.

Inclusion – It’s More Than a Policy
Hear from crew about their thoughts on LGBTQ+ inclusion at Vanguard, and learn about the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index—and how we stacked up.

The end of the year is often a time to reflect on all that’s been accomplished in the last twelve months. We pulled together the top five career stories from 2018. Whether it’s your first read or you’re revisiting a favorite, we hope you enjoy!

https://www.vanguardjobs.com/career-blog/2018/08/31/chief-investment-officer-story/

Greg looks back at his upbringing, his early job history, and why he ultimately came to–and stayed at–Vanguard.

“Although I never thought of pursuing Vanguard as an employer, I was curious about their trading floor and Vanguard’s approach to investment management. I started researching the markets and the investment side of the insurance industry. I had no idea I was planning my future career.”

https://www.vanguardjobs.com/career-blog/2018/06/13/daughter-book-club/

We celebrated Father’s Day with this story about how three things drove a crew member to start a book club with his daughter.

“Has the universe ever given you a sign?  An unmistakable, it’s-time-to-act type of signal?  Well, as I was sitting at Vanguard’s Leadership Symposium in Philadelphia last fall, a topic hit my radar for the third time in the span of a few months…”

https://www.vanguardjobs.com/career-blog/2018/05/07/working-mom-love/

Schuyler reveals why she loves being a working mom at Vanguard and how she was supported during maternity leave.

“I love my job and I wouldn’t trade it for the world, in fact, I would go as far to say I love being a working mom. There is no secret formula to create a balance or even a magic number of how much time should be spent at home vs. work. Instead, it is all about flexibility.”

https://www.vanguardjobs.com/career-blog/2018/07/27/prepare-vanguard-interview/

Not sure what to expect for your first interview at Vanguard? Whether it’s a phone screen, or an in-person interview on one of our campuses, these tips will give you a behind-the-scenes look at questions to prepare for, how to stand out, and general best practices for our entry level interviews.

https://www.vanguardjobs.com/career-blog/2018/11/11/boots-suits-veterans-day/

Anne-Marie, a US Air Force veteran, shares how she made the transition from boots to suits, and how her military experience prepared her for a career at Vanguard.

“At Vanguard, as in the military, leaders are expected to prioritize their people. I learned very early on that if you take care of your people, they will take care of you. Vanguard does an exceptional job of prioritizing and committing resources to crew development—and the results of that focus are crystal clear to me each and every day.”

Inspired? Make your career count—search our opportunities.

I started my career in recruiting 14 years ago. Over the years I’ve supported many different industries–finance/banking, technology, pharmaceutical, business services, food and beverage, healthcare–but none as challenging and unique as data & analytics.

When I first started recruiting for data science roles, it was for the pharmaceutical and tech industries. This experience opened my eyes to all the different divisions that the data & analytics job functions fall into; they span across many different parts of the business and have numerous job profiles. With so many different types of analytical profiles, I had to live and breathe analytics recruiting to effectively recruit the right people into the right roles.

I joined Vanguard in January 2016 as a senior recruiter, where I’m responsible for delivering top talent for Vanguard’s analytic and data science needs. But no matter where or for whom I recruit in this space, I’ve learned that some things are universal.

How to prepare for an interview

This is not your typical interview. In most cases, data scientists and analytical interviews will have some sort of technical testing, as well as a presentation. With many of the candidates we interview, but especially with data scientists, I like to spend some time discussing the interview preparation piece. These candidates are coming in and presenting to a team for a portion of their interview, and I find this to be the most critical part of the process. Letting candidates know that they should feel comfortable working with the recruiter on interview preparation is one of the most important aspects of my job.

One thing I like to do after we decide to bring someone in for an on-site interview is to congratulate them on making it to the next round. Making it past the phone screen is a big accomplishment and I like to build the candidate’s confidence, be a resource for questions, and share what they can expect. I take it as a personal responsibility to increase their chances by successfully communicating with and preparing them for the on-site interview. We as recruiters should know firsthand what the candidate will encounter at the interview by speaking to the hiring manager beforehand about what they want to discuss and understand. Let’s be honest, we want the candidate to land the job just as much as the candidate wants to land the job.

