Career opportunities Archives

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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Jun Oh’s perspective: Vanguard’s MBA Development Program

June 16, 2021/in Career opportunities, Day in the Life, Training & education specialty programs /by deepikasharma

Jun Oh’s perspective: Vanguard’s MBA Development Program

Recruiting for MBA students is an extremely competitive landscape. Decisions are based on prior work experience and role compatibility, geographic variances, industry preferences, total compensation, benefits, and more. So, what is it about Vanguard’s MBA Leadership Development Program that has both attracted and retained this high-potential talent?

We took a deeper dive into this question and asked Vanguard crew members who participated in the MBA Leadership Development Program to recap their experience and share what initially attracted them to Vanguard and what keeps them feeling fulfilled in their roles. In this second installment of a three-part series, we highlight the experience of Jun Oh Y.

What was the biggest thing that drew you to Vanguard as you were seeking full-time opportunities?

I knew that Vanguard was the right next step for my career when I saw how they treated their crew members. My previous work experience at large financial service firms prior to business school taught me that emphasizing the employee experience in writing and having it embedded in the organization are two different things. With Vanguard, I experienced first-hand the level of support and investment Vanguard was making toward its crew members during my internship, and when it came time to decide where to head after business school, the decision came easily.

Vanguard’s MBA Leadership Development Program is rotational in nature, and also unique in that they solicit the business to understand where the needs are for MBA talent. So one experience can be different from another. What teams were you able to support during your 15 month rotation?

My MBA rotation experience was broad, dynamic, and fulfilling. I couldn’t have asked for a better overall experience. My three rotations were with: Enterprise Advice, Corporate Strategy, and Investment Risk.

What were some roles/responsibilities that your day-to-day consisted of?

While rotating through Enterprise Advice, I worked in Advice Product Strategy and Management, in the financial planning product sleeve. This rotation focused on exploring the applicability of a new scenario planning tool and building a model to better estimate end client usage of our advice products. With a good mix of a broad new subject matter and quantitative analysis, my first rotation helped lay the groundwork for my Vanguard journey.

I further expanded my understanding of Vanguard in my second rotation in Corporate Strategy, where I worked with various teams across the enterprise and divisional level in Data and Analytics, International, our Institutional Investor Group, and Business Development. My second rotation was quite dynamic in coverage and helped me better understand the business, along with our biggest priorities.

To round out my experience, my third rotation was closer to investments in the Risk Management Group, where I was tasked with re-vamping our Reasonably Anticipated Trade Size methodology in our Liquidity Risk Management program.

What was the most significant project you worked on?

When I was working on re-vamping our Reasonably Anticipated Trade Size methodology in our Liquidity Risk Management program, the new methodology was to impact the liquidity classifications across our hundreds of funds and had downstream impact in regulatory reporting as well as how we would look at liquidity risk going forward. Having the chance to contribute to such a highly visible and impactful program was very fulfilling.

What was the most impactful takeaway from the rotational program?

The most impactful takeaway is that we are expected to ask a lot of questions and bring our diverse opinions to the table. The program was designed to bring outside talent in. I believe those in the program should consider the rotations as an opportunity to develop these skills and bring it to their launch roles.

What was the biggest challenge you faced?

Switching between different project methodologies by balancing execution and upfront planning were a challenge. Given the expedited timeline of the rotational program, I initially tried to define an exact scope and specific internal milestones for every engagement. However, with the iterative nature of the larger projects, I came to realize that the flexibility of an agile methodology with consistent involvement from cross functional teams would produce a better, more efficient outcome. Fortunately, the opportunities to practice this skill – identifying which types of projects would most benefit from these two opposing approaches— and becoming proficient in it, ultimately helped me secure my current launch role.

What is keeping you fulfilled in your current role at Vanguard?

The two things that keep me at Vanguard are the people and Vanguard’s attitude toward development. When I was rotating in Enterprise Advice, a fellow crew member mentioned how “unconditional positive regard” helps him work through differences of opinion in meetings. This concept of acceptance and support regardless of opinion, with the acknowledgement that we are all on the same team, neatly summarizes my interactions with my colleagues. It is so refreshing to see how everyone in the room is working toward the common goal, without pretext. Along with such an amiable work environment, Vanguard’s support for learning and development, both in and outside of work, sets it apart. The various support networks and resources we have available helped me further expand not only my subject matter expertise, but also made me feel more like a member of the broader Vanguard family.

