Culture Archives - Page 3 of 8

Connecting with the Vanguard mission

April 2, 2019/in Advice from crew, Culture, Day in the Life, Our mission career, client, client services, services /by manjunath

Connecting with the Vanguard mission

Meet Tiamoy W. She learned about Vanguard at a job fair and shortly after launched her career in Client Services. “I think what excites me the most is getting on the phone and knowing that you’re going to change someone’s life.”

Watch her full story below:

[avia_codeblock_placeholder uid="0"]

Curious about our Client Services career opportunities? We’ve got you covered.

More career blogs you may have missed

Make a choice and take a chance

March 8, 2019/in Advice from crew, Culture, Diversity & inclusion, Voyage to Vanguard career, vanguard /by manjunath

Make a choice and take a chance

“The last two years have been intense. I had a baby, I started business school, I moved from New York City to Pennsylvania to start a new job at Vanguard. But when I think about it, I’m really happy. This has been the best career move and the way Vanguard supports its crew members to balance work and life has been amazing.”

Hear from Amrita T. as she shares her Vanguard story.

[avia_codeblock_placeholder uid="1"]

More career blogs you may have missed

#LifeAtVanguard

Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Giving Program

Day in the Life, In the community

From preschool teacher to program officer

Advice from crew, Culture, Diversity & inclusion, Voyage to Vanguard

Make a choice and take a chance

Culture, Day in the Life, Voyage to Vanguard

I wasn’t just hired, I was welcomed

Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Culture

Vanguard crew innovate new technology through the Discovery Challenge

Vanguard investment management careers, Gemma

Advice from crew, Day in the Life

Q&A with a Vanguard Senior Portfolio Manager

Advice from crew, Day in the Life, Diversity & inclusion

What it means to be a thought leader

Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Diversity & inclusion, Voyage to Vanguard

Boots to Suits: Transitioning to the corporate world as a veteran

Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Training & education

Four Unexpected Things I Love about Working in Investment Management

Advice from crew, Voyage to Vanguard

3 tips from my midlife start at Vanguard

Crew benefits, Culture

Leading the life I want–at home and in the office

Culture, In the community

What is a VTO day?

Career opportunities, Crew benefits, Culture

Internal Audit: diverse work, a welcoming team, and time for my son

Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Voyage to Vanguard

Three experiences that paved my path to Vanguard

Diversity & inclusion, Training & education

Vanguard women break down investment acumen myths and perceptions

Advice from crew, Career opportunities

One company, multiple careers

« All News

Celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth at Vanguard

February 28, 2019/in Culture, Diversity & inclusion african american, american, black, black history, community, crew, ethiopia, family, grandmother, history, nursing homes, parade in harlem, shared, story, vanguard, vbpn, work, year's black, year's black history, youth march /by manjunath

Celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth at Vanguard

During this year’s Black History Month, Vanguard hosted a company-wide celebration, bringing crew together near and far.

The Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN) kicked off February with a keynote event featuring Mehrsa Baradaran, bank scholar, associate dean at the School of Law at the University of Georgia, and author of The Color of Money: Black Banks and the Racial Wealth Gap.

In an effort to build connections globally, VBPN also introduced The Diaspora blog series, where crew shared personal stories that highlight the rich cultural heritage and diversity of the VBPN community.

We invite you to read the following excerpts from these #InclusionatVanguard stories that have also been shared personally on LinkedIn.

Algreen Bakasa’s Story

Today, I am heavily involved in the community both at work and outside of work, and strive to maximize every opportunity I receive by paying it forward. By helping create better opportunities for disadvantaged minority children and young adults, I hope they receive an opportunity that will change their trajectory like the one afforded me.

During this year’s Black History Month, I challenge you to take the time to really know the unique stories of those around you, learn their culture, and what makes them tick. As a global organization, Vanguard has crew from many diverse backgrounds with unique experiences and perspectives. What keeps me motivated each day is knowing that: “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Antonia Singleton’s Story

Growing up in Harlem, despite the crime and war on drugs, there were many fun, community uplifting and educational events and traditions that I loved to take part in with my family. My top three traditions were: attending the African American Day Parade in Harlem, The Million Youth March, and block parties during the summer on Saturdays. The African American Day Parade in Harlem was an opportunity for people around the world to come and celebrate black people and black culture in America just two short blocks away from where I grew up. My dad took my sister and I to the Million Youth March every year from inception until it tapered off. He wanted us to be aware of what was going on in the country with regards to the African American community and how we were treated. He wanted us to listen to and learn from the leaders in our community, as they usually shared what we could do as young black children in America to help make a difference.

