Archive for category: Voyage to Vanguard
The Two Reasons I said ‘Yes’ to Vanguard Tech
Here’s why Chief Brokerage Architect Ravi A. accepted a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” at Vanguard.
From Dentistry to Dividends and How a Passion for Chicken Lead the Way
In this blog, Valerie F. shares her unique journey to Vanguard. After working in various industries, she decided to leverage her unique skillset and start her career in the financial services industry.
Growing and Glowing: How I found my dream job and family at Vanguard
In this blog, Hailee B.opens up about how she found her career and family at Vanguard.
In this video blog, we highlight Vanguard’s 2023 interns as they reflect on their unique experiences working in various specialty programs.
In this blog, Scott M. talks about his experience as a senior application engineer in Vanguard’s Information Technology division.
A Tradition of Service
Inspired by my grandfather’s service as an Air Defense NCO during the Korean War and my father’s as a Medical Services Officer, I knew from a young age I wanted to serve my country. The thought of pursuing a calling in service of something bigger than myself always captured my imagination, so I commissioned into the Army and served 7 years as an Armor Officer. I was given the opportunity to lead young soldiers in difficult environments around the world, which forged lifelong friendships.
These experiences taught me valuable lessons about the highs and lows of military service – the thrill of a well-executed mission, seasons of separation from loved ones, overcoming tough circumstances with a tight-knit team, and the deep pain of loss. I learned that service often demands some degree of sacrifice but results in the most rewarding and memorable experiences.
Searching for a New Mission
While I loved my time in the Army, our family continued to grow and it became apparent that a transition from the military was for the best. While attending graduate school, I believed that I could learn new skills and tackle many challenges if there was a strong sense of purpose and meaning to tie my work to a broader mission. I began looking for opportunities to work on strategic initiatives across a business to make a tangible impact in service of others.
In this search, I came across Vanguard’s MBA Leadership Development program. After many conversations with crew, I learned about Vanguard’s noble mission to care for their clients while giving them the best chance to reach their financial goals. I was excited to join a team so clearly motivated by service to others in a program with a strong reputation for professional development. After a great experience as a summer intern, I was fortunate enough to receive a full-time offer and quickly accepted.
Growth as a Lifelong Journey
Navigating three rotations in the development program offered many opportunities to learn and grow under skilled and thoughtful leaders while surrounded by talented and supportive peers from other MBA programs. I loved working in highly collaborative settings with teams from multiple divisions oriented on bodies of work that directly benefitted our crew and clients. I grew significantly from the relationships that were formed and a mindset that approaches every challenge as an opportunity.
I walked through the doors of Vanguard seeking the camaraderie and sense of purpose I experienced in the military. Reflecting on my time in the program I can now look back and say that Vanguard exemplifies an ethos that fueled my passion for military service – mission first, people always.
-Sean E.
I was first introduced to Vanguard as a cadet at West Point. My father had recently heard about Roth IRAs and target-date funds on AM radio while driving home from work. He urged me to open an account with Vanguard, based on its reputation as an honest company with low costs. At West Point, I had many classmates and instructors who were interested in swapping hot stock tips and investment philosophies. One thing that stood out the most to me was a strategy championed by Vanguard’s founder Jack Bogle that urges investors to regularly invest in low-cost, broadly-diversified, index funds, while sticking to an investment plan regardless of market conditions. I was hooked.
Following graduation, I had the privilege of leading armor, infantry, and recruiting Army units both stateside and in Afghanistan. Many of my soldiers came from disadvantaged backgrounds. For some, it was their first time ever having a substantial income in their lives. They would often confide in me as their leader for guidance on things like creating a budget or investing for the future. Time and time again, I shared Mr. Bogle’s strategy and urged my soldiers to open a Vanguard account because I believed it was a company they could trust.
Following my transition from active duty, I was looking for a career opportunity that aligned with my values and was mission driven. When I discovered Vanguard’s MBA Development Program, I knew I’d found exactly what I’d been looking for. I had the opportunity to take on meaningful, strategic work over the course of three, five-month assignments. The program also included a significant amount of mentorship from peers, senior leaders, and executives—something validated by program alums who were more than willing to connect as I sought to learn more about the program during the recruiting process.