What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone considering joining either our MBA internship or full-time rotational program?

Take full advantage of the MBA program network! We have quite a few folks that have gone through the program before us with wonderful nuggets of wisdom to share. I learned a tremendous amount from them and made some great friends in the process.

If you are interested in learning more or applying to our MBA Leadership Development – Internship opportunities, please visit our MBA page .

Please check out our first installment of this series to learn about Chantee’s experience with Vanguard’s MBA Internship Program.

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Chantee’s perspective:
Vanguard’s MBA Internship Program

May 12, 2021/in Career opportunities, Day in the Life, Training & education /by jortega

Chantee’s perspective:
Vanguard’s MBA Internship Program

Recruiting for MBA students is an extremely competitive landscape. Decisions are based on prior work experience and role compatibility, geographic variances, industry preferences, total compensation, benefits, and more. So, what is it about Vanguard’s MBA Leadership Development Program that has both attracted and retained this high-potential talent?

We took a deeper dive into this question and asked Vanguard crew members who participated in the MBA Leadership Development – Internship Program to recap their experience and share what initially attracted them to Vanguard and what keeps them feeling fulfilled in their roles. In this first installment of a three-part series, we highlight the experience of Chantee B.

What was the biggest thing that drew you to Vanguard as you were seeking internship opportunities?

I went to undergraduate school in Philadelphia, so I heard a lot about Vanguard and its culture before pursuing my MBA. Coming from consulting, I had exposure to various financial institutions, but from everything I learned, Vanguard was just different in the way that they treat and care about their crew. I did a lot of research on the firm, and I was interested to find out for myself what life at Vanguard was all about, so I applied and interviewed for the internship. I was then given an offer and I accepted it!

Vanguard’s MBA internship program is unique in that they solicit the business to understand where the needs are for MBA talent, meaning one experience for a participant can be different from another. What team or department were you aligned to during your 10 weeks?

My internship was on the Marketing Solutions team in Vanguard’s Planning and Development division.

What were some roles/responsibilities that your day-to-day consisted of?

Coming into Vanguard, I knew that I wanted to work on a project that would be a stretch experience for me. I had no background in marketing and wanted to learn something new! The project I was assigned was a very strategic initiative for the firm, and it also gave me the opportunity to dive deep into data. Some of my daily roles and responsibilities consisted of engaging key stakeholders to gather information, finding and analyzing pertinent data, and documenting frameworks to create repeatable processes.

What was the most significant project you worked on?

The most significant project that I worked on was helping to achieve cost savings for clients using efficient processes and technology. Marketing is a technology driven function, and during my internship, I analyzed qualitative and quantitative data to make decisions on which marketing tools should be considered for widespread adoption and which should be retired.

What was the most impactful takeaway from the internship program?

Vanguard is a big place! There are a lot of functional areas and domains that you can dive into. On the flip side, it’s still easy to feel at home and part of the team because the firm takes a keen interest in its people.

What was the biggest challenge you faced?

Balancing learning all things Vanguard, while also performing well on my project, was my greatest challenge! After coming back full-time, I’m still learning about the organization! Prioritizing and pacing is key.

What brought you back to Vanguard to explore the full-time MBA Leadership Development Program?

The culture and the people are what brought me back to Vanguard full-time. I met so many amazing individuals over the summer who took the time to invest in me in some way, even though they didn’t know me. I’ve worked on many cool projects during my tenure that have helped with my development as I gain new skills, but it’s the people who helped along the way that matters the most.

What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone considering joining either our MBA internship or full-time rotational program?

Network! Talk to previous interns and MBA program participants to gain an understanding of their experiences. And once you come to Vanguard, don’t stop networking! During my summer internship I learned that crew love to participate in coffee chats, and that didn’t stop in the virtual environment! I have continued to network and schedule time with crew and leaders to learn about their journeys as well as different areas within Vanguard.

If you are interested in learning more or applying to our MBA Leadership Development – Internship opportunities, please visit our MBA page.

