Vanguard celebrates MLK and Black History Month through service
In the U.S., crew members celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life, legacy, and commitment to volunteerism by participating in community projects and activities throughout the winter. As Black History Month comes to an end, we have asked crew in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Arizona to reflect and share their personal experiences attending Martin Luther King, Jr. Days of Service events. Here’s what they had to say:
For as long as I can remember, receiving quality education has been a priority in my household. I spent countless hours at my parents’ dining room table working on homework. Even now, my mom regularly tries to convince my 4-year-old son to work on spelling games at the same table. I feel very fortunate to have gotten the opportunity to work with the West Philadelphia Action for Early Learning (AFEL) to help instill this imperative into the children of that community. The organization has two main goals: kindergarten readiness and reading on grade level by the third grade. My colleagues and I were able to support these goals by preparing resource bags for use in classrooms and reading to some of the children from local schools. Beyond the crew that were able to attend, crew from across Vanguard donated over 250 books to help children build their home libraries.
The specific group that supported AFEL is the Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN), which is committed to increasing engagement of black crew members and supporting the increased representation of black crew in leadership positions. Having the opportunity to serve with aligned crew in a community that may produce the future of Vanguard leadership was truly a humbling experience.
— Josh C.
VBPN sponsored two MLK Days of Service events in North Carolina at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina and Classroom Central. Second Harvest is responsible for supplying food throughout a 19-county region of North and South Carolina through a network of over 700 emergency pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and programs for low-income children and seniors. Crew members took time out of their Saturday to help inspect and sort donated food items for distribution to those partner agencies. Classroom Central equips students in need by collecting and distributing free school supplies to their teachers. Eleven Vanguard crew members assisted the organization by die cutting shapes and organizing the overflow of school supplies in the warehouse.
— Ebony B. and Sabrina B.
As a North Caroline VBPN site lead, giving back is extremely important to me. It’s such a rewarding and humbling experience. I’ve been with Vanguard for 21 years and our commitment to our community has never wavered. It is an amazing differentiator, and providing Days of Service so crew can work together to help others is so empowering. As we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Black History Month, this resonates with me even more. His commitment to service and helping others was powerful and a major driver in the movement. To be able to not only serve, but honor him and his sacrifice, is humbling. To me, this is what our purpose is about; loving and helping others, and extending your hand to pull others up. That is what service is really about.
— Kenya H.
I am a helper by nature and have enjoyed volunteering for many organizations and causes since childhood. I recently had the opportunity to coordinate an MLK Days of Service volunteer event on behalf of VBPN at Feed My Starving Children (FMSC). FMSC is a non-profit organization that assists in providing rice, soy, dried vegetables, and vitamins and minerals to needy children locally and internationally. Through donations and the efforts of volunteers, FMSC is able to ensure the food is packaged and expedited to hungry kids. On the day of our volunteer event, I was immediately impressed with the FMSC staff. We were warmly greeted and provided with instructions to prepare us for the day.
I appreciated that the FMSC staff emphasized a hygienic environment to ensure the children were not exposed to germs, and we watched a video that included detailed instructions for each food prep station. The staff kept the event light by teaching us fun chants to say when each prep station was able to completely fill a box with food packages. The staff shared with the volunteers that it costs $88.00 to feed one needy child, ALL year! As a parent of two teenagers, that resonated with me. On average, it costs my family more than $88.00 per week in meals. During our volunteer session, we were able to fill 192 boxes with food packages, which will feed 113 children in Thailand and provide 41,472 meals!
When I volunteer, I feel that I benefit from the experience in so many ways. I get to share in the experience with fellow crew and members in our community that also volunteer their time. Volunteering helps me appreciate how fortunate we are and reminds me that by simply providing our time, we are making an impact. A thank you note I once received after donating my time included an impactful quote that sums up my volunteer journey:
“Help one another. There’s no time like the present
and no present like your time.” —James Durst
— Veronica A.
Vanguard shines as a top employer
In recent months, Vanguard has been recognized across multiple communities as an employer of choice. In this blog, the Diversity and Inclusion team is excited to highlight accolades that Vanguard is proud to have received.
