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.

As the end of the year approaches, crew members around the world join together to help brighten the lives of children, seniors, and families in need. We call this effort Vanguard’s Giving Season. Since 1995, crew members have provided more than a quarter of a million gifts to thousands of deserving individuals.

Vanguard partners with different local agencies and organizations to administer the program, allowing the initiative to take on unique dimensions at each of our sites. For instance, crew members may create gift boxes, or purchase toys, books, clothing, and treats (at some sites, crew sponsors receive gift suggestions for the child or senior assigned to them).

This holiday season, our Malvern, Pennsylvania office crew provided gifts for over 1,800 local children. And crew volunteered more than just gifts: over 250 crew members used their volunteer time off days to assist with Giving Season activities like gift shopping, wrapping and packaging, and delivering gifts to the local agencies. Learn more about other Vanguard community efforts.

Do you aspire to be part of a global company that serves a greater good? Make it count.

Picture this: a handful of crew in client services looking to make a difference. A comment like, “Hey guys, I think we print too much paper for these meetings” started discussions about the environment and how we as crew have an opportunity to make a positive impact. As a team, we shared how we personally “go green” and how we could translate that into building and community-wide goals. Calling ourselves the Green Team, we started small, but enacted a lot of positive change.

Getting crew on board

First, we started with awareness. We wanted to inform crew of basic things, for example: recycling codes—what each mean and where to put each item, how to upcycle items, other quick tips, and even how much paper was being printed in a typical day.

Crew became more interested in the green initiative as they became aware. Eventually we had enough volunteers to have Green Teams in each building. We partnered with Facilities to find out trends and statistics. As a team, we were looking to see if there was an opportunity to do better in each building and eventually throughout the company.

Our growth remained steady so we started to take more action. Green Teams made internal webpages to list our goals and mission, we held monthly meetings, had guest speakers, made e-brochures listing local farmers markets and transportation options, made videos, and posted tips around the office to conserve energy and paper.

Dreaming bigger

We started to realize how important this initiative was—and we felt like we had a responsibility to be environmentally sustainable. Big changes were being made in our galleys (cafeterias) and all around campus. Crew loved our monthly “Green newsletters,” which included tons of information, ranging from ride share programs, paper printer totals, community recycle events, herb gardening for beginners and even an avocado face mask for dry skin!

Fast forward to today and the Green Teams’ efforts have evolved into the crew-driven Sustainability Ambassador program. We were able to take environmentally sound practices that we have learned personally, and implement them with support from our corporate-wide Environmental Sustainability team. Our impacts have become even bigger and stronger around the company. We’ve changed and influenced a lot through the years, including: single-stream recycling, a company garden, car charging stations, Earth day events, and a very engaged Sustainability Ambassador program.

It’s crazy to think back on how far this program has come and all the positive operational changes it has made through the years. I’m very thankful Vanguard listens to crew suggestions and continues to make positive changes for our Clients, our Crew, and our Community.

-Vanessa E.

More careers blogs you may have missed

Fighting for my daughter. Advocating for myself.
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What is a VTO day?
In this blog, learn how Vanguard crew member Jessica spends her volunteer time off day and how her coworkers have supported her service efforts.

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.

Making my commute work for me (and the planet)
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How to prepare for a Vanguard interview
Whether it’s a phone screen, or an in-person interview on one of our campuses, this blog will give you a behind-the-scenes look at questions to prepare for, how to stand out, and general best practices for our entry level interviews.

A refreshing change of scenery

Recently, I took the time to sit back and reflect on my experiences in the workforce as a whole and realized I’ve been pretty fortunate. I have worked in various fields – while not necessarily ideal since I’ve always wanted to work in finance, I still never worked in a role or for a company I didn’t enjoy. However, last year while working in the telecommunications field and with six years of military experience under my belt, I decided that I would finally do all I could to get into the financial industry. I joined Vanguard in September of 2017, and not only has it been a refreshing change of scenery in a new field, it’s been everything I’ve hoped for and more.

An excellent support system

As a Client Relationship Associate, there were a few daunting things I had to face to jump start my career – taking the Series 7 and Series 63 exams, and refreshing my finance knowledge from my accounting studies in college. I was fully prepared to go home each day and study like my career depended on it – because frankly, it did. This is when I first noticed the depth of Vanguard’s support. My fellow new hires and I were provided study materials free of cost and given a plethora of time to be able to study, ask questions, take classes, review scenarios, and everything else we needed. I passed both exams on the first try – despite not having a finance degree!