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How Vanguard supports long-term career growth

April 14, 2021/in Career opportunities, Culture Technology /by kkilgarriff

How Vanguard supports long-term career growth

Vanguard supports the long-term career growth of our crew through an internal mobility process, as well as mentorships and upskilling resources. I have the privilege of leading a Talent Acquisition team of internal recruiters in Human Resources who are dedicated to delivering a transparent and equitable hiring process for our crew. In this blog, I’ll be sharing insights into our offerings, as well as feedback from key stakeholders.

A look at internal recruiting
Internal roles are posted to our enterprise career site, and recruiters facilitate the process by ensuring all applicants are reviewed and calibrated, and that candidates interviewed receive feedback. Further, recruiters consult interview teams on the importance of diversity, awareness of unconscious bias, and why strong interview feedback is critical for career mobility. Our Talent Acquisition team fills more than 2,500 job opportunities a year through crew mobility and advancement.

“In my role as an internal recruiter, I am fortunate to experience firsthand the myriad of career opportunities available to Vanguard crew. Playing a part of the career development process is such a gratifying and meaningful aspect of my job. Vanguard truly encourages and supports career mobility and I am proud to contribute to that effort.” – Kris C., Recruiter

“The managers whom I’ve interviewed with have been very receptive to follow up conversations about my interviews and how and where I can improve. These conversations are the best way for me to fully understand and learn where my opportunities for growth are. Interview feedback has been incredibly helpful and has allowed me to land the job I’m applying for.” – Sam R., Internal candidate

Development opportunities through Crew Resource Groups
My team has a front row seat to observe crew investing in their professional development through enterprise resources and supports them in taking actions that will enable them to advance in their careers. Crew participate in our Crew Resource Groups (CRGs), such as Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals (LEAP), Open Professional Engagement Network (OPEN), Hispanic/Latinx Organization for Leadership and Advancement (HOLA), Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success (WILS), and Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN), as well as our Vets Connect group, to receive 1-on-1 mentoring, coaching, and business training. Crew leverage CRG opportunities to support their Vanguard and local communities and grow professionally.

“I am a member of the Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN), one of the many crew resource groups available that fosters inclusivity and career progression. Through VBPN, I was assigned a mentor, a senior leader who helped me increase my networking opportunities. Through her guidance, I was able to navigate interviews and land my current role. There are a lot of CRG collaborations across the different groups, which creates a broader network for crew mobility.” – Agnes E., CRG mentee

“I joined multiple CRGs soon after beginning my Vanguard career. I quickly discovered that the mentorship programs are a wonderful way for new employees to forge long-term bonds with more tenured employees. I was grateful to be partnered with a mentor in VBPN and a mentor in WILS. Both mentors have been instrumental in my career growth and have provided thoughtful guidance, support and friendship throughout my time at Vanguard.” – Tammarra W., CRG mentor

Our annual Career Expo
In addition to the opportunities mentioned above, the internal recruiting team recently partnered with our CRG community to host Vanguard’s third annual internal Career Expo, which went 100% virtual for the first time in 2020. The expo featured ways to fuel your career during a season of change with over 60 virtual booths. During the event, crew were invited to build business acumen, network virtually, and develop skills in relation to career mobility. Over 2,700 crew registered to attend the Vanguard Career Expo and enjoyed learning about job opportunities, as well as Vanguard upskilling resources.

“The Global Risk & Security (GR&S) division has gone through a transformation over the past two years in order to ensure that the risk management support we provide to our various business lines keeps up with the dynamic and evolving industry in which we operate, and that we continue to protect and steward client assets. The career expo provided a fantastic opportunity for me as a leader to share insights into the work happening every day in GR&S, the shifting risk landscape, and how our crew are partnering with the businesses to meet strategic goals. Crew were able to attend overview sessions to learn more about the division and identify potential career areas of interest. We are always looking to hire talented crew into GR&S!” – Marissa B., Business lead

Resources for enhancing your skills
As for upskilling resources, Vanguard recently introduced Degreed to crew. Degreed is Vanguard’s learning experience platform and is a “one stop learning shop” that fits into the flow of normal work. With Degreed, crew get smarter in skills aligned to their career path with seamless integration of articles, books, videos, and courses to build needed skills for professional growth and expertise. Degreed is one of many Vanguard tools used to support crew in achieve their personal and professional goals.