College students praise Vanguard’s summer internship program
Vanguard is ranked No. 4 for 2020 Best Financial Services Internships among 40 companies in the industry, and Vanguard is ranked No. 40 for Best Overall Internship among 135 participating companies representing all industries. This contest is sponsored annually by Vault.com, and results are based solely upon feedback from the undergraduate students that participated in our 2019 summer internship program.
The scoring and final ranking is based upon several aspects of the summer internship program:
- Career development.
- Full-time employment prospects.
- Compensation & benefits.
- Diversity.
- The interview process.
- Overall quality of life.
Maintaining a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign’s 2020 Corporate Equality Index Survey
This is the fifth consecutive year that Vanguard has been recognized in the 2020 Corporate Equality Index report. Published annually, the survey evaluates a company’s corporate policies, practices, and benefits with respect to LGBTQ+ employees. It’s the global standard for benchmarking corporate policies and practices for awareness and inclusion in the workplace.
The 2020 survey is divided into three key criteria areas of focus:
- Nondiscrimination and inclusion policies across business entities.
- Equitable benefits for LGBTQ+ workers and their families.
- Support of an inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility.
Chief Diversity Officer Crystal Hardie Langston shared, “At Vanguard, we believe our culture of inclusion is essential for each of us to fully thrive in our careers and provide superior value to our clients and communities. It’s a business imperative for Vanguard’s success in the future, and that’s why we are committed to providing a trusting, supportive environment in which all crew members worldwide feel a sense of belonging.”
Continuing to climb in IT
Vanguard rose to number three among large organizations (5,000 or more U.S. employees) in Computerworld’s 2019 survey of the Best Places to Work in IT, up from number nine last year and number ten in 2017.
The rankings are based on both employer and employee surveys. About half of the scoring was based on crew member responses, and the other half was based on a survey of several HR areas: career development, retention, benefits, diversity, and training.
“This is an incredible endorsement for our organization, for Vanguard, and for our clients,” said John Marcante, managing director for IT. “This recognition is a reflection of all the crew at Vanguard who work daily to make this place a special community.”
Vanguard embraces veterans
Vanguard was also recognized as a Top Veteran-Friendly Company in 2019 by U.S. Veterans Magazine (USVM). The magazine’s annual list evaluates a company’s policies, practices, and career recruitment efforts with respect to veterans. Its mission includes finding employment and other opportunities for transitioning service members, disabled veterans, spouses of veterans, and veteran business owners.
USVM selected about 200 names after polling hundreds of companies, including many on the Fortune 1000.
This year’s evaluation recognized excellence in three focus areas:
- Sponsorship of veteran career events.
- Career opportunities.
- Success in seeking, hiring, and/or retaining veteran candidates.
“Together we work to establish a strong crew network of service-minded military veterans and friends,” said Sean Gardner, senior manager in Global Risk & Security and a member of the VetsConnect leadership team. “Our objective is to enrich the sense of community for crew with past military service and all others interested by providing engaging ways to connect, assisting new veteran crew to Vanguard, and reflecting the esprit de corps of our military heritage.”
Most admired in Arizona
Vanguard was among 50 chosen as one of Arizona’s 2019 Most Admired Companies by AZ Business Magazine and BestCompaniesAZ for the fifth straight year.
The selection was based on Scottsdale crew’s demonstrated distinction and excellence in multiple fields: client experience, innovation, leadership, social responsibility, and workplace culture.
“This is a significant accomplishment for Vanguard,” said Deborah Akinsipe, HR site lead for Arizona. “We could not have achieved this milestone without the commitment of our crew. Their dedication to client service and unwavering support to our local community are just some of the reasons we received this award.”
The Future of Work
There are many anticipated advances that will change the way that we do business. Speculation and ideas about what will shape the future of investing can bring fear or excitement to the industry. Vanguard’s Crew Resource Group, Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals (LEAP), held a Q&A session with Vanguard’s CEO, Tim Buckley, and a Principal of the Institutional Investor Group, Jean Lu, on how cultural and technological differences make an impact on ongoing and future ways of working, both at Vanguard and within the industry.