Now, as I approach a year as a successful Client Relationship Associate at one of the largest firms in the world, I’ve started to pursue growth opportunities both professionally and personally—some of which include helping our local communities. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in the holiday giving season through Vanguard, and we’re also provided a volunteer time off day in which we get to help our communities while being paid! Professionally, I’ve been able to meet with fellow crew members in different departments and see a day in their lives, pick their brains about what’s needed to succeed in their role, and view them in action. My team leader Jake has been essential in not only lending his network to get me in contact with different departments, but also in getting me the free time to explore other roles at Vanguard. These sessions have been very important and have helped me identify next steps and roles I’d like to pursue at Vanguard.

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

The journey continues

With the free time to observe other departments combined with seeing how my team leader has helped me on my journey, I’ve figured out that I want to pursue either a financial advisor or leadership role. I’ve enjoyed seeing the way our leaders develop crew members through coaching and mentoring, and watching how our advisors add value to our clients’ lives by helping them accomplish their goals. It is my hope to continue to build even deeper and more meaningful relationships with my colleagues and our clients, as well as to further develop my skills in my career. Whether it be in leadership or as an advisor, I will continue to be a steward of Vanguard’s mission to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success, all while fostering this same passion with the crew and clients I work with.

With Vanguard’s flexibility and support, I have full faith that I’ll be able to succeed and in a timely manner. As my journey continues, I’m excited to know I have Vanguard’s support and would encourage others to be unafraid of using all of the wonderful resources available to you. I know that I will be able to attain the career I want at Vanguard.

-Rod M.

More careers blogs you may have missed

Preparing For a Vanguard Interview – Be a STAR
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Three Experiences That Paved My Path to Vanguard
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Why I Got Rid Of My Five Year Plan
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Exploring Careers in Client Services – Retail Services
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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.

When I joined Vanguard in the summer of 2016, it marked a return home for me to the Philadelphia region after college and work had taken me away for several years. Even though Philadelphia was home for me, I still found myself facing all of the normal jitters that come with a new experience: What would my new team be like? How would I fit in? How would I find my way? Luckily, two years later, I am happy to say these fears quickly subsided, in large part to my involvement with Vanguard’s community engagement efforts.

Part of what attracted me to the firm was Vanguard’s strong corporate culture, which centers around three key focus areas – clients, crew, and community. During the recruitment process, I was particularly impressed to learn about the breadth and depth of Vanguard’s community involvement. Once I joined the firm, I was able to take advantage of several of our formal and informal community programs to deepen my connection to both Vanguard and the Philadelphia community.

Within my first two weeks at Vanguard, I was invited to join a group of teammates in a community engagement project at a local university. Together, we partnered with an undergraduate class on a semester-long marketing case project. Building from that experience, my manager suggested I plan a volunteer day for our whole team. Vanguard offers each employee one day of personal time to be used pursuing a volunteer engagement of their choice. We call the program “Volunteer Time Off” or VTO. Our team decided to spend our VTO day working at a local school. Having enjoyed both of those experiences, a mentor encouraged me to participate in a Vanguard Skills-Based Volunteering project. A team of colleagues from all across Vanguard were brought together to assist a Philadelphia-based non-profit with a strategic project.

Each of these three initiatives offered me the chance to get to know my new colleagues better and develop mentors from across the company. It was extremely rewarding to get to share skills I honed at Vanguard such as critical thinking, business strategy, competitive analysis, and public speaking—with students and community members, while also sharing Vanguard’s mission.

Volunteering outside of work

My community service work at Vanguard inspired me to become more involved in my spare time as well. I’ve always been passionate about the arts, and growing up, I took years of ballet lessons. I knew once I was back and immersed in Philadelphia’s atmosphere and culture, that I’d want to align my volunteer efforts with the things I love.

Lucky for me, a family friend connected me with the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance (GPCA). The GPCA serves as the organizing body for over 400 of Philadelphia’s cultural organizations and provides them with key grants, research, marketing, professional development, and advocacy services. Around the same time I was connected with the GPCA, the organization was launching a young professionals’ group, the Emerging Leaders Circle (ELC). I was delighted to be nominated for and accepted to the ELC. The group plans monthly professional development, networking, and educational events to connect young professionals in Philadelphia’s corporate and non-profit sectors. For the past year, I have served on the steering committee of the ELC and taken a more active role in planning ELC events. This leadership role has given me the opportunity to continue to grow many of the skills I develop at Vanguard—like project management, strategic thinking and planning, and public speaking.