“I really like how Degreed integrates a lot of sources and platforms (Harvard publishing podcasts, articles from industry publications, etc.). I already had followed the Harvard Business Review (HBR) Women at Work podcast, so having it in the learning system to check off as a learning task was awesome. Additionally, it allows crew to consider the other learnings that they may already be doing outside the traditional learning platforms.” – Jasmine T., Crew user of Degreed

“Vanguard is dedicated to providing a variety of development opportunities for crew at all levels. From industry certifications and advanced degree programs, to training classes and job rotations, I have personally benefitted from the development offerings. As a business leader who recently transitioned to a new domain, Degreed provided a roadmap for me as I worked to quickly increase acumen in my new role through internal thought leadership, external podcasts and articles, and traditional training classes.” – Marissa B., Leader user of Degreed

Come launch a career at Vanguard and meet my team in your advancement journey!

– Chelsea M.

Want to learn more? Take a few moments and watch this video where five crew talk through their career progression at Vanguard.

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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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Tips and advice when interviewing for MBA Program opportunities

September 23, 2020/in Career opportunities candidates, career, career paths, company, development program, hiring managers, jennifer faris, leadership development, leadership development program, linkedin, mba, mba program, new role, program, recruiters, recruiters and hiring, recruiters and hiring managers, role, specific examples, vanguard /by jortega

Tips and advice when interviewing for MBA Program opportunities

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

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

– Jennifer Faris,
Leadership Development Program Recruiter

Connect with me on LinkedIn

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Crew review of Toigo Groundbreakers Women in Leadership Summit

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.

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Knowing your customers is the best way to serve them

September 8, 2020/in Career opportunities, Day in the Life Mid-level specialist career, chat, client, client experience, cxd, daily, digital, experience, ground, julie, julie k, know, life, people, research, research team, researcher, team, vanguard, working /by mfield

In this blog, Julie K. shares her experience working on the Client Exeprience and Digital team as a User Experience Researcher.

Knowing your customers is the best way to serve them

In this blog, Julie K. shares her experience working on the Client Experience and Digital team as a User Experience Researcher.

I never expected to be saying ‘I’m a researcher at Vanguard,’ but I’m so glad I said yes to this opportunity over a year ago.

In my interviews, the hiring managers expressed that they wanted a ‘creative ethnographer’ to round out the skill set of the research team. I was skeptical, but it certainly piqued my interest as many large companies don’t appreciate the value of listening to and being with their customers in real life.

Vanguard is on a trajectory of change and we know that to modernize, we have to keep an ear to the ground when it comes to clients and prospects. I’m incredibly proud to be part of the Client Experience & Digital (CXD) team.

Oh, and daily life at Vanguard is pretty stellar.

A few things worth noting to help paint the picture:

The ‘Vanguard nice’ cliché is no joke. People actually care about you as a human. I’m from Wisconsin, so Midwest nice is in my bones. This feels very much the same and it is genuine. When I chat people up in the hall, they actually want to chat back!
If you’re a researcher, you know we’re a special breed of hyper-curious nerds that thrive in a hive. If you were a fly on the research team wall you’d hear us making corny Likert scale jokes, having heated methodology discussions, and helping each other analyze and present our data. It’s a seriously comfortable environment.
Big changes, happening daily. If you like seeing legacy problems being wrangled to the ground, CXD is your scene. Yes, it takes a long time. Yes, there are plenty of obstacles. But when you crack one of the old systems wide open, it’s an amazing feeling.
Career growth. If you want to develop a niche in your UX repertoire, it’s likely you can do it here. For example, we have a researcher advancing her career in accessibility through coursework, Vanguard trainings, and running live studies.
We like to innovate across all of Vanguard. We evolve our presence by training on important topics like radical candor in the workplace, cognitive bias workshops, and a speaker series to discuss methods/approaches/outcomes.
No one is on an island. It’s a reciprocal mentorship system where new and senior researchers enjoy learning from each other. We recognize the unique talents and perspectives each of us offer, and foster them.

If there is one ‘must have’ for working in CXD, I’d say it’s pioneering spirit. There is a level of patience with the old and enthusiasm for the new that will keep you happy and inspired. There is plenty to do! Put Vanguard on your radar. You may be pleasantly surprised with what transpires.

-Julie K.

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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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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.

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