(Left to right) John Ameriks, Jean Lu, and Tim Buckley discuss Future of Work
In the opening remarks, Jean Lu reminded everyone that approaching cultural differences can be an opportunity to challenge the status quo. Although difficult, addressing the uncomfortable aspect can provide a new perspective to everyday operations.
As one of the department heads of the Institutional Investor Group and a co-executive of LEAP, Jean discussed her experiences receiving difficult questions about diversity and shared that when we speak up, we become advocates for diversity and bring value and new ideas to light. She referenced a quote from Verna Myers, Vice President of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix, who noted, “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance,” to highlight the importance of what we can do to increase diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality in the workplace. Jean later added, “Diversity matters because embracing different cultures give us a competitive edge. It’s my fiduciary duty to share my perspective, even if it’s uncomfortable.”
Tim Buckley also made it clear that diversity plays an integral part in the future of Vanguard. Tim elaborated, “If we listen to each other, we can learn from each other and build on ideas.” As an example of this type of collaboration, he described how Vanguard’s economics team brings together regional expertise from Europe, Australia, Hong Kong, and the U.S. to ensure our research and analysis presents a global picture of the trends investors need to know about.
One trend our economists have an eye on is how technology will impact the future of work. With the rise of automation and artificial intelligence, Tim reminded the room of the distinction between tasks and jobs. Many rote, repetitive tasks can be automated, which means that jobs will rely more on human creativity and problem solving. At Vanguard, we’ll need both technical expertise and what our researchers call “uniquely human tasks” to serve clients well. Jean added that the “. . . need for tech acumen and expertise will only increase. Our ability to go deep is important.”
LEAP holds events throughout the year to participate in meaningful and impactful conversations. John Marcante, co-executive of LEAP, shared that LEAP impacts the workplace by “providing a network of support, development, and empowerment,” and urges that we “Get involved. Dig deep. Ask hard questions. It takes courage. That’s what leaders are made of. It’s about talking about intersectionality.”
—Bridget K.
Our most popular blog posts from 2019
The end of the year is often a time to reflect on all that’s been accomplished in the last twelve months. We pulled together the top four career stories from 2019. Whether it’s your first read or you’re revisiting a favorite, we hope you enjoy!
12 Vanguard interview tips for experienced professionals
We sat down with five Vanguard recruiters to hear how they coach candidates through the interview process. In this blog, we share 12 ways that experienced professionals can prepare for a Vanguard interview—whether in person or over the phone.
When working in finance isn’t always for finance majors
Annsley opens up about her voyage to Vanguard after college. “To say I was hesitant to join the finance industry is an understatement. Much of my college education was focused on classes like organic chemistry and biomechanics. But my friend assured me that my passion to help people live a better life directly aligned with Vanguard’s mission. With his support along with my family, I took a giant leap of faith, and I couldn’t be happier that I did.”
What a career as a financial advisor looks like at Vanguard
Vanguard’s financial advisors are using time-proven investment methodology to offer investment solutions that lead our clients confidently toward their business or personal financial goals. In this series, our financial advisors share their personal experiences in pursuing a career in this field and the impact they’ve had in driving successful investment results for clients.
Family comes first
Kristen shares a personal story about how Vanguard allowed her to focus on family during a difficult time. “While my personal life was turned on its head, a new leader was assigned to my team. I was experiencing changes both at Vanguard and in my personal life. My first one-on-one was conducted through video conference from my parent’s house. It was during that conversation I finally said the words out loud…my mom had cancer. Not knowing how my new leader would respond, I waited. He took a moment and said, “Family comes first,” a concept I heard Vanguard was known for but never experienced firsthand.”