Ajaa Jackson’s Story

Growing up with my grandmother, I gained a sincere appreciation for diverse cultures. She taught me at an early age there were places far away from Sierra Vista, Arizona where people lived similarly yet differently from us. My grandmother spoke on the phone—to me what seemed like all the time—with family in Ethiopia and friends across the U.S. I would listen to her speak in Tigrinya, Italian, and English, sharing boastful laughter with family and friends. She also regularly hosted friends for coffee. The delight of roasted coffee bean smoke mixed with incense frequently permeated the house—a smell I’ll never forget. She loved bright colors, both in her home and clothing, which complemented her unquenchable zest for life.

Our family got to share my grandmother’s satisfaction of achieving her dream of becoming an American citizen in 2002.

Although she is no longer in this life with us, her spirit lives on in our family. She is preceded by her siblings in Axum, Ethiopia. In February, I will be taking what I hope is my first of many trips to Ethiopia. My grandmother’s love of Ethiopia has always fueled my desire to visit, and this trip is a lifelong dream come true!

Shauna Collick’s Story

While I’m blessed to have many amazing family members, the moment I was asked to write a blog representing a piece of my history, I immediately thought of my paternal grandmother. As a youth, I vividly remember when she would take me to nursing homes and hospitals. She would always tell me to smile at the patients, look them in the eye, and that it’s okay to give them a gentle touch of affection on their hand or shoulder. Because of that experience, I started having my daughter visit local nursing homes when she was in preschool. She would hand out her art work and it would inevitably be the highlight of someone’s day.

My grandmother demonstrated that you can rise up from poverty and live a fulfilling life if you put God first, work hard, pursue education, and use political, economic, and social influence to improve your community.

« All News

What makes these Vanguard leaders proud to be crew

February 25, 2019/in Advice from crew, Culture, Our mission active, blog, comfortable, culture, feel, hear, inclusion, inclusive, investors, leaders, member, mission, people, pride, principal, principal in retail, right, set, team, vanguard /by manjunath

What makes these Vanguard leaders proud to be crew

We sat down with seven leaders from across the organization to learn more about what sparks the strong sense of pride they feel in working for Vanguard. In this blog, you’ll hear directly from these individuals as they discuss how our client-first mentality and inclusive culture have shaped their professional experiences.

1. Christina Selby, Principal in Finance:

One thing I love about Vanguard is that everyone’s voices are being heard and taken into account as we make decisions and set strategy for the business. We want everyone to feel comfortable engaging, debating, and being an active member of our team. The best thoughts come from a diverse team!

2. Steve Holman, Principal in Institutional Sales:

I truly believe that everyone at Vanguard is motivated to do what is best for our shareholders at all times, and we’ve had an incredibly beneficial impact to our investors and the marketplace overall. We’ve proved you can do the right thing and be very successful.

3. Joe Davis, Global Chief Economist and Principal:

I am proud of our mission – that we strive and exist to help investors with their long-term goals. Our culture and firm are aligned singularly to that mission. Not many firms around the world can say that.

4. Lisha Davis, Head of the Innovation Studio:

Vanguard is filled with kind people who are committed and share a common goal; our brand that’s growing to include things like innovation.

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

For me, inclusion at Vanguard is about everyone being comfortable bringing their whole self to work and fostering an environment that promotes and appreciates differences. Everyone is unique and has real value to add in this world. Being inclusive is about appreciating that value and ensuring people are comfortable being themselves so they can achieve their full potential. The greater the diversity of backgrounds and ideas we bring to a challenge, the more creative and better the outcome.

