Advice from crew Archives - Page 2 of 6

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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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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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.

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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

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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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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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