Insights from our College to Corporate interns

July 29, 2021/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Voyage to Vanguard Specialty Program /by manikantashetty

Insights from our College to Corporate interns

The Vanguard 2021 College to Corporate Interns have nearly finished their virtual time at Vanguard this summer. They’ve brought fresh ideas to the table while living #LifeatVanguard through teamwork, volunteering, camaraderie, and learning. In this blog, our interns provide advice for candidates and discuss their journey to Vanguard.

What advice do you have for students or entry-level candidates who are interested in Vanguard?

Make connections as often as you can. You never know when someone will be able to help you in the future, and hopefully you will be able to do the same for them. Making a positive impact on your peers goes a long way! – Christopher L.

Connect and message recruiters on LinkedIn! When I discovered the Emerging Leader Development Program (ELDP), I messaged the current ELDP cadre and nearly every recruiter on LinkedIn. Not all of them saw my message—but many did. They were so helpful and even recommended the College to Corporate Internship that I hadn’t known about. – Ryan M.

Be interested, be humble, and be authentic. – David D.

My favorite advice during my recruitment process with Vanguard was two-pronged. One was the fundamental principle of the fiduciary mission: It’s always all about the client. Our purpose is to help clients in any way they need. The second often goes hand in hand with the first: Absorb as much information as possible from as many resources as you can. A huge, unique part of Vanguard as an institution is the wealth of information available to this wonderful peer community of financial advisors. These resources are meant to help advisors help other advisors, and in turn, to help those advisors help clients. – Mattia A.

If you’re interested in Vanguard, I would definitely recommend reaching out to any of the crew! Everyone here is welcoming and willing to talk with you. They’re all super understanding and candid about their experiences, which is very beneficial when you are trying to find a firm out of college. – Rebecca C.

If you’re interested in Vanguard, reach out to crew members whose jobs you’re interested in! Almost everyone here will be eager to set time aside to tell you about their job and give you tips about working at Vanguard. – Ethan R.

Apply early! Reach out to Vanguard employees to build relationship and a network even before you need a job. – Julia K.

Summarize your journey to Vanguard.

The main thing that attracted me to Vanguard is the culture. The idea of putting others first is present both internally and externally—making sure that our clients as well as our colleagues are provided with the resources they need to be successful. – Christopher L.

I was attracted to Vanguard because of how my family and I have been treated as clients. I want to work for a company that cares for the people it serves and has a strong sense of obligation to those it serves. – Ryan M.

I was primarily drawn to Vanguard because its reputation and mission are unmatched within the financial services industry. Since 1975, our leaders have made every major and minor decision with the best interests of our investors at the forefront. – David D.

For as long as I’ve envisioned my career path, I’ve been passionate about people and about investments. Vanguard has gifted me the opportunity to learn to help the average investor figure out how to send their kids to college, to retire, and to achieve their personal idea of optimal return on life —with a minor in portfolio implementation. 🙂 – Mattia A.

Vanguard came to an event at my school, and the people were so kind and welcoming. They talked about the positive culture and inclusivity at the firm as well as the focus on community, so I knew I had to apply. – Rebecca C.

In my freshman year of college, I met a crew member and he spoke so highly of Vanguard that I scheduled a visit to the Malvern campus for a career trip. That day I learned all about Vanguard’s culture and people and concluded that I wanted to work there. – Ethan R.

During my freshman year of college, I was given the opportunity to attend an Explore Day. During that experience I met with so many wonderful crew who had only good things to say about Vanguard. – Julia K.

Applications are now open for next summer!

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Advice from crew about starting a new job

July 7, 2021/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities Entry-level Phone Group /by kkilgarriff

Advice from crew about starting a new job

After four years on a college campus, it’s time to move on to a different type of campus in the working world. You’ve taken the classes, earned the grades and learned many of the skills you’ll need for your new job, but it’s still probably an uncertain time for you. We’ve put together some tips from our crew to help you prepare for your new position in the workforce.

When starting a new job, I have two tips that can make all the difference. First, onboarding at any organization entails an enormous amount of information coming to you in a short period of time. I suggest re-reading and saving all emails you receive early on to ensure you get the details that might be missed when reviewing the materials the first time around. Secondly, but most importantly, is to purposefully network and make connections; it will help tremendously with feeling engaged and welcomed. – Allison D.

Starting a new role is extremely exciting but can also be overwhelming. I would recommend setting some goals to accomplish within your first months. It is also important to make new connections, so schedule time with peers and key stakeholders to begin building solid relationships. This is also a great opportunity to learn from them, so be prepared to ask questions! Further, be sure to define what success looks like with your manager and get to know them better. Lastly, taking initiative and fully immersing yourself in the role will only set you up for success! – Julie G.

Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask what you might think is a silly question. If you ask that question, you’re not the first and won’t be the last. Be sure to review your new-hire benefits packet and onboarding resources before your hire date to be as prepared as you can. Familiarize yourself with the resources on your company intranet and with the support teams they have available. Be patient with yourself and your leaders in this virtual environment. We’re all learning to adapt to what the future of work will look like. – Keara F.

When I have started new roles at Vanguard, the first thing I did was set up meetings with key partners across all of the departments and divisions that I knew I would work with regularly. A coffee chat can really build rapport for when you need to come together on a future project. My other piece of advice: Observe but remember you’re in the role because your leaders see the potential in you! Do not be afraid to speak up when you identify opportunities to improve a process or outcome. – Aimee K.

Ask each person you meet for an additional name or two to do overviews with to develop your business acumen and pick up on new skills. – Ashley C.

My advice is related to your mindset. If you start a role thinking you won’t be successful, chances are you won’t. If you acknowledge you’ll have a learning curve but remind yourself of the tools you have in your toolkit to help you succeed, you’ll draw upon them when faced with adversity. I came to Vanguard very anxious about studying for the Series 7 exam (this was before the introduction of the SIE) and I found myself making assumptions about the hardest parts of the Client Relationship Associate role, including investment guidance conversations. For the first 3 – 6 months, I avoided those conversations to the best of my ability and actually made it harder on myself! Once I acknowledged the fear, but reminded myself of my qualifications, I found them to be my favorite part of the job. I even started having those conversations in Spanish! – Mike B.

It’s ok to make mistakes! The professional world can be very different from the classroom, you may have to experiment with different approaches before you get it right. Professional development is all about learning and developing best practices! – Sarah H.

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Tips and advice when interviewing for Financial Advisor jobs

June 23, 2021/in Advice from crew, Day in the Life /by jortega

Tips and advice when interviewing for Financial Advisor 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, Melissa Whitaker provides insights and advice for candidates interested in pursuing an opportunity as a Financial Advisor in our Personal Advisor Services group.

Tell me about yourself. How long have you been at Vanguard? What has your career journey looked like and what business area do you recruit for?

I have been a full-time crew member with Vanguard since August 2017, when my family relocated from New York to Pennsylvania. I have supported external talent attraction and hiring for Personal Advisor Services (PAS) since joining. In fact, my whole career has been within talent acquisition. I truly pride myself on finding not only the right technical fit, but the right cultural addition to our firm as well. I am proud of Vanguard for prioritizing diverse search efforts to promote inclusivity and build a diversified team of professionals.

More recently, I had the opportunity to speak about talent attraction to the PAS division through our Women in Leadership Series – it energizes me to share my passion with others. Vanguard has been a home where I can confidently stand behind our mission to service our clients, have true alignment to our ethics and values, and feel the investment Vanguard provides our crew members internally.

How do you recommend candidates prepare for an interview at Vanguard and for the Financial Advisor role?

CFP designated experienced advisors can best prepare by asking themselves what their top three must haves are in a new organization and job opportunity. Similar to buying a house, you are essentially prioritizing your non-negotiable requirements. Examples can be anything from company culture, work-life balance, growth opportunities, mission alignment, believing in our advice offering and client focus and more. Being able to share this with your recruiter will allow them to ensure that not only do you have what we are looking for in a candidate, but that Vanguard has what you are looking for as well. Our hope is that Vanguard is a place you can call home through retirement.

The primary means of communication with our clients in PAS is over the phone, so building a relationship with the interview team will help us to understand how that rapport would translate to our clients.

Responding to our behavioral based interview questions with how you would generally handle a situation or task is great but follow up by using real life examples. This is critical to show your resourcefulness, strategic thinking, and prioritization. My biggest bit of advice would be to have a couple specific questions prepared in advance, even if it is asking the interviewer about themselves or asking if there is anything you can clarify about your candidacy.

Why PAS at Vanguard?

The major differentiator in our PAS offering for advisors is their ability to focus on truly developing their craft of planning, while helping clients reach their financial goals. Our consultative approach allows our advisors to develop meaningful rapport and trust with our clients. Vanguard also requires the CFP designation for our advisors as part of our advice offering. In general, candidates should certainly have an alignment to Vanguard, but CFP advisors specifically should also have a good understanding and belief in the PAS offer.

What advice do you have for experienced candidates who are interested in a career change?

I most often get messages from candidates interested in reentering the workforce. I am passionate about and have been involved with major diversity initiative programs throughout my career, the most memorable being Return to Work programs for women and veterans. In fact, PAS launched a Return to Work Internship with great success. Even during the pandemic, we are committed to diversifying our search efforts through inclusivity. With that said, my advice is to continuously invest in yourself and your career – we foster a learning environment, so having an interest in sinking your teeth into a new challenge and being able to express doing that within Vanguard is key.