As I assumed more responsibility within the ELC, I once again found myself facing the new-experience-jitters when I was tasked with organizing and moderating a panel presentation. I had no clue where to start, but I found confidence in knowing I had my Vanguard support system to guide me along the way. My colleagues helped me brainstorm panel topics, connected me with potential panelists, shared speaking tips, and even drove me to the event in the pouring rain! The event was a huge success, and in an audience of over 100 people, I was so happy to see several friendly faces from Vanguard.

My efforts with the ELC were formally recognized when I was selected by the GPCA as the 2018 Emerging Cultural Champion. I was thrilled to receive this award. I was even prouder when audience members came up to me to congratulate me AND gush about their love for Vanguard!

Two years later, I have answers to many of my initial concerns. I have found a network of colleagues I fit in with. These colleagues have offered me critical guidance and helped me become a better volunteer and leader. I know I will have many other challenges and new experiences at Vanguard, but I also am confident my colleagues will support me through them all.

-Jessica P.

If you’re seeking an environment where you can make a difference and develop professionally, check out our career opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.

After only a few years of working, I found myself sitting in bumper to bumper traffic one morning, miserable and on the verge of tears. I was tired of spending two to three hours a day in my car. If there was an accident or bad weather, it would destroy my evening and I would get home at night frustrated and exhausted.

Everything changed when I was encouraged to take advantage of Vanguard’s great commuter benefits.

Jumping on the train

Taking the train to work from my home in Philadelphia was a life changing experience. I ordered a train pass online easily and it was shipped right to my house. I love my walk to the train station, breathing the fresh air and getting a little bit of exercise in the morning.

The second I step off the train at the Paoli station near our headquarters in Malvern, PA, Vanguard’s free shuttles are waiting to take me to the office.

Being more productive

Beyond the convenience, I find the time that I spend every morning and evening on the train to be invaluable. If I have a work assignment that I need to finish, I just bring my laptop along with me and work on the train. I’ve read numerous books, listened to podcasts and even had time to plan my upcoming wedding.

Saving the planet

As if the benefits to my personal life weren’t enough, there are also benefits to the planet. Light rail systems produce 62% less greenhouse gas emissions per passenger mile than an average single-occupancy vehicle (SOV), according to the Federal Transit Administration. Beyond the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, driving less minimizes the pollutants that cause smog, uses less natural resources, and minimizes congestion on our nation’s busiest roadways.

Having the opportunity to take the train to work every day has made me a more productive and all around happier person. As I sit on the train each day, I love to think about the positive impacts that I and my fellow Vanguard train commuters are having on the planet.

-Jennifer J.

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.

“Vanguard?! You mean the company that manages my retirement savings?”  This is the usual response I hear when I tell people where I work now.  I have to admit, starting my career as a preschool teacher and social worker seems like a long way from being a crew member at Vanguard. However it’s exactly the base of knowledge and skills I need to serve in my current role as a Program Officer, co-leading the Vanguard Strong Start for Kids™ grant making portfolio.

Where I Started

It was 1996, and I was entering the fall semester of my junior year in college.  I’d spent the summer before as a camp counselor at a local child care center in my hometown, and I was just entering my major in early childhood education.  I’d gotten a job as a preschool assistant teacher at a child care center not far from my college campus, and I LOVED it. I loved working with the lead teacher to plan lessons that used play as a learning tool, working with families to understand their child’s progress and development, and using what I was learning in my teacher training program to guide how I interacted with the children in my care. I didn’t know then, but those first days in that classroom would set the foundation for my professional career across multiple settings.

After graduating and teaching pre-kindergarten for a while, I moved into one-on-one case management helping low-income families’ access public dollars for child care. From there, I spent several years working at child advocacy organizations helping to shape public policies that benefitted young children and families at the state and federal level. While not exactly the same as a teacher-student relationship, these positions continued to build the foundation of understanding that’s needed to steward philanthropic dollars into the early learning sector.

Vanguard Strong Start for Kids Program

While it seems like my experiences might be far from the core business of Vanguard, they’re actually quite similar. Vanguard’s crew are charged with acting as stewards of our clients’ hopes and dreams through smart, sensible, and aligned investment management. And we also are encouraged to be stewards within our communities, so it made sense that the signature crew and corporate philanthropic program would employ Vanguard’s long-held strategy: investing early pays off later. The Strong Start for Kids mission is to boost kindergarten-readiness for low income young children, primarily within Philadelphia, PA, Charlotte, NC, and Phoenix, AZ (our biggest U.S. sites).  Empirical evidence shows that investing in high-quality programs for young children and families in the 0-5 years is necessary for developing educated, healthy, productive citizens that thrive in a global economy.