I’ve heard the saying: you don’t want to meet your heroes, lest they disappoint. In this instance, the adage is mistaken. I write this blog post enroute to the MBA Veterans Conference to represent Vanguard’s commitment to foster career opportunities for top military veterans and drive a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. I’m wholeheartedly thrilled to share my Vanguard story with the next cadre of service members who seek a new mission of taking a stand for all investors, treating them fairly, and giving them the best chance for investment success.
– Mike S.
I never planned to work in IT. I started my Vanguard career serving our Personal Investor clients, helping them manage their investment accounts. Through that experience I gained an appreciation for the value of having financial literacy and the disadvantages of not having it.
Over the years, my passion for empowering others with financial education only grew. Over time I increased my financial acumen and became a CFP® professional in anticipation of becoming a financial advisor. So how did I wind up in IT?
Well, one day I saw an interesting advice job – an opportunity to support the technology that drives Vanguard’s advice products. After learning more about the product owner role and the team, I felt compelled to apply. It was a longshot, but what did I have to lose?
Then, two months after seeing “product owner” in a job posting for the first time, I was joining IT.
Tech-powered experiences
Vanguard has always embraced innovation to help our clients. It is well known that we championed cost-efficient investing – first with our mutual funds, and then, with our ETFs. Similarly, we promote access to trusted, world-class financial advice for those who desire a partner on their financial journey.
What may be less well known is the fact that Vanguard has always been a virtual (or “digital”) company, in that we primarily serve our clients virtually, not in offices. With this model, technology plays a huge role across every aspect of the organization.
Since joining the advice technology organization, I have contributed to a plethora of client-centric initiatives. I helped modernize how we rebalance clients’ portfolios, allowing us to scale. I drove bringing tax efficiency to employer plan participant investment recommendations, improving client outcomes. As an advice technology organization, we are committed to improving our platform and services to better support clients in reaching their financial goals.
Working for an organization that fosters innovation allows my team to solve complex problems with creativity. We leverage emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques, and cloud-based architecture to deliver a world-class experience to investors. We are exploring ethically responsible ways to leverage these resources to bring more personalization to our clients’ financial solutions, while protecting clients and their data. Embracing innovation removes the limitations of the current way of doing things and unlocks new possibilities.
Empathy is essential
In my first year directly serving clients, I received a handwritten letter from a client, saying. “I highly recommend the gentlemen for his helpful service to me last month.” Receiving a handwritten anything now-a-days is unheard of, but even in 2016 that gesture was rare. His letter is a reminder that we are serving real people.
After years of directly helping clients with their financial situations, I have learned to empathize with their perspectives. Through empathy, comes better understanding. My team keeps our clients at the center of our efforts. Through continuous collaboration with business partners who are obsessed with our clients’ experiences, we craft client-centric solutions and constantly refine those solutions with client feedback.
I may not have “planned” to join IT, but I am where I belong. As an advice product owner, I am promoting the financial wellness of our clients with the power of technology.
– David R.
Are you interested in Technology at Vanguard?
Hear directly from our tech crew here, and be sure to check out these opportunities.
Evaluating my options
As a student, choosing the right co-op / internship experience can be a daunting task. While I was an undergraduate student, studying Information Systems at Drexel University, I had the opportunity to select my third and final co-op experience for my degree. Since this was an important decision, I wanted to select the right organization where I could see myself building a career. Fortunately, I had several organizations to choose from, and I carefully evaluated each one.
When evaluating my options, I came across Vanguard. This was a surprise to me as I had taken a recent interest in FinTech and knew about Vanguard from my previous research in that area. From a financial institution lens, I knew that Vanguard was a leader in this industry and held good values that aligned with my own. The process of interviewing and onboarding was a serious but rewarding experience. I appreciated that the recruiters at Vanguard really took the time to determine if I would be a good fit for the organization and treated me like a real candidate, not just an intern.