Vanguard invests in you
In this blog, we sit down with Kelly M. and Elisha V., two crew members who serve different areas of the Vanguard business and received a professional development opportunity through one of our employee resource groups. Kelly is a Senior Research Associate in our Fixed Income Group, where she analyzes municipal bonds and works with the trading and portfolio management teams. Elisha is an IT Delivery Manager within our 401(k) Institutional Systems division, where she leads IT teams across our Pennsylvania and North Carolina offices. This is their story:
When thinking about where you want to launch or continue your career, you can be assured that at Vanguard, an emphasis is placed on professional development. Combined, we have been at Vanguard for nearly twenty years. During our tenure, we have both received support in various ways to help further advance our skill set. There is one development opportunity that we pursued, however, that stands out from all the rest. Through the Women’s Initiative for Leadership Success (WILS), one of our five Crew Resource Groups, we applied and were selected to participate in an advanced leadership development program for women. In addition to collaborating with female talent from across the enterprise and having a dedicated leadership coach consultant, the program presented us with several frameworks and tools that prepared us to handle a number of scenarios that we could potentially face throughout our careers. Examples include shaping the way we make decisions, preparing and executing courageous conversations with crew, reframing the dialogue of our inner critic, and recognizing unconscious biases.
The experience couldn’t have come at a better time in our professions. Elisha had just started a new managerial position and Kelly, who had always been an individual contributor, aspired to obtain a formal leadership role. Although we support different business areas in unique fields, we are both women within male-dominated industries. We were both successful within our careers at this point and were excited to learn ways in which we could enhance our skills and achieve professional goals going forward. We also quickly realized during the program that what got us here would not get us there, with there being where we envisioned our careers going and how we saw ourselves reaching our full potential. This specific program changed our perspectives on what that means and gave us the resources to clearly define who we are and what we stand for.
Identifying the direction we wanted to steer our careers, in addition to using learnings centered on how to plan and execute courageous conversations, continue to stand out as key takeaways from the program. We had the chance to practice these exchanges, and the more we practiced, the more we realized how impactful it was when developing others. Moreover, taking on courageous conversations is so imperative to improving a challenging situation, and we are now better equipped to handle them. Lastly, we received helpful reminders that something as simple as making the invisible, visible, can be a powerful mind shift that will lead you to a more successful outcome.
The advanced leadership development program for women has provided us with more than either of us expected. We are more prepared and confident in navigating our careers for having taken part in this initiative. Again, this is just one example of the many development opportunities offered at Vanguard.
More about the authors:
Kelly joined Vanguard directly out of college in 2007 and has been working in the Investment Management Group for the past three years. Kelly graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
Elisha has been at Vanguard since 2012. She launched her career as a developer and shortly after moved into a technical lead role. Following these experiences, she transitioned to a project management position that gave her the opportunity to be a technical relationship manager for a large 401(k) client and now as a delivery manager, supporting cross-divisional capabilities and relationships for Vanguard Advice for Institutional. Prior to joining Vanguard, Elisha worked at various startups and financial companies also within the engineering and technology capacity for four years.
Making a difference across multiple regions
Vanguard believes that being a global leader also means being a local leader. Through volunteer Investment Committees, The Vanguard Group Foundation is making grants in the regions around the world that we call home. The Vanguard Gives Back Hometown Grants Program is charged with funding pressing, local human services needs and working with nonprofit partners that contribute to the vibrancy of the community. The program is fueled by crew volunteers who commit two years of service dedicated to learning about the nonprofit sector, philanthropy, and the local community landscape.
In this blog, we asked three Vanguard leaders to write about their experiences in serving as site leads for the Hometown Grants Program. The combined efforts of these leaders and their teams have placed $2.3 million into local organizations over their two-year commitment. Here is what Amanda M. from Arizona, Ed F. from North Carolina, and Steve H. from Pennsylvania, had to say:
Vanguard has long had a culture around community that you are no stranger to, what drew you into this particular opportunity with Hometown Grants?
Ed: Hometown Grants enabled me to take my passion for impacting our local community to a much deeper, grass-roots level. Having previously been involved in Vanguard Gives Back initiatives in Charlotte, including leading our workplace giving campaign and our volunteer efforts, Hometown Grants provided an opportunity to start-up a hyper-local focused program from scratch, which is pretty cool. While we were provided with some loose guardrails and guidelines, we were also given a significant amount of autonomy to figure out the best strategy that would have meaningful impact in the Charlotte community.