Equally as important as a long-term societal benefit is the fact that high quality early learning opportunities change the trajectory of individual lives and families. I have seen the impact of high-quality opportunities as an early learning professional and I also see it every day as the parent of two young daughters. Children develop the foundation of their cognitive abilities and character during their first five years. Their brains are literally being built by all of the experiences happening in their lives – good or bad! Nurturing relationships that make children feel safe and loved, while enabling them to experience the world around them, builds stronger brains. By supporting organizations and projects that enhance parent/caregiver skills, improve learning opportunities outside of homes, and coordinate services so that families have easier access, the Strong Start for Kids program works to help young children build the foundation for learning they need to thrive.

I always knew that my life’s calling had to do with educating, empowering, and uplifting young children and their families. I didn’t know that calling would play out like it has and, ultimately, lead me to Vanguard. I’m lucky to work at an organization where my passion for building community aligns with company values.

-Rashanda P.

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.

Like everyone before me, my story with working for Vanguard starts with an interview. What makes my story a bit different, is that I didn’t get the job… or even a callback for the next two jobs I applied for. But six years after that first interview, and a lot of great experience at companies completely removed from the investment world, I was ready to give it a go once again. This time, I finally got the job as one of Vanguard’s Sales Consultants!

My experience in sales

In the past, I’ve done sales at companies ranging from an internet startup to an ocean freight shipping company. No matter what job I had though, one thing remained consistent: I loved talking to everyone I could about saving for retirement because I know not enough people are taking the steps necessary to save for the future. Even after building a career elsewhere, this is what made me want to try Vanguard again and again, and it is what fuels my passion for helping people accomplish this goal each and every day.

So what does a Sales Consultant do here at Vanguard? I help people decide if Vanguard is the best place for their investing success. This manifests itself in many ways, ranging from basic conversations like “tell me more about Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services” to more complex strategies on how to move different account types without major tax implications. I’ll typically speak to about 10-15 potential or existing clients per day, with conversations ranging from 20-30 minutes. The rest of the day is following up with clients I’m already working with.

I love being a salesman, but the industry rightfully has a bad association with the term “sales” – mainly due to high commissions and fees that clients don’t always know about. Vanguard couldn’t be further from this because we structure the job as straight salary with no commission. In the sales world, no commission is a bit jarring because that is typically what motivates salespeople to excel. Instead, at Vanguard, that motivation to “sell” comes from a firm (and data-proven) belief that Vanguard is the best place for the vast majority of investors.

How I give back

Now that I’ve been at Vanguard for about a year, the most exciting development has been the ability to get involved with giving back to our community. At Vanguard, giving back is in our DNA, with over half of our crew volunteering their time at some point throughout the year. For me, I knew early on that I wanted to be a part of equipping young people for financial success. We all know how important it is to start saving young, but who is actually teaching kids these crucial lessons? That is why getting involved with Vanguard’s My Classroom Economy was such an easy choice to make!

My Classroom Economy provides free material that enables any educator to teach their students financially responsible principles that will benefit them for their entire lives. What if you could go back in time and better understand the implications of that student loan you took out? What if you started saving for your retirement with your first paycheck rather than being part of the 40 million households who have no retirement savings at all? With the month of April being national Financial Literacy Month, I think of the work that this team is doing and become giddy thinking about the hundreds of thousands of students forever impacted by this program.

Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t get the initial jobs I applied for, because if it were not for the experiences I had outside of Vanguard, I wouldn’t be nearly as passionate as I am about what we do here every day.

-John M.

Helping the next generation with financial literacy is one way Vanguard crew connect with our communities. Learn more about how Vanguard helps communities have the best chance for success. And if you’re seeking an environment where you can make a difference and develop professionally, check out our career opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22 that features worldwide events to demonstrate support for environmental protection. In this blog, Anna E. shares why she participates in Earth Day and other environmental initiatives at Vanguard.

About 15 years ago, I traveled to Switzerland and was surprised to see how far along the country was with their recycling. Essentially everything had to be recycled as households would be charged for their trash, so recycling was both socially and economically responsible. There were also community compost bins where food waste was taken to be composted. But being environmentally responsible is about more than just recycling. Since my visit to Switzerland, I’ve made it a personal mission to be as sustainable as possible, including working for a company that empowers employees to be part of the solution.

