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Preparing for a Vanguard interview – Be a STAR

August 21, 2019/in Advice from crew action, answer, answering star, answering star questions, coupons, customer, example, experience, expired coupons, interviewer, project, questions, role, skills, star, star format, star questions, stars, time, types of questions /by fdoerr

Preparing for a Vanguard interview – Be a STAR

Have an upcoming interview with us? You’ll need to know more about the STAR format – also known as behavior based interviewing – and how to prepare for these types of questions.

What are STARs?

In interviews, Vanguard hiring teams often use the STAR format, which focuses on Situation/Task, Action, and Results. This method helps us to better understand your skills, experience and working styles and how they relate to the role you’re applying for. To effectively answer these types of questions, describe the Situation or Task, the Action you took, and the Results of your specific actions. Here’s an example:

Interviewer: Tell me about a time when you had a tough client. How did you improve the relationship?

Candidate: When I worked at a retail store, we had a regular customer who wanted to use expired coupons. We can’t take expired coupons and the customer wasn’t happy about it. (Situation) I showed him how to get coupons on his phone (Action), so he would have access to our most current deals anytime he came in. We found a discount that he could apply that day (Action) and by the time he left the store, the customer was pleased and stated he would be back. (Result) I learned from that experience that you can always find a solution, even if you can’t give the customer exactly what they want.

The right details

Another trick to answering STAR questions effectively is to avoid generalities. Consider the difference in these two answers:

Before: “I had a rough project. I spoke with the person who wasn’t doing their work and it got better.”

Better: “I had a team project in my marketing class where one person wasn’t completing their tasks and was holding everyone up. I approached my classmate privately and asked if he needed help. He admitted that he didn’t understand the project and wasn’t sure where to start. I offered to show my teammate an easy way to complete his research and gave him a few simple resources that could bring him up to speed. After our conversation, my classmate made a complete shift. He finished all his work, before the deadline, and we got an A on our project.”

Notice in the above examples that the interviewee gave just the right amount of detail to make the story clear, without rambling. And consider how many skills this candidate just succinctly demonstrated – team player, problem solver, strong communicator, among others.

Listen for the details

When answering STAR based questions, listen carefully to what your interviewer is asking. For example, if you are asked for one example, don’t give two. If the interviewer asks a question you dislike, don’t jump in with unrelated information or a question you prefer to answer. Taking either of these avenues shows that you can’t follow directions. You may also run out of time to answer other questions that will demonstrate your skills and applicable experiences.

Identify your STARs

You don’t have to have lots of job experience to share something relevant. Some good places to uncover STAR examples include: classwork, interactions with professors, clubs, sports, part time jobs, or volunteering.

Interviews are professional interactions, so avoid inappropriate stories. And it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Slang or fillers (such as like, um, uh) can reduce the power of your words and lessen their meaning.

Final thoughts

The key to answering STAR questions is to call out past successes that apply to the role you’re interviewing for. Make sure the end result of your example is a win for all parties involved.

Also, the experiences you choose for STARs don’t have to be awe-inspiring. Leadership during team sports, problem-solving with a professor, or clear communication while volunteering can all demonstrate that you have the skills and experiences to flourish in your future role.

If you enjoyed this post, check out these Vanguard interview tips. And if you’re ready for a more rewarding, engaging, meaningful career, search our Client Services opportunities at www.vanguardjobs.com.

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Remembering Vanguard’s heritage through our History Center

August 7, 2019/in Our mission blog, business, center, center collects, collection, crew, first index, fund, fund reports, history, history center, investment, preserve, reflect, reports, started, story, time, vanguard, vanguard's history /by fdoerr

Remembering Vanguard’s heritage through our History Center

May 1^st marks 44 years since Vanguard opened for business. In this blog, we take some time to reflect on the past four decades with a virtual tour of Vanguard’s History Center.

Vanguard was started as a bold experiment – a firm built solely for the benefit of investors, not outside owners. Since the mid-1970s, we’ve remained steadfast to our investment philosophy and guiding principles. When a company has existed for over forty years, it’s bound to have accumulated some interesting artifacts. These can be fun treasures, like celebratory photos, or service awards, but may also include business data, fund reports, and employment documents. Unfortunately, over time, these relics can get lost, thrown away, or just physically fall apart.

The Vanguard History Center is changing all of that.

Established in 2014, the History Center is Vanguard’s corporate archive. They acquire and preserve items that tell the Vanguard story: both its origins, and its evolution. In addition, the Center collects original records that reflect our broad range of products, services, and other offerings. A staff of archivists gathers and conserves items, in addition to promoting awareness about Vanguard’s heritage, answering reference questions concerning Vanguard’s history, and delivering educational presentations about the Center’s work.

The collection currently includes business reports, marketing materials, advertisements, photographs, and objects. Assistant Archivist Kate F. observes, “One of the most valuable items archived in my opinion is documentation from the early days of the world’s first index mutual fund – the First Index Investment Trust – which was launched by Vanguard in 1976. These materials possess a wealth of intellectual value and are of central importance to telling Vanguard’s unique story.”