Steve: In 2012, I had the honor of serving as the lead for the crew fall charitable giving campaign. Not only did that experience tap into my longstanding passion for service, it opened my eyes to the incredible impact Vanguard can have in the community. I was very excited about the Hometown Grants program because it was yet another way to harness the energy and passion of Vanguard crew to make a meaningful difference in our communities, but I was also intrigued by the entrepreneurial nature of this new venture.
What skills have you developed through your participation in this initiative and how have you applied these skills both inside and outside of the office?
Amanda: Debating which organization to fund can be a sensitive and emotional topic. My peers and I all have preferences on which charitable cause is the most important and those often differ from the priorities of others. Plus, when you find so many organizations doing great work, it can be hard to reduce the list to a manageable few. Learning how to listen with empathy and understanding was critical to ensure each team member was heard and team health remained strong. Outside of work, it has given me a platform to talk to my kids about philanthropy. Now, when we debrief our day at the dinner table, I am talking to them about organizations I went to visit or work that is being done in the community. It’s been rewarding to talk to them about the importance of giving back and about some of the neat initiatives that are happening in our neighborhood.
Ed: Most importantly, I gained a deeper understanding of the Charlotte community and the critical issues our city is facing. Upward mobility remains a challenge even as Charlotte continues to have one of the highest rates of highly educated new residents moving to our city. I have met and learned from some very influential non-profit partners who provide critical services in our community often with few resources or limited budgets. I am looking forward to continuing my work post-Hometown Grants, whether it be through volunteerism or board involvement. Hometown Grants also enabled me to hone my leadership and finance skills as we have conducted research, reviewed non-profit financials and tax-filings, and conducted on-site visits to select the non-profit agencies we partner with.
What has been the biggest takeaway in serving as a site lead for the program?
Amanda: There is always a need for more work to be done in the community than there are hours in the day to support or dollars to fund. It is not hard to find an important cause that will improve our community. The hard part is prioritizing which organizations to focus on. It took a lot of time to research, really get to know these teams and the impact they are trying to make. Then ultimately determining where we could have the biggest impact. And there is no “right” answer. It is only part science, the rest is art.
Steve: In the past two years, the work of the Hometown Grants team exposed us to countless organizations that are making an incredible difference in communities. There are so many worthy, effective, innovative charitable organizations out there doing great work, we could have funded many more groups than we were able to. But I believe our team did a tremendous job of honing in on the key organizations that both had amazing impact and could best benefit from the dollars we had. The most rewarding parts of the job were when we heard the profound gratitude from these groups for our contributions, and the excitement they expressed about how they were going to put the money to work. You feel the very tangible benefit of all the hard work the committee put in.
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Vanguard’s support in my family’s adoption experience
Vanguard has an inspiring mission to help investors of all types, and I’ve been happy to be a part of it for more than ten years. I have also found Vanguard to be a place that values employees with families of all types. I experienced this during the adoption of two of my children. Adopting a child can be a challenging and very expensive process —agency fees, social worker costs, legal and government requirements, and many other things add up. We benefited greatly from Vanguard’s Adoption Assistance Program, which reimbursed a significant part of these costs. Additionally, the Parental Leave benefit provides six weeks of paid leave for all parents, including adoptive parents, which was incredibly helpful to not only finalize the adoption, but also for us to be able to spend time together at home as a new family. Me and my new daughter
I have used Vanguard’s Adoption Assistance Program twice. My wife and I had adopted our oldest daughter as a baby when I first joined Vanguard, and we also had a biological son, but felt we had room in our family for one more.
We knew there were some children who were older or had special needs and were still waiting to have a family of their own. Last year, we adopted our seven-year-old daughter from China.
She didn’t speak English at the time of her adoption, but the orphanage caretakers told us through translators how happy she was to hear the news: “…she looks so excited, she keeps saying, I have a mom and dad!” Can you imagine being seven, without a mom and dad, then finding out you do have a family, and they are coming to take you home?