Getting started
When I was accepted into Vanguard’s Application Development Co-op Program through Drexel University, I was both excited and nervous. I had never worked on an agile team or with some of the technology that Vanguard was using. However, I was fortunate to have a buddy and a mentor who both helped guide me through this new experience. My buddy worked on the same team as I did, and we collaborated on several projects. This collaboration helped me understand how scrum works and, most importantly, the development processes at Vanguard. After the first week, I felt like a member of the team, adding value wherever I could.
During my internship, I primarily focused on building out reporting tools and dashboards in addition to finding ways to optimize data transfer. One of my key accomplishments during the internship was creating real-time dashboards that not only identified when systems were down but also generated metrics for product owners and analysts. These dashboards provided valuable insights and helped the team proactively address issues.
While I enjoyed working on this team, I was also interested in exploring other career paths, including UX design and UI development work. Fortunately, my mentor, a UX Designer at Vanguard, advocated for me and connected me with a different team at Vanguard that was working on an internal project and needed some help with UX design. I also received support and encouragement from my manager to pursue this opportunity, which was a great feeling.
From co-op to career
After working on this internal project for some time, creating designs and ideating new features, I eventually started committing code. The team was impressed with all the work I was doing, and at the end of my co-op, I was offered the opportunity to stay on part-time doing development work for this team.
I continued to work hard and make an impact everywhere I could with this project, and eventually, I was offered a position to join Vanguard full-time. Becoming a crew member was a surreal feeling. Coming into this co-op, I knew I wanted a career with Vanguard, but I didn’t know how I would get there. Having the opportunity to network within the organization and to have so much support as an intern was unexpected. When I look back and consider the other opportunities I had for my third co-op, I know I made the right decision in choosing Vanguard.
Vanguard provided me with a great learning experience, where I got hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies and methodologies. I am grateful for the opportunity and all that I learned as well as the people I have met who helped me get here. I’m excited for the future and all the new opportunities that will come my way as an Application Engineer at Vanguard.
-Zachary K.
The STAR interview method is a technique used to prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions. STAR stands for situation, task, action, and result. Hiring managers will ask behavioral interview questions to determine if you are the right fit for a job. This method will help you prepare clear and concise responses using real-life examples.
As you prepare for your next interview, review your resume and think about your best moments during your most recent professional or college experiences (internships, work experience, organizations/extracurricular activities, and group projects). Try to have examples roles or situations that relate to the program you applied to. How did you really stand out? Influence someone in a positive way? Drive a team to successful outcomes? Demonstrated learning agility? Be sure to have these experiences top of mind as you prepare for your interview.
Check out more helpful tips from Vanguard recruiter Joe F. to help you prepare your next behavioral interview
Interested in a career at Vanguard? Click here to learn more.
Interested in a career at Vanguard? Click here to learn more.
1. Tell us about your journey to Vanguard?
I relocated to Pennsylvania in 1984 to attend West Chester University for Business. I was introduced to Vanguard through my sister, who was already employed here. I started out as a contractor and within a month, was hired full time.
2. How and why did you end up joining the military?
I began my military career in July 1989, while still being employed at Vanguard. At that time, I knew I wanted to go to college for Business, but funds were limited since I was on my own and carrying the load alone. Then, I received an opportunity to join the United States Army Reserves. In the military, I was able to leverage some of my skills like self-reliance, resiliency, integrity, teamwork, financial responsibility, and leadership and apply them in a different environment. I was truly elated that I could serve while still working at Vanguard. I also received funding for professional development training opportunities and to seal the deal, my college tuition was paid in full.
3. How were you able to balance both working at Vanguard and maintaining a career in the US Army Reserves?
It was not easy balancing Vanguard and the military, but my leadership team and HR partners did an awesome job in being flexible and supportive. My family also played an enormous role in stepping up and stepping in to make sure it was a smooth process. They made my ‘Vanguard and military’ career journey worthwhile.
4. What are some of the transferrable skills and experiences you’ve carried over from your experience in the military to your current role here at Vanguard?