6. Manuel Calero, Principal in Retail:

I came to this country and enrolled in school speaking no English, not knowing a single person, and generally didn’t have a clue about how the school systems worked. Almost every single teacher I had went out of their way to get to know me and guide me. Simply accepting me as just another student would have been ok, but they didn’t see that as an option. It was almost as if I was a family member they just had to help. I am forever indebted to those teachers from decades ago who reached out to me, and who taught me the importance of caring about and taking an active interest in others. They lived inclusion, which they knew to be a verb not an attitude or passive concept. To this day, I do my best to follow in their footsteps and set a similar example at Vanguard by doing as they did for me.

7. Jodi Miller, Principal in Retail:

Vanguard’s mission – always doing the right thing for our investors is at the core of everything we do.

Stay tuned to hear more from these leaders in the coming weeks.

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

More careers blogs you may have missed

Everyday inclusion
Ken looks back on his inclusion story with humor and great pride. Covered lamp shades linked to the history of the people where he grew up.

What it means to be a thought leader
Vanguard Investment Analyst Sneha K. answers a common question: what is thought leadership?

10 years at Vanguard: our culture
In this video blog, five tenured Vanguard crew members talk about Vanguard’s culture of giving back and continuous improvement.

« All News

I wasn’t just hired, I was welcomed

February 20, 2019/in Culture, Day in the Life, Voyage to Vanguard co-op, college, company, corporate, crew, crew members, entering, fit, found, interview, members, position, relationships, research, right, room, time, transition, vanguard, world /by fdoerr

I wasn’t just hired, I was welcomed

As a student, I always wondered what it’d be like to transition into the real-world. More specifically for me, into the corporate world.

To help bridge the gap from education to employment, my university offers 6-month co-ops – an opportunity to work full time and receive college credit alternating with periods of classroom study. Entering my junior year at college, I knew it was time to pick a company where I could learn new skills and how to make that big transition. But, which company should I choose? Was a small company or large corporation a better fit? Which industry was right for me? So many questions were running through my mind. After some research, I found Vanguard had a position I was interested in. I worked hard on my application and earned an interview. I vividly remember driving to my interview and wondering if I would fit in and what working at Vanguard would be like.

Interviewing & interning

From the moment I walked in the door, I was met with a warm reception. I remember my interview like it was yesterday–I told my interviewer that I was interested in personal growth, professional development, and purpose. We had a great conversation about my goals and Vanguard’s mission. To this day, we still keep in touch and discuss what’s going on in our lives – both professionally and personally. My relationship with her was instrumental in navigating through my co-op at Vanguard and one of the main reasons I chose to accept a position at Vanguard after graduation!

During my co-op, I worked in Institutional Marketing and Communications. My manager was excellent. He connected me with so many crew members, many of whom became trusted advisors who I still consult before big decisions. These mentors have helped me strategize ways to turn my weaknesses into strengths, challenged me to look through a long-term lens when making decisions, and ultimately pushed me to apply for one of Vanguard’s Leadership Development Programs.

Why it mattered

My 6 month co-op came to a close, and as I returned to Drexel for my senior year, I kept in contact with many crew members. The following summer, I returned to Vanguard as an intern with Vanguard Charitable to support a busy giving season. In such a close-knit environment, coupled with the holiday spirit, I developed friendships across the organization. Because of those close relationships, I agreed to return part-time to a role in Research & Strategy. I continue to catch-up with my old team whenever our schedules allow.

As I was entering my last semester at Drexel, I shared my excitement at my college graduation on LinkedIn and thanked those that helped me cross the finish line. Little did I know, the reach would be in the thousands. Hundreds of crew members liked and commented, welcoming me into the company. The fact that crew members who I never met before were so enthusiastic and accepting was humbling. It reassured me that I found a company with a sense of community and family.

The little things count

Another uplifting moment happened while I was struggling to find a conference room. It was the end of the day and most of the office had already headed home. I clearly looked lost, reading every sign to find the meeting location. A woman rushing to catch an elevator paused and asked, “Looking for a room?” I nodded, a little embarrassed, and told her the room number. Instead of just pointing me in the right direction, she took the time to personally walk me to the room. This may seem like a small thing, but to someone who is new, it can mean the world when someone shows a little kindness.