What additional resources can candidates reference to learn more about careers in this field at vanguard?

Watch the Vanguard Advisors Career Overview video and read our crew testimonials. Take it a step further and connect with advisors on LinkedIn or request an exploratory call to learn more prior to submitting a formal application. Our crew members are our best resource to advocate for our firm. What are you waiting for?

– Melissa Whitaker,
Personal Advisor Services Recruiter

Connect with me on LinkedIn

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An advisor’s take on the importance of genuine curiosity

March 3, 2021/in Advice from crew, Day in the Life Financial Advisor /by marcin

An advisor’s take on the importance of genuine curiosity

I introduced my dad to Uber for the first time on a winter night late last year, heading home from dinner in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. My dad sat in the front passenger seat and by the time he had buckled his seatbelt, he was already talking to the driver, who replied to my dad’s questions in monosyllables. I felt for our driver: my dad was blissfully unaware that Uber rides are best conducted in mutual silence. Little by little, our soft spoken driver started opening up. He told my dad about his house in south Philly. He told my dad about his wife’s amazing cooking. He told my dad about his twin babies, their names and how they’d chosen them, and what they meant. This took place in fifteen minutes, and by the end of the ride as we said our goodbyes and apologized for disturbing his peace, the driver said, ‘That’s OK, I’m actually very talkative’.

This is par for the course for my dad, a physician who brought home a new story about his patients’ lives every night of my childhood. Nothing fails to capture his interest: tell him about your carpentry business, pet Chihuahua, granddaughter’s school project, cross country move, wacky theory, or favorite fishing spot. He will ask you another question, and probably another after that. Far from being tangential to their medical care, these conversations are my dad’s path to treating his patients best. He builds trust naturally because of his genuine curiosity about other people. In return, his patients are more willing to share information with him and follow his advice.

At Vanguard, I work in Personal Advisor Services, partnering with our managed clients to help them make the best financial decisions and meet their goals. Recently, our entire advisor team in Arizona, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina had the pleasure of hearing a presentation by Mitch Anthony, a preeminent financial planning author and speaker who focuses on what he calls “life-centered financial planning”. Mitch shared an anecdote about a financial advisor who was held in particularly high regard by his clients. Mitch asked the advisor to distill his career success into one word, and the advisor replied “curiosity”.

Ah-ha! Over the years, I have often thought about the similarities between my job and my father’s. In both of our fields, we build relationships and share expertise as a means to help people live better lives. But it isn’t just that both positions share an analysis of client or patient needs, a reliance on technical subject matter expertise, and the communication of recommendations. What jumps out at me most is that I, too, leave work reflecting on all of the stories I’ve heard from my clients.

Last year, I was finally able to convince a particularly frugal couple to upgrade their truck (ten years old instead of twenty). Though they’d recently received a large inheritance, they were determined to be good stewards of what their parent’s generation had built from the ground.

Last month, a seventh generation Texan who rents out the farmhouse passed down from her great- great-grandparents told me that her tenants are out of work because of COVID-19. She’s giving them a break on their rent, because she’s ‘been there’.

More recently, I’ve had encounters with the following individuals: a client who found meaning in training therapy dogs after a career in public service; a newly retired client in a race against the seasonal clock to build a greenhouse for his wife’s flower garden; a client who described the Inherited IRA Required Minimum Distribution as an annual Christmas gift from her late father.

What I think of as “genuine curiosity” is not the same as small talk or nosiness. The only agenda is to learn about another person in order to better understand them. As Mitch Anthony described to us in his presentation, this understanding is key in evaluating what our clients are trying to achieve and personalizing the best way for them to get there. Given two clients with the same situation on paper – similar fixed income, debt, and savings levels – nine times out of ten I will come up with a different investment recommendation after speaking to them.

Another overlap between my dad’s career and my own is that we came to our chosen professions via a winding path. He studied religion and was preparing to go to divinity school when he changed course. I began to learn about personal finance only after joining Vanguard. I am a bookworm and a people person, and the idea of being a financial planner hooked me within days of arriving on campus. After studying for my Series 7 and 63 exams, I wanted to learn more and help our clients more directly. I was accepted to an eighteen month program to become a Vanguard advisor which involved training courses, shadowing tenured advisors, and taking my Certified Financial Planner™ exam.

Since becoming an advisor, the magical part of the job hasn’t changed. It always comes down to two things: learning about my clients, and collaborating with my colleagues. The advisors I work alongside are incredibly diverse in terms of their academic, cultural, and professional backgrounds, as well as their personalities and communication styles– we have extroverts, introverts, and a lot of good-natured crew across our three sites. It’s hard to overstate the value of this variety when it comes to helping other human beings with their money, in particular because we seek input from each other and our business partners in technology and methodology on a constant basis.