Interested in our data & analytics career opportunities? Start your search here.

“I’m looking for highly motivated individuals that can solve business problems, using machine learning, and are passionate about learning new ways of delivering value to support Vanguard’s goals.”

-Eduardo F., hiring manager

Advice for recent data & analytics graduates

The easiest way to get introduced to potential employers after graduating, or preferably before graduating, is to have your professor write you a letter of recommendation for a desired employer. In a lot of cases, schools are well connected to employers in their local areas and even nationally. In addition to typical data knowledge, you may also want to learn code, and be able to clearly communicate technical concepts. What they don’t teach in school, though, is that you need to be a generalist as well. I find that some students are boxed into using one set of tools that they’ve learned in college. I’d recommend looking into methods outside your comfort zone to add to your problem-solving tool box. Learning and practicing work from different vantage points will give you a diverse way of seeing and approaching problems. But the best advice I’d have for any data scientist would be to stay current. Employers love when they know a candidate is continuously honing their skills. There are many sites and nano degrees out there to practice and uncover knowledge gaps.

Sharing the data analytics story

So how does Vanguard reach candidates in such a competitive market? One of the most effective ways we start conversations with candidates is by sharing content that has meaning for them. For example, we’ve recently launched a data analytics page on our career site. This page showcases why our data scientists are an elite group with deep experience in diagnostic, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. It shows that they solve Vanguard’s hardest, messiest questions with creative approaches and techniques. We’ve also created several videos so our crew can talk about their work, impact, and career journeys. Most importantly, they give our data scientists, engineers, analysts, a way to share a day in their lives here at Vanguard. I think they’ve got a great story to tell.

Brian Uff, data & analytics recruiter

Connect with me on LinkedIn

More careers blogs you may have missed

Solving Problems and Innovating through Data Science
Driven by Vanguard’s mission, crew member Amir shares his career journey through technology and data science in this careers blog.

My Story: Vanguard’s Chief Investment Officer Greg Davis
Chief Investment Officer Greg Davis looks back at his upbringing, his early job history, and why he ultimately came to–and stayed at–Vanguard.

What differentiates us from other data science teams?
Data Science Manager Mirim L. provides her perspective on what it means to be a Data Scientist at Vanguard.

To learn more about the career of an investment management crew member, Gemma offered her insight in this Q&A. Gemma is currently a senior portfolio manager in the fixed income active rates team. Her team manages the active US Treasury and US Inflation Linked securities funds. She joined Vanguard in 2011 as a mid-career hire after a career in investment banking and a stint as a portfolio manager at a global sovereign wealth fund. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and travelling.

In your LinkedIn profile you mention that you are part of a small cadre of women portfolio managers in the asset management industry. Tell us more about this and why you think that is.

Morningstar and Bloomberg recently published articles on women in asset management and have highlighted that there are 14 Fixed Income funds managed solely by women in the US. At Vanguard, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to manage 4 of those funds. There are also other female portfolio managers who manage global fixed income and global equity funds at Vanguard. The attrition rate of gender diversity has risen in the asset management industry since the great financial recession. Research has shown that the broader the diversity within teams, the higher the return potential. This is paramount in an environment where overall investment returns are low and it behooves companies to seek out opportunities to boost returns. I am honored that I can be a role model for younger diverse crew who may be considering a career path into portfolio management.

What advice would you give to your 25-year-old self as you were starting your career?

I would always keep your dreams and aspirations in front of you. Assess what skills and competencies you would need for such roles and take necessary steps to build those by taking on roles that can be stepping stones to your ultimate destination. This is a competitive environment so don’t be afraid to take risks and try something new even if it is not a direct path to attaining your dream job. If it offers a new skill or competency, it adds to your personal growth. Additionally, credentials, such as an accreditation or a secondary degree, can be helpful in your professional development and broadening overall business acumen. I have had two different careers within the investment world as a result of my willingness to builds skills and take risks.

We’re hiring investment management professionals! Learn more here.

What obstacles did you run into and what helped you overcome them?