A few months later, I came aboard as a full-time employee. When I came back to the Malvern campus, previous co-workers and managers were excited to connect and hear my updates. That reassured me that our relationships were not static–they were active and lively. And since my start date, I’ve connected with so many people across divisions and in various positions.

Coming out of college, there is a sense of angst and wonder around the corporate environment. But my fears disappeared once I came to Vanguard. From my first face-to-face interaction with crew to launching my career here, I have cultivated and deepened so many valuable relationships.

-Cayla R.

If you enjoyed this post, check out more from our #LifeatVanguard Blog. And if you’re ready for a more rewarding, engaging, meaningful career, check out our opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.

« All News

Why is Vanguard one of the Best Places to Work in IT?

February 13, 2019/in Accolades & Recognition, Advice from crew, Culture 8 tips, ace your interview, crew, development, discovery challenge, grace hopper, grace hopper conference, hopper conference, internship, interview, investing, professional, professional development, support, technical, technology, time, vanguard at the grace, vanguard at the grace hopper, work /by fdoerr

Why is Vanguard one of the Best Places to Work in IT?

A company like Vanguard doesn’t function or flourish without the expertise and support of our IT crew. But it’s not just about technical skills – supportive mentors and peers, challenging work, autonomy, these are all part of the culture of our tech teams. Technology is growing faster than almost any other industry and Vanguard’s IT crew are the investigators, problem-solvers, leaders, and experts who help keep us on the forefront of the ever-changing technical landscape. And these dedicated crew are the driving force behind why Vanguard was recognized as one of Computerworld’s top ten Best Places to Work in IT. In these blogs, our IT crew share their professional development story, the impact they’ve had on technology, and their internship experience.

A Different Kind of Investment

“During my time here, I’ve seen Vanguard support a different type of investing – investing in their crew.” In this blog, IT Developer Elijah A. writes about how Vanguard has supported his professional development.

Vanguard Crew Innovate New Technology through The Discovery Challenge

Solutions Architect Linda C. was able to coordinate the Discovery Challenge, a way for crew to submit their innovative ideas and ultimately influence technological advancements at Vanguard.

Meeting Vanguard At The Grace Hopper Conference

Learn how Stephanie made her decision to accept an internship offer after spending time with Vanguard at the Grace Hopper Conference.

Make your career count—search our opportunities.

You might also be interested in…

8 Tips From An IT Recruiter On How To Ace Your Interview

Are you an IT professional with an upcoming interview? Sharon H., a Vanguard IT recruiter, provides 8 tips to ace your interview in this blog.

« All News

Vanguard crew share memories of founder, Jack Bogle

January 24, 2019/in Culture, Our mission bogle, crew, crew members, galley, jack, jack bogle, life, members, met, quick, rip mr, rock star, shared, social, social media, story, thank, vanguard, vanguard crew, world /by fdoerr

Vanguard Crew Share Memories of Founder, Jack Bogle

If you have ever wandered the halls of Vanguard, it is likely you have a Jack Bogle story. Vanguard crew members have proudly shared personal experiences involving the company Founder, celebrating the remarkable man who helped shape the investment landscape that exists today. Through their reflections, it is evident that Vanguard crew will continue to honor his legacy for years to come.

“Jack Bogle was the kindest, most thoughtful person I ever met. As a veteran, I recall days back in the 90’s, Jack would show up unannounced in our area and just give a speech. You could be having the worse day ever and after hearing Jack speak, you felt like you could conquer the world. Mr. Bogle’s empathy and true positive spirit, along with his wit, made crew feel like they were a part of his own family. RIP Mr. Bogle and thank you for all that you did for me and the crew.”

– Carol S.

“I’m lucky to have had a few great memories with Mr. Bogle, especially in the last few years in my role on the Retail social media team. He was always so humble and open when we worked with him. Reading through social media posts this week from fans around the world has been so heartwarming. I’m torn between my top two memories: discussing a musical in the Morgan Galley while waiting for a sandwich, or asking him to pose with this sign while discussing hashtags and how much people love him on the Internet.”

– Tamara S.