Across this diversity, I would argue that genuine curiosity is something that all of Vanguard’s advisors share. We are sounding boards, problem solvers, and teammates with each other and with our clients. If this is a field that you have ever considered (or haven’t considered, yet!), I would encourage you not to dismiss it simply because you didn’t tell your Kindergarten class that you wanted to become a financial planner. Being a financial advisor at Vanguard has allowed me to build strong relationships, have a positive impact, and constantly learn – I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

-Mary T.

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Tips on team dynamics from a virtual work pioneer

February 17, 2021/in Advice from crew, Culture /by kunalwagchoray

Tips on team dynamics from a virtual work pioneer

A majority of Vanguard crew have been working virtually for nearly a year. We’ve made several adjustments, never backing down from our mission to give our clients the best chance of investing success. We’ve adjusted as individuals, as teams, and as a company. Vanguard recently held a series of webinars about leading virtually for the long haul, hosted by virtual work pioneer Sacha Connor, CEO of Virtual Work Insider.

Sacha’s wisdom about working on a successful remote team brings value to all as she reminds us that this is not normal. Before the pandemic, a work-from-home environment was something that could be more controlled. Now we are juggling our work plus our families and household duties like never before, or as Sacha explained, we are experiencing work/life collision. It’s important to acknowledge that most of us have probably never experienced this type of environment and it’s not typical. We need to create conditions for ourselves and our teams so that we can do our best. It starts with empathy. Here are three considerations to keep in mind to achieve success:

Avoid bias
There are two key concepts that Sacha touched on – distance bias and recency bias. You’re not seeing your teammates throughout the day, casually or formally. Our tendency is to remember the last thing we heard or saw. This is not exclusive to remote work. You probably remember an important point from a meeting you just had, as opposed to something from last week. You have more conversations with those closer to you (especially with multiple office locations). You may unintentionally give these opinions more weight. Remember that you’re a team and everyone should be included. A quick tip is to post a photo of your teammates on your computer so that you don’t leave anyone out of the mix.

Distance bias – Tendency to put more value on the people closest in proximity to us. [A concept that originated from the NeuroLeadership Institute]

Recency bias – Tendency to put more value on the people we’ve heard from or seen more recently.

Remember that everyone is different
Focus on each person on your team. Just as we have different learning styles, we communicate differently and react to situations differently. As a team, set communication norms:

Communication tool preferences.
Speed of response expected.
Verification of receipt of communication.
Availability for live meetings.

Cut down on fatigue
Fatigue takes many forms, whether it’s too much communication, too much video time, or no set work hours. We’ve all seen tips on how to avoid burnout while working remotely, but here are some ways to specifically improve your team’s working environment:

Be empathetic.
Use “video mail” to replace a live FYI or update meeting.
Mix in audio-only meetings to reduce video meeting fatigue.
Find a trusted colleague who can provide you an early warning signal if someone on your team is struggling – what Sacha describes as a “canary”.
Determine the right balance of live, real-time communication (like video meetings) and asynchronous communication like using Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Planner, and video-mail.

Are you unsure if you should have a meeting or just send an email?

Purpose – Why are we having the meeting and is it necessary?
Product – What is the specific desired outcome?
Process – How will we facilitate the discussion and reach our goal?
Pre-work – What can we do to prepare to expedite the meeting?
People – What’s the smallest group that needs to attend?

The first step is to acknowledge our unique situation and have an open mind. We will need new solutions and flexibility. As we adapt, we’ll continue to succeed.

-Laura B.

Interested in reading Sacha’s 10 Top Tips from 10 Years of Remote Work? Click here.

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Our top careers blogs from 2020

The end of the year is often a time to reflect on all that’s been accomplished in the last twelve months. 2020 was a unique year and we pulled together the top five career stories for you. Whether it’s your first read or you’re revisiting a favorite, we hope you enjoy!

Diverse perspectives in Vanguard’s Investment Management Group

In the spirit of celebrating International Women’s Day, we partnered with women across Vanguard’s Investment Management Group (IMG) to hear their #LifeatVanguard stories. In this series, crew and leaders touch on a variety of meaningful topics, including what drew them to Vanguard, resources used for learning, company culture and advice for women looking to join IMG.

A week in the life of a newly remote worker: Part one

Laura B. opens up about her experiences working from home at the start of the pandemic. Interested in the second installment, too? Check it out here.

How to prepare for a virtual interview

A virtual interview may not differ much from an in-person meeting, but there are still things you should keep in mind. We have pulled together some tips to ensure you are prepared and camera-ready.

Managing it all while working from home

In the month of May, the Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success (WILS) crew resource group coordinated two internal webcasts focused on working from home featuring female leaders from across Vanguard. This blog highlights the first event. Interested in the recap of the second session as well? Click here.

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. 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.

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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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.

To view opportunities available on Amir’s team, please click here.

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.