And thanks to donations from current and former crew, the collection is always growing. Here are just a few of the items crew can find there:

But this work is about more than just finding cool pieces, although it can be neat to see a handwritten letter from Jack Bogle to the crew. It’s about sustaining knowledge management, and ensuring we have all the resources and research to support any business need. The Center has provided fund reports for advisors, investment commentary for research projects, and resources to onboard new or transitioning crew. Archivist Emily C. explains, “Like a museum, the History Center collects items. The end goal, however, isn’t to craft flashy exhibits or displays. We’re building a resource. Crew use the body of information we collect to fulfill information needs.”

The collection connects crew around the globe with our culture and rich history.

It captures crew stories and achievements. And it reassures both clients and crew that we have a process in place to preserve those things that may otherwise disappear forever. The History Center’s motto is, “Preserving the past to support the future.” It’s a great reminder of the progress we’ve made, the goals we’ve achieved, and the evolution of our business. Most importantly, it demonstrates that we have never and will never waver from that mission we started way back in 1975.

Emily shares, “The coolest thing I’ve discovered isn’t in the collection, but about Vanguard – seeing just how deep the crew’s passion for Vanguard and our mission runs.”

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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Building a network on the softball field

August 21, 2019/in Crew benefits, Culture career, coffee or lunch, crew, crew members, department, field, joined the team, know, members, organized sports, played, playing, softball, softball field, softball league, softball team, sports, team, vanguard, work /by fdoerr

Building a network on the softball field

I have been playing sports since I could walk. Growing up I was heavily involved in tournament, club, and school softball, and I played college-level field hockey. My athleticism defined me. When I began my full time job working in a cubicle, I found the transition to be pretty difficult. Sure, I would go to the gym in the morning or evening, but I missed organized sports. Enter the Vanguard recreational softball league—a league that consisted of at least 16 different teams, all composed of Vanguard crew members.

The captain organizing the team in my department was admiring this year’s players and their skillsets—noting that they were going to have a great season. This was my chance to become involved with organized sports again! I joined the team and made the starting line-up as the first baseman. Little did I know that playing in the Vanguard softball league and building relationships with my teammates would prepare me for playing in the big leagues at work too.

As I’ve progressed in my career at Vanguard, I’ve seen how the friendships I made on the softball field have progressed as well. I joined the team while part of the Fund Financial Services department, where my role focused on pricing the individual stocks and bonds held in Vanguard mutual funds. I knew there were many directions in which my career could go, but I had no idea where to start. I didn’t know many people outside of my department, and I wasn’t sure if I should go back to school for further education. It was through my softball team that I learned about the many opportunities that existed at Vanguard. It might sound nerdy, but at team happy hours after the softball games, I picked the brains of my teammates. There was the Institutional Relationship Manager that played the outfield, the Investment Analyst that played short stop, the Fixed Income Trader that pitched, the list goes on. And to my surprise, they actually enjoyed talking about their roles outside of work!

The networking that resulted from the softball team extends far beyond the softball field. As the years went on I got to know people from all across Vanguard, and I met with them over coffee or lunch. It was with the guidance of these crew members, teammates, and friends that I landed a job in my dream department doing investment research, and decided to work towards attaining the Chartered Financial Analyst designation (I’m 2/3 of the way there!). Now, as new crew members join the softball team, they ask me about my job. They ask me to grab coffee or lunch with them to provide career guidance.

After six years on the team, I can say quite a few things about what the experience has done for me. It’s helped me transition from an active athletic lifestyle to a healthy work/life balance. It’s made me realize that the confidence I have on the softball field can carry through to the work that I do in the office. And just like in softball—or any sport for that matter—hard work and dedication will pay off over time. The same thing can be said when it comes to your role and career.

I’ve realized how to take the lessons that I’ve learned over the past few years and impart wisdom on newer crew members. I value the importance of a network, and learned that building a network doesn’t just happen in the office. Lastly, I proved to myself that I’ve still got it when it comes to organized sports! How do I know that? We’ve won the softball league championship every year since I’ve joined the team ;).

-Jenna M.

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

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Preparing for a Vanguard interview – Be a STAR

Have an upcoming interview with us? You’ll need to know more about the STAR format – also known as behavior based interviewing – and how to prepare for these types of questions.

What are STARs?

Interviewer: Tell me about a time when you had a tough client. How did you improve the relationship?

The right details

Another trick to answering STAR questions effectively is to avoid generalities. Consider the difference in these two answers:

Before: “I had a rough project. I spoke with the person who wasn’t doing their work and it got better.”

Listen for the details

Identify your STARs

Final thoughts

The key to answering STAR questions is to call out past successes that apply to the role you’re interviewing for. Make sure the end result of your example is a win for all parties involved.

« All News

Remembering Vanguard’s heritage through our History Center

May 1^st marks 44 years since Vanguard opened for business. In this blog, we take some time to reflect on the past four decades with a virtual tour of Vanguard’s History Center.

The Vanguard History Center is changing all of that.

And thanks to donations from current and former crew, the collection is always growing. Here are just a few of the items crew can find there:

The collection connects crew around the globe with our culture and rich history.

Emily shares, “The coolest thing I’ve discovered isn’t in the collection, but about Vanguard – seeing just how deep the crew’s passion for Vanguard and our mission runs.”

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.

« All News