“After I’d been here a few years, I decided I wanted to meet Mr. Bogle, so I e-mailed him directly to ask. He e-mailed me back pretty quickly and said, “Sure, let’s do it.” He met with me one-on-one for about a half an hour, and then he and a couple of my fellow crew members all went to lunch together in the Galley. He was a rock star in the financial world with a rock star schedule, but still made himself accessible to anyone who asked. Godspeed, good sir. You changed my life, and the world.”

– Chuck R.

“Jack Bogle was a true inspiration to all in the investing world, but especially to those that knew him and worked for this company. I will fondly remember seeing him in the galley, receiving his books, and having him sign each and every one. I’ll cherish a photo I was able to take of the two of us in his office for a book signing a few years ago. RIP Mr. Bogle. May the legacy you leave behind continue to make you proud.”

– Lari H.

“I met Mr. Bogle in my first few months at Vanguard. Like many others, it was a quick conversation in the Galley back in 1998. I would have been thrilled with a quick nod, but he took the time to speak with me, asked what I did, and he shared a quick story about his Princeton thesis and the importance of what we do. I left with the feeling that I had the most important job in the world and it helped cement early on that Vanguard was the place for me. I had a number of other interactions with him over the years and while I expected him to slow down, he would constantly surprise me with his energetic voice, sharp mind and engaging stories. But it was his idealism that had the most impact on me. A man that could have lived in an exclusive social strata and with significant wealth was very comfortable engaging with anyone and focused his professional life on making financial security attainable for the masses. Even one person can make a difference – Very inspirational! Thank you for so many life lessons and rest easy, sir – we’ll take it from here.”

– Michael G.

Thank you, Mr. Bogle.

Take a look back at the life of Vanguard’s founder.

« All News

Serving in both my day job and night job

January 10, 2019/in Advice from crew, Culture, In the community career, career path, clients, college, family, financial, financial literacy, financial responsibility, job, job serving, lead a team, members, night, night job, night jobs, program, proud to represent, team, vanguard, working /by fdoerr

Serving in both my day job and night job

I come from a service-oriented family. From teachers and nurses to law enforcement and the military, my parents, grandparents, siblings, and even in-laws have all fields covered. So you can imagine how much of an oddball I was when I decided to pursue a career in finance after really enjoying my business classes in college. I had a personal dilemma of feeling like I needed to choose a career path that either put me or put others first. I graduated college in the midst of the global financial crisis, during which the reputation for most firms in the industry was at an all-time low. I pictured my future self sitting at a family dinner and talking about my day working with investments, and then hearing about family members saving lives or risking theirs for complete strangers. Talk about humbling.

Doing well while doing good

In researching companies with whom I wanted to work, Vanguard rose to the top after I spoke with a few crew members through mutual college friends. The biggest thing that struck me was the way they spoke about helping investors, genuinely putting others first, and the client and community-centered culture. I had a flashback to interviewing for another financial services firm where I was asked how many wealthy people I knew so that I could begin selling them products (Answer: Not many, and no thank you). At Vanguard, there seemed to be an opportunity to mix both ‘doing well’ in building a great career and ‘doing good’ for others through service.

My ‘day job’: Serving our clients

Fast forward eight years and Vanguard has given me the opportunity to help serve in both my ‘day’ and ‘night’ jobs. In my ‘day job’, I lead a team of investment analysts in our Personal Advisor Services group, where my team is responsible for building out the methodology used to construct and manage our clients’ portfolios. Each day, we work to solve complex issues that will ultimately impact our clients’ ability to reach their financial goals. Knowing what is riding on our success is a terrific motivating factor and our entire team is focused on the collective goal of doing the right thing for our clients.

I also get to see Vanguard’s financial advisors helping clients that need it most: those that don’t have the time, willingness, or ability to manage their money. I get to hear real stories about our crew making a difference in people’s lives by helping them achieve a goal or giving them peace of mind in volatile markets.

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

My ‘night job’: Serving the community

In my ‘night job’, I am a member of the leadership team for My Classroom Economy, a completely free financial literacy program that enables educators to teach children financial responsibility. The program was developed by an incredible group of volunteers, many of whom were educators prior to working at Vanguard, and has reached over 800,000 students. I lead a team focused on building partnerships at the state and federal level, and pushing for district, county, and state-wide adoption of financial responsibility programs. Our ultimate goal is to ensure children receive the basic financial responsibility education they need, as having this skill has been proven to play such an important role in their lives.