Years ago while working in investment banking as a professional and a new mother, I had to make difficult career choices to manage both aspects of my life in such a way that I felt fulfilled and I could bring my whole self to the office and home. I have learned over the years that work and life are not a perfect balance and that I shift between the demands from both over time. Above all, I have had a tremendous network of both women and men along with a supportive spouse who have helped me keep my sense of humor and perspective. I have also had supportive bosses who helped me prioritize my family when there were conflicts and encouraged me to advance my career.

Did you have any mentors? How have they supported you in your career?

I was fortunate to have two mentors and a sponsor who helped me to take command of my career, to take roles that presented risks because the long game necessitated that I build skills and experiences, and to build and expand my support network. I found these individuals by chance (elevator pitch) or through my network. They were all senior executives but their business and market acumen along with their wisdom were instructive in helping shape each phase of my professional life. Born an introvert, they quickly helped me to build comfort outside of my natural inclinations. They encouraged me to ask for what I wanted, provided me with opportunities when I wasn’t looking for them (but was ready) and provided me with the moral support to be successful.

What makes you most proud of Vanguard?

There are many things of which I am proud but I would say the integrity and collaborative nature of the crew who are always guided by our mission statement – to take a stand for all investors; to treat them fairly; and to give them the best chance for investment success.

If you’d like to learn more about Gemma, please visit her profile on LinkedIn.

I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me. There I was, a college senior, in the midst of the “Decade of Decision” and I had been stumped. Less than one year from that moment, I would graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and begin a new stage of life. Yet the number of forks in the road ahead was truly dizzying! Should I go straight into a graduate program? What about work experience? Should I pay my dues at a Big 4 accounting firm? Did I even want to work in accounting? In short, I wondered how to bridge the gap between being a recent college graduate and becoming a successful professional.

With so many options to choose from, I was grateful for the recommendations of wise mentors who had successfully sailed the seas ahead that I too would soon face. As I was looking into graduate programs, one mentor explained that graduate school could be much more meaningful after a few years of work experience at an industry leading company that shared my personal values. He also encouraged me to show some initiative and attend a career fair at a larger university nearby. His counsel was full of good intentions, so a classmate and I packed our bags. (Who doesn’t love a good road trip?) That career fair helped me connect with my current employer: Vanguard.

Curious about our Client Services career opportunities? Make it count at Vanguard.

Meaningful Work

From the moment I shook hands with my recruiter, I felt a sense of meaning behind Vanguard’s mission—to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. Finding a company with a strong purpose was important to me. Before Vanguard, I had the opportunity to volunteer as a service missionary for two years in Chile, where because of our strong core purpose and values, we were able to truly make a difference. At Vanguard, my position in our Retail Investor Group provides an opportunity where I see that purpose come to life in my daily interactions with clients. I find it very satisfying to apply the skills from my college days and accounting background as I explain complex topics related to investing. Helping clients in situations where they need guidance has proved to be my career sweet spot. I also developed a passion for teamwork during my college basketball career. My time at Vanguard has taught me that the only thing better than helping people reach their financial goals is to do it alongside peers and leaders that you really admire.

Balance

Gaining work experience is a top priority during this stage of my life, but it certainly isn’t the only focus! I enjoy spending time with my family, seeing new parts of the world, and volunteering in my community. Finding a balance between these different priorities wasn’t a new task, but I wondered what the balance would feel like once I graduated from college. Some career alternatives required a commitment to long hours at work, but Vanguard seemed to mirror my values with a focus on work-life balance. The time I spend at work is extremely engaging, but it’s my work at home that demands the best of me. Pair that work week with a generous paid-time-off package and finding that elusive balance becomes reality. I was also fortunate to qualify for paternity leave in June of 2018 after the birth of my daughter. That time helped me support my wife as we welcomed our little girl to the world.

Opportunities to Advance My Career

One thing I love about Vanguard is the variety of career paths available for crew (nautical theme intended) including Financial Advisor, Team Leader, and more. Networking is strongly encouraged, and time is provided for attending a variety of career-focused events like department overviews. A recent example was put on by our Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership and Advancement (HOLA) group and focused on the skills required to become a successful specialist. Every month, I take time to sit down with my leader who takes an active interest in helping me prepare for my next career move. I’ve discovered that my favorite moments include time to cultivate meaningful relationships with Vanguard’s clients, so I plan to expand on that in the years ahead. I’m also excited to pursue the Certified Financial Planner ™ (CFP ®) designation as I serve clients in more substantial ways.