We spent two weeks in China and took our older two children, then 10 and 11, along with us to meet our daughter and bring her home. Our new “mèimei” (younger sister) was shy at first, but quickly showed that she had a size 10 personality in a size 7 body. I can still picture her marching through the busy city of Guangzhou cheerily calling out to hotel staff, “Nǐhǎo!” (hello) with her family struggling to keep up with her. Spotting a moth on a window, she shouts to her new family, “Jiě jie! Guò lái! Nǐ kàn!” (Sister, come here, look!)
The process was challenging, requiring a lot of trust and faith from her, us, and others, that somehow it will all work out right. In many ways, we pursue things in life that are difficult, and they often end up being worth the effort more than anything else. This is one of them.
First meeting her
During my leave and return, I also experienced an incredible demonstration of support from my work colleagues and management team who were happy along with me and had so many words of encouragement and ensured a supportive and flexible environment as I took time away to go bring our daughter home.
I appreciate that Vanguard values employees holistically and recognizes families can be formed in various ways, not only in traditional ones. By supporting adoptive parents through the Adoption Assistance Program and Parental Leave Policy, Vanguard makes it possible for more people to choose adoption. For the crew members who have room in their hearts and homes to be a family to a child who needs one, I hope they will use Vanguard’s benefits and any other resources to adopt.
-Perry B.
If you enjoyed this post, check out more from our #LifeatVanguard Blog. And if you’re ready for a more rewarding, engaging, meaningful career, search our opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.
Engaging, honest conversations foster positive results
Hispanic and Latino Americans have made vast and vital global contributions and their positive influence is felt in all aspects of life and society. They represent an array of distinct and vibrant cultures, each of which enriches our communities.
Recently, in recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, Vanguard’s Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership (HOLA) sponsored several small forums entitled HOLA VOCES at its Charlotte, Malvern, and Scottsdale offices. Each forum featured opening remarks from a HOLA leader, followed by a facilitated discussion focused on the Hispanic experience that considered reactions to recent events including the El Paso shootings and rising tensions around immigration.
In his opening remarks during a Malvern session, Hector M. Salcido-Torres, Fund Financial Services senior line manager, said, “You should be comfortable having conversations that are uncomfortable. It is impossible to leave it at the door. You may not agree but at least break down the barriers.”
Hector, an eighth generation Arizonan of Mexican descent, shared his grandparents’ experiences of attending segregated schools and being punished for speaking Spanish. Hector encouraged the audience, “Push yourself, drive yourself for the people that came before you. Being lazy is an insult to the people in heaven who are rooting for you.”
During the ensuing small group discussions, which included crew of Cuban, Salvadorian, Peruvian, Mexican, and Puerto Rican ethnic origins, thoughts and reactions were openly shared. Understanding that collective minorities will be the majority in the U.S. by 2030, crew universally agreed that they sought to assimilate, but also wanted to show up and be their honest selves. “I feel recent events in the U.S. have had a significant impact on the Hispanic and Latino community,” said Sejla Karalic, senior project manager in the Institutional Investor Group. “And some of the issues really resonate with me as an immigrant to this country.”
HOLA will sponsor several more VOCES forums thorough out the coming year, to bring crew from all walks of life together to share and learn from each other. “My experience with HOLA started with curiosity, which led to involvement, and now engagement,” said Nicholas Fernandez, Emerging Leader Development Program participant. “Being a part of events like the VOCES series makes me feel closer to my heritage and more at home at Vanguard.”
-Constance H.