Since I’ve joined Vanguard, I’ve acted as an environmental advocate by leading programs to get crew members involved in sustainability efforts. One example is volunteering as a Sustainability Ambassador – leading programs to build awareness and encourage participation in corporate sustainability efforts. Many crew members across multiple sites have become Sustainability Ambassadors in their buildings, and in this role, I’ve had opportunities to participate in events, share new corporate initiatives with my team and department, and attend conferences. Since this topic is so important to me, I love that I’ve been able to share messages of “going green” with my fellow crew. And I’m proud to say that Sustainability Ambassadors were influential in the efforts to switch from plastic to biodegradable clamshells and serving dishes in the galleys, which reduced Vanguard’s contribution to area landfills. And over the last several years, Vanguard has enhanced its recycling program to include compost stations in food-service areas, single-stream recycling, and document destruction.

One of the biggest conservation events I support as a Sustainability Ambassador is Earth Day. Every year during Earth Week, Vanguard holds Earth Day Expos to share ways each crew member can be more sustainable with the choices we make. These expos showcase individual and corporate efforts aimed at recycling, energy savings, commuter benefits, and much more.  In addition, throughout Earth Week, Vanguard’s strategic partners and other community organizations educate crew on their sustainability practices.

It’s important for me to be a part of the solution and contribute to Vanguard’s sustainability efforts. It’s great to work for a company that empowers its employees to support long-term initiatives to conserve the environment.

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.

I’ve always been drawn to the concept of Skills-based Volunteering (SBV). It’s a simple notion: find an area or skill in which you excel and support someone who needs help with that skillset. It’s a win-win for both parties.

When I joined Vanguard, the question for me was not whether or not I wanted to volunteer, but rather where I could have the most impact. Specifically, I remember the announcement that Vanguard would be kicking off a community garden and crew members with “green thumbs” could put their talents to good use. Unfortunately for me, if you ever saw or experienced my gardening skills, you would see why our community garden team has not been knocking down my door. Okay, the community garden was out, which was probably best for all involved. So what skills could I put to good use…besides my lacking horticultural talents?

Finding the right opportunity for me

This question made me reflect a bit on my learning experiences since joining Vanguard in 2012, with the hope of narrowing down the appropriate skill to leverage before jumping head first into the Skills-based Volunteering “deep end.” To be honest, this was a tricky exercise for me. I have been very fortunate to have had a number of diverse learning experiences over the past seven years: participating in Vanguard’s rotational leadership development program, going back to graduate school for an MBA, and teaching business courses as an adjunct faculty member at a local community college. As valuable as these experiences have been for my development, I wouldn’t necessarily say they set me up to be a specialist in traditional SBV fields (IT, Legal, Finance, etc.).  What they have impressed on me is the value and importance of being a lifelong learner.  I paused after this reflection period, a bit frustrated that I hadn’t gotten any closer to locking in which skill to leverage when volunteering…or so I thought.

I had lunch with a mentor of mine later that week and shared my SBV conundrum. As a good mentor does, she responded with some sound questioning. I expressed to her that I had hoped to leverage the skills I’ve developed at Vanguard to help give back in a meaningful manner. She shared with me an opportunity to help lower-income families file their taxes in a program called VITA at Vanguard. As someone with an undergraduate degree in biology, I initially balked at the recommendation, thinking I had no business helping anyone with his or her taxes. She chuckled a bit, then shared that Vanguard leads an onsite training to help you prepare for the IRS designation and certification for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.  Like so many times in the past, Vanguard provided me with an opportunity to learn a new skill and put it to good use. I was sold and decided to sign up for the first available training.

More than just taxes

The tax season flew by and I left with a renewed sense of why I wanted to leverage SBV in the first place.  This opportunity provided countless memorable interactions, like a single parent telling me they used the refund money to save for their two daughters’ college educations, or a family of four that used their refund to pay a medical bill.  It was a humbling experience in which I selfishly felt like I took more away than the families I worked with.

It was a truly rewarding experience and one I will not soon forget.  For me, it was a great reminder of the importance of being open minded to learning new skills and being a lifelong learner.  You never know where you’ll be able put those talents to good use.

-Marty L.

Sharing our expertise with others is one way Vanguard crew connect with our communities. Learn more about how Vanguard helps communities have the best chance for success. And if you’re seeking an environment where you can make a difference and develop professionally, check out our career opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.