Earlier this year, two peers and I went to Washington D.C. to meet with staff members in the Treasury Department, House, and Senate, in an effort to promote the importance of teaching financial literacy at an early age. We were frequently asked how much the program costs and, after saying it is 100% free, are asked “What’s in it for Vanguard, then?” The truth is that the program is powered completely by Vanguard volunteers, each and every one of us are driven to serve and make a positive difference in the community for no other reason than that it is the right thing to do.

If you’re currently seeking a job or choosing a career path, my advice would be don’t compromise on what is most important to you (your ‘non-negotiables’) and find a company you would be proud to represent. Doing this requires that you take the time to reflect on what you won’t compromise and do your due diligence to learn about the culture at prospective employers. My non-negotiables were working for an organization with a service mindset and for which there would be no conflict of interest between our success and our client’s success. I’m incredibly proud to represent Vanguard in both my ‘day’ and ‘night’ jobs, and I now have great stories to tell at the dinner table!

-Nick L.

More blogs you might enjoy

#LifeAtVanguard

Vanguard's mission statement featured on lobby wall

Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Our mission

Transforming the world of advice

Career opportunities, Voyage to Vanguard

Meeting Vanguard at the Grace Hopper conference

Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Day in the Life

Kicking off my Vanguard career in Client Services

Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Crew benefits, Culture, Day in the Life, Our mission

That company down the street that doesn’t give advice? Think again.

Advice from crew, Day in the Life

What a career as a financial advisor looks like at Vanguard

Advice from crew, Culture, In the community

Serving in both my day job and night job

Advice from crew, Career opportunities

Why I value Vanguard’s reputation and investment approach as an advisor

Advice from crew, Voyage to Vanguard

3 tips from my midlife start at Vanguard

CFP Personal Financial Advisor licensing study

Advice from crew, Training & education

Studying for the CFP® exam? Don’t run out of gas

Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Crew benefits, Culture

Redefining success at Vanguard

Career opportunities, Training & education, Voyage to Vanguard

From designing buildings to building financial plans

Career opportunities, Training & education, Voyage to Vanguard

The brain of an engineer, the heart of an advisor

Advice from crew, Career opportunities

One company, multiple careers

Culture, Our mission

My family motto brought me to Vanguard

Voyage to Vanguard

It’s the end of the day as I know it – and I feel fine

7 New Year’s resolutions from Vanguard leaders for 2019

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

1. Christina Selby, Principal in Finance:

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

2. Steve Holman, Principal in Institutional Sales:

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

3. Jodi Miller, Principal in Retail:

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

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

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

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

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

6. Lisha Davis, Head of the Innovation Studio:

Go completely paperless and create more teambuilding time.

7. Manuel Calero, Principal in Retail:

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

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

More careers blogs you may have missed

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

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

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

« All News

Vanguard crew innovate new technology through the Discovery Challenge

December 19, 2018/in Advice from crew, Career opportunities, Culture /by fdoerr

Vanguard crew innovate new technology through the Discovery Challenge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Linda C.

More careers blogs you may have missed

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

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

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

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

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

Connecting with the Vanguard mission

Recent Posts

Share this entry

More career blogs you may have missed

Make a choice and take a chance

Recent Posts

Share this entry

More career blogs you may have missed

Celebrating #BlackHistoryMonth at Vanguard

Recent Posts

Share this entry

What makes these Vanguard leaders proud to be crew

Recent Posts

Share this entry

I wasn’t just hired, I was welcomed

Recent Posts

Share this entry

Why is Vanguard one of the Best Places to Work in IT?

Recent Posts

Share this entry

Vanguard Crew Share Memories of Founder, Jack Bogle

Recent Posts

Share this entry

Serving in both my day job and night job

Recent Posts

Share this entry

More blogs you might enjoy

7 New Year’s resolutions from Vanguard leaders for 2019

Recent Posts

Share this entry

Vanguard crew innovate new technology through the Discovery Challenge

Recent Posts

Share this entry