Working at Vanguard has been essential to my professional growth in these years following my graduation. The purpose behind my work, balance between my other interests, and opportunities for additional development have made this a rewarding decision. If you find yourself in a similar situation like me in your final years in college, know that you’re not alone! In the information age, “analysis paralysis” can be a real obstacle. The encouraging thing is that you can make a great decision even if your information is incomplete. As you evaluate the different paths ahead, be sure to lean on the advice of mentors. Do your best to research options that are most important to you, like matching your personal values and doing work that you find meaningful. Once you have that figured out, trust that with some hard work and the right opportunities, you can turn any path into a rewarding career. The most important part of this stage of life is to keep moving forward. As you do, you’ll be amazed at how naturally you progress from recent graduate to successful professional.

-Josh F.

More careers blogs you may have missed

Preparing For a Vanguard Interview – Be a STAR
Do you have an interview coming up soon? Read this blog to prepare for the STAR format questions and nail your interview!

Three Experiences That Paved My Path to Vanguard
In this blog, Team Leader Rachel shares three experiences along her path to Vanguard and why she loves being a leader.

Why I Got Rid Of My Five Year Plan
Vanguard crew member Lauren reflects on why she tossed out her five year plan and instead focused on building a career within a company and industry she grew to love.

Exploring Careers in Client Services – Retail Services
Crew member David shares his perspective on career choices, teamwork, and how he contributes to Vanguard’s mission in Retail Services.

Inclusion – It’s More Than a Policy
Hear from crew about their thoughts on LGBTQ+ inclusion at Vanguard, and learn about the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index—and how we stacked up.

My family and friends often ask me to explain what it means to work as an investment analyst in the Investment Strategy Group at Vanguard. I answer by saying that my job is to develop thought leadership. Now, if you’re not sure what the phrase thought leadership means, you’re not alone. When I first joined Vanguard, I didn’t understand what it meant either. Essentially, within my role, thought leadership means investment research that aims to go beyond what’s already been published within the industry or showcases a differentiated opinion. This research helps Vanguard answer key topical questions: What is the value of financial advice? How should investors be thinking through decision-making in retirement? What is Vanguard’s outlook for the economy and the capital markets? Answering these questions by way of research helps Vanguard continue to educate our clients and crew—and helps further establish Vanguard as a leading investment management firm.

We’re hiring investment management professionals! Learn more here.

A vertical learning curve

When I began my rotation in the Investment Strategy Group through Vanguard’s leadership development program, I felt fairly intimidated by how much I didn’t know. The group was full of subject-matter-experts who not only conducted research, but frequently acted as ambassadors, discussing and delivering our group’s research in crew trainings, client meetings, and at industry conferences. While I had a background in economics and was passionate about investing, I was unsure about being able to contribute as a new team member within such a tenured department.

What I realized was that being surrounded by such knowledgeable leaders and analysts ensured that my learning curve was essentially vertical. The culture was so collaborative and grounded in intellectual curiosity that I quickly began to build both investment and technical acumen. Throughout various projects, I was able to leverage and maximize my own unique skillset while partnering with other analysts to bring my analytical skills and systems knowledge up to par. I loved the fact that there truly were no bad questions, and everyone was eager to share their experience and knowledge, whether it was over a casual coffee or in the midst of a department-wide town hall.

The content creation process 

Shortly after completing my rotation and joining the group permanently, I was aligned to the Advisor’s Alpha research team, which focuses on investor behavior and the value of financial advice. When I began working on my first whitepaper, I collaborated with members of my team and partnered with leaders and practitioners in Vanguard’s client-facing divisions. Our goals were to create differentiated content that would shape the industry conversation and to outline best practices that would give institutional clients the best chance of achieving their mission (i.e. charity, education, retirement).

Creating thought leadership, no matter the topic, often happens in phases. We started off by doing deep dive research, poring through academic studies, industry intelligence, and previously published whitepapers. I really enjoyed the “get smart” phase because it allowed me to get a feel for the broader conversation happening in the industry around institutional advice. Then, we began outlining our approach, performing analysis, and drafting the paper. The writing phase was challenging but rewarding as we iterated through a number of versions and honed in on our structure, language, and visualization. Though it was a long journey, the skills I gained by working through the research process were invaluable.