Vanguard crew member shares coming out story
Vanguard’s Out Professional Engagement Network (OPEN) works to create an inclusive environment for LGBT individuals and their allies, and plays an active role in Pride and National Coming Out Day festivities. In recognition of this year’s National Coming Out Day, and to further our goal of creating an inclusive workplace, we share crew member Jason N.’s coming out story: “I heard you are a poof,” Simon announced to everybody around me. I was 18 years old and in a group outside a lecture theatre. Simon and I were embarking on a friendship. Or at least I thought we were. Even if you haven’t heard the word poof, you can easily guess that it isn’t flattering. I wasn’t entirely sure of my sexuality but I knew that I wasn’t straight. When Simon levelled his accusation, years of shame bubbled to the surface. I stood humiliated and exposed as everyone filed into the classroom. I was alone on the precipice of a lifetime of coming out. In coming out, I expected to lose Simon. I expected to lose all of my friends. I expected to lose my family. I firmly believed that I’d lose everyone close to me. I would no longer be a friend, a son, or a brother. I thought I would be alone. I went home and cried. The next day was a new beginning for me. When I found Simon at university, he said he wanted to talk. He told me that he went home and considered whether he could be gay. He told me that he just couldn’t conceive of it. But he also realized how unnatural it would be for me to ignore my own sexuality. He told me that nothing had changed between us. Little did he know, everything had changed for me! I was liberated. I was no longer in hiding. It was my first step on a path to self-acceptance. Of course, you don’t always come out, but the assumptions and the choice to come out never goes away. The relevance isn’t immediately obvious but if I choose to come out to you, it’s because I’ve decided not to censor myself with you – I’ve decided to let you know who I am. It allows me talk as freely about my weekend or my family life as you can to me. It allows me to be me, and it allows us to have an authentic relationship. So here goes – my name is Jason. I am a friend, a brother, a son, and a colleague. I’m also gay. Jason N. is a Project Manager in IT in our Australian office and is on the committee of the Australian OPEN Crew Resource Group. He is an advocate for bringing your whole self to work. In his spare time, he enjoys photography, camping, and playing squash (with great enthusiasm but much less skill).
I followed everyone into class and considered what I was going to do next. It was just a remark but it cut deep enough to make me shake. Boys call each other gay all the time. I could have just let it go. As the lecturer’s words washed over me, it was clear that I wanted to come out. I had to. Although I hadn’t yet acted on these feelings with anything other than shame, I knew it was riskier for me to not share my secret. I couldn’t remain hidden any longer. The burden had become too great. It was time. I told Simon that I was gay.
I didn’t lose Simon. Coming out to him brought us closer together. But coming out isn’t just telling one friend in the hallways at university and then you’re done. It’s an ongoing experience. Your sexuality isn’t apparent in the same way that something like skin color is. While being gay is not a choice, coming out is a choice that you have to face every day. When your colleague assumes you have a wife. When a taxi driver asks if you have any kids. When you start a new job. When you move to a new house. When you get too friendly with your local grocer. When you check into a hotel with your partner. When you make a new friend.
If you enjoyed this post, check out more from our #LifeatVanguard Blog. And if you’re ready for a more rewarding, engaging, meaningful career, search our opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.
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ldoyle2020-01-15 14:38:482020-01-15 14:38:48The Future of Work
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ldoyle
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ldoyle2020-01-09 14:12:272020-01-09 14:12:27Vanguard crew share 2020 resolutions
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ldoyle
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ldoyle2019-12-18 18:18:242019-12-20 15:42:51Our most popular blog posts from 2019
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ldoyle
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ldoyle2019-12-11 18:54:242019-12-11 18:54:24It's always better to give than to receive
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ldoyle
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ldoyle2019-12-04 18:43:532019-12-04 18:43:53Data analytics and careers in Internal Audit
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dbasavapatna
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dbasavapatna2019-11-26 21:00:222019-12-02 15:49:22Mentorship - Even super heroes need help
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ldoyle
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ldoyle2019-11-20 16:18:082019-11-20 16:18:08Vanguard invests in you
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dbasavapatna
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dbasavapatna2019-11-05 20:06:142019-11-05 20:06:14Making a difference across multiple regions
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mfield
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mfield2019-10-30 12:00:532019-11-05 16:39:16Vanguard’s support in my family’s adoption experience
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marcin
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marcin2019-10-23 17:53:022019-10-28 11:02:05Engaging, honest conversations foster positive results