Similar to Vanguard, in the military we had mandatory compliance trainings that were specific to my roles and responsibilities. Some of the skills that I carried over from my experience in the military are being confident, working as a team and valuing differences and diversity. I apply many of these skills everyday in efforts to provide client satisfaction and an overall positive client experience. Also, when dealing with challenging situations, I keep going. I don’t give up easily. Throughout my experience in both careers, I learned to treat others the way you want to be treated, treat your clients the way you want to be treated and enjoy the positive outcomes.
5. How has Vanguard supported your career development?
Vanguard has truly been supportive throughout my military journey from beginning to end. The support made juggling both careers so much easier to manage. I also found support through our crew resource group, Vets Connect. This group has provided so many resources for many of our veterans and military members. It is also a great way to stay connected, support and honor the military and allows for an easier transition to civilian life for candidates with a military background. I enjoy the Vets Connect events and panel discussions. It feels good to be a part of a community of people who share similar experiences.
6. What advice do you have for candidates who are transitioning from the military to civilian life?
Transitioning from military to civilian life can be a wonderful experience. Here’s my advice:
My Passion for Exceptional Customer Service Began with Chicken
After high school I started working as a customer service team member for a major fast-food restaurant. I was inspired to work for this particular restaurant because of how pleasant all the employees were each time I visited. I would often hear customers rave about how impressed they were with their customer service experience. I knew that if I could develop strong customer service skills, I could take that knowledge with me and apply it in any career path. I learned so much about the value and impact of exceptional customer service and I’ve carried that mindset with me throughout my career journey.
Say Cheese!
Your smile is one of the first attributes people notice. I’ve always admired how dental professionals can create beautiful smiles and wanted to get hands-on experience in the field. I shadowed at local dental offices in town and soon met a highly respected orthodontist who truly valued customer service. He loved my customer service background and offered on-the-job training. I spent the better part of 10 years working my way through the office, starting with chairside assisting and eventually becoming the office manager. I enjoyed the challenge of starting from square one. I knew nothing about dentistry and while there were tough learning seasons, those seasons helped me become a better dental assistant and had a huge impact on who I am today. The most valuable skill I learned during my time in dentistry was the importance of leadership and how impactful a strong leader can be for a team. I had filled the shoes of my team before, so I knew many of the challenges they faced in our line of work firsthand. From managing unexpected staff shortages to working with challenging patients, I learned how to quickly problem solve in high pressure situations. This was rewarding as I was able to find solutions for our patients and gain trust and respect from my team.
From Dentistry to Dividends
While I loved dentistry and the relationships I built with my patients, there was another industry that piqued my interest – the investment industry. I personally did not grow up with a family that knew much about investing, however the orthodontists I worked with engaged in investing daily. As they spoke about their brokerage accounts and referenced articles from The Wall Street Journal, I became more and more curious about the financial services industry, specifically investments. I knew I wanted to learn more but also still work for a reputable company with a positive culture. When I heard about Vanguard and the opportunity to obtain licensing and training, along with the values, I couldn’t say no. After researching the many opportunities that Vanguard offered, I applied to the Client Relationship Associate position serving our Self-Directed clients. Similar to my time in dentistry, I wanted to start at a beginner friendly level and continue to gain more knowledge and experience. I never thought I would be able to begin a career in the financial services industry without having at least a 4-year undergraduate degree. Vanguard was willing to take a chance on me with an associate degree and no previous financial experience. I knew that my customer service background and desire to go above and beyond for clients would be a great asset for Vanguard. I didn’t want to take this chance for granted so once I was hired, I studied hard for my industry exams. Three challenging months later, I obtained my Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) credential, Series 7, and Series 63 licenses. The elation I felt was like no other. I am grateful to have accomplished my goals and am now working as a Retirement Specialist. I am delighted to now serve our clients and help them to retire with confidence.
How I’ve Used My Story to Help Others
There are many people like me who didn’t have an opportunity to obtain a 4-year bachelor’s degree right out of high school who can succeed if given the right opportunity. I am thankful and proud to have referred a few of my previous colleagues to Vanguard and will continue to advocate for anyone else looking for an opportunity to grow. My advice to others who are thinking of taking the leap from one field to another but are afraid – jump. Until you spread your wings you will have no idea how far you can fly.
– Valerie F.