A foundational skill set

My favorite aspect of working as an investment analyst in this group is that it’s given me broad exposure to numerous investment disciplines across the globe. While I work in Vanguard’s Scottsdale, Arizona office, the Investment Strategy Group is spread across our headquarters in Pennsylvania as well as a number of international offices, allowing us to conduct thought leadership on a global scale. By avidly reading and organically learning from experts in the department, I’ve built a base of knowledge across all of our research specialties including portfolio construction, retirement, and the economy and markets.

In addition to that wide-ranging foundation, I’ve delved deeply into my own research specialty. I realized that a challenging first step to being a thought leader and influencing industry conversation is being well-versed in what’s already been said. By leaning on my team’s experience and conducting research alongside our business partners, I’ve educated myself on the existing dialogue around investor behavior and the value of advice. In the future, I aspire to continue contributing to this dialogue as a developing thought leader (and proudly explaining my job to my friends and family when they ask!)

-Sneha K.

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Recently, I was invited to be on a panel at Vanguard that focused on the experience of female veterans transitioning into the corporate world. Why did I receive this invitation, you ask? Because I’m a proud veteran of the United States Air Force, having served from 1990-1999.  I left the USAF after serving in a variety of roles stateside as well as in the Middle East and Japan, and I consider those years to be my most formative as a professional.

What struck me about my fellow panelists at that event was that our respective transition experiences varied greatly. After I separated from service, I spent a short period of time as a stay-at-home parent before taking on part-time roles as an instructor of economics and later as a financial advisor. In 2011 I finally transitioned back into the workforce full-time at Vanguard. In contrast, one of the other women on the panel served as a reservist and the third went directly into the corporate world after leaving the military. Although how we all got to this company differed greatly, being a part of that event reminded me of why I feel so energized and happy to work at Vanguard.

Leadership

At Vanguard, as in the military, leaders are expected to prioritize their people. I learned very early on that if you take care of your people, they will take care of you. Vanguard does an exceptional job of prioritizing and committing resources to crew development—and the results of that focus are crystal clear to me each and every day. We push crew to embrace and take advantage of training, some of which is mandatory and a lot of which is voluntary and available on-demand. As a leader at Vanguard, I spend an enormous amount of time coaching crew, in one-on-one sessions with my direct reports, and meeting with crew in my line. Everyone has their own passions and career aspirations, but I have always believed that my first priority as a leader was to figure out how to best support each and every one of the people who report to me on a daily basis. When our crew feel supported and valued, they in turn dedicate themselves to providing our clients with a world-class experience.

Mission driven

As an Air Force officer, I came to deeply appreciate the importance of having a clear and unified mission. Vanguard stands out within the financial services industry not because we have a mission (lots of financial services companies have one), but because the mission at Vanguard is simple, clear, and applicable to each and every one of us. If you want to get a team to make progress towards a goal, every member has to know precisely where you’re going. Ideally, they also understand why you’re going there. How you get there can be different across the organization, but the final destination must be a clearly defined point on a map, whether literally or figuratively. I love working at this company because I know precisely where we’re going in the very confusing world of investments and what we are all collectively trying to do.

Responsibility

A final similarity I’ll share between the military and Vanguard is that in both cases the people doing the job feel a strong sense of responsibility to those they are serving. Every day I overhear our crew working through very challenging client situations; without fail, what strikes me is the deep sense of ownership and accountability exhibited by those I work with. The best comes out of people when they are taking care of other people. At Vanguard, we take care of our clients, and we never stop trying.

On Veterans Day this year, I am grateful for the years I served and for those with whom I served. I am also extremely grateful for the chance to work at this company, because I can honestly say that I usually leave work feeling like I made a difference. More than anything, I’m grateful to spend my days, my energy, and my intellect at a place where smart, ethical people devote themselves to achieving the Vanguard mission of giving every investor the best chance for investment success.

-Anne-Marie G.

We’re hiring! Make your career count at Vanguard.

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