Tag Archive for: financial advisor
My journey as a Financial Advisor Growing up in a lower income community, financial advice was a concept not frequently discussed, despite its importance. This disparity is what led me to become a Financial Advisor, but most importantly, what led me to pursue my career as a Financial Advisor with Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services (PAS). Vanguard stays true to its mission – to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success – and has been a trail blazer in doing this within PAS. I wanted the opportunity to be able to do what is best for clients from a variety of different backgrounds and levels of wealth, and PAS enables me to do this every day. Joining Vanguard’s Black Professional Network Professional development is a large part of why I enjoy working at Vanguard. Crew are always encouraged to continuously develop ourselves as well as those around us. As a member of one of Vanguard’s Crew Resource Groups, the Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN), I’ve had the honor of serving on a team within VBPN that has been tasked with creating and facilitating unique opportunities for crew to develop personally and professionally by building expertise. Fireside chat Earlier this year, we organized a fireside chat highlighting Vanguard’s advisory business, where leaders discussed how Vanguard is bringing advice to traditionally underserved segments at scale and shared career options and best practices for those interested in pursuing a career within Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services group. The event featured two of Vanguard’s most prestigious women in advice, Janelle McDonald, Head of Product Management and Strategy for Personal Advisor Services, and Massy Williams, CFA and the Principal and Head of Strategic Operations for Financial Advisor Services. The event was amazing! Janelle and Massy were able to explain where Vanguard fits within the broader advisory and wealth management industry, as well as provide an overview of the competitive landscape. They also opened up about how Vanguard has maintained its standing in the industry due to the quality of service that we offer at a competitive price as well as the commitment we have made to do what is best for our clients. Massy shared, “Vanguard has been consistent in telling investors to be disciplined, stay the course, and remain committed to their long-term investment plans.” This spoke to me because it is essentially the reason that I love being a Financial Advisor with Vanguard; we are equipped with the organization’s methodology and are empowered to do what is best for our clients to ensure they are successful long-term. Lastly, one of my favorite moments from the event was being able to hear more about career pathing within Vanguard’s advisory business. Janelle highlighted a wide range of options that are available to crew, from client facing roles, such as Financial Advisors, to product ownership opportunities that help shape how we deliver advice to our clients. There are a lot of possibilities, and that leaves me excited about the future. Interested in exploring our Financial Advisor opportunities? Click here to learn more. -Aliya W. CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.
Advice services are provided by Vanguard Advisers, Inc., a registered investment advisor, or by Vanguard National Trust Company, a federally chartered, limited-purpose trust company.
Meet Deji A. He is a Financial Advisor Manager who shares how he found the right fit in Vanguard. Deji’s strong client focus and passion for developing his crew have remained a priority throughout his career. Watch his full story below:
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My journey as a Financial Advisor Growing up in a lower income community, financial advice was a concept not frequently discussed, despite its importance. This disparity is what led me to become a Financial Advisor, but most importantly, what led me to pursue my career as a Financial Advisor with Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services (PAS). Vanguard stays true to its mission – to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success – and has been a trail blazer in doing this within PAS. I wanted the opportunity to be able to do what is best for clients from a variety of different backgrounds and levels of wealth, and PAS enables me to do this every day. Joining Vanguard’s Black Professional Network Professional development is a large part of why I enjoy working at Vanguard. Crew are always encouraged to continuously develop ourselves as well as those around us. As a member of one of Vanguard’s Crew Resource Groups, the Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN), I’ve had the honor of serving on a team within VBPN that has been tasked with creating and facilitating unique opportunities for crew to develop personally and professionally by building expertise. Fireside chat Earlier this year, we organized a fireside chat highlighting Vanguard’s advisory business, where leaders discussed how Vanguard is bringing advice to traditionally underserved segments at scale and shared career options and best practices for those interested in pursuing a career within Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services group. The event featured two of Vanguard’s most prestigious women in advice, Janelle McDonald, Head of Product Management and Strategy for Personal Advisor Services, and Massy Williams, CFA and the Principal and Head of Strategic Operations for Financial Advisor Services. The event was amazing! Janelle and Massy were able to explain where Vanguard fits within the broader advisory and wealth management industry, as well as provide an overview of the competitive landscape. They also opened up about how Vanguard has maintained its standing in the industry due to the quality of service that we offer at a competitive price as well as the commitment we have made to do what is best for our clients. Massy shared, “Vanguard has been consistent in telling investors to be disciplined, stay the course, and remain committed to their long-term investment plans.” This spoke to me because it is essentially the reason that I love being a Financial Advisor with Vanguard; we are equipped with the organization’s methodology and are empowered to do what is best for our clients to ensure they are successful long-term. Lastly, one of my favorite moments from the event was being able to hear more about career pathing within Vanguard’s advisory business. Janelle highlighted a wide range of options that are available to crew, from client facing roles, such as Financial Advisors, to product ownership opportunities that help shape how we deliver advice to our clients. There are a lot of possibilities, and that leaves me excited about the future. Interested in exploring our Financial Advisor opportunities? Click here to learn more. -Aliya W. CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.
Advice services are provided by Vanguard Advisers, Inc., a registered investment advisor, or by Vanguard National Trust Company, a federally chartered, limited-purpose trust company.
Meet Deji A. He is a Financial Advisor Manager who shares how he found the right fit in Vanguard. Deji’s strong client focus and passion for developing his crew have remained a priority throughout his career. Watch his full story below:
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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.
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.
I started my career at Vanguard just a few months after graduating from Penn State. I didn’t know what to expect in the short or long-term, but I knew that I had a great opportunity before me. Vanguard, and our pioneer founder John Bogle, had and still have a stellar reputation as a place to invest and as a place to work. The feedback is consistent whenever I talk to people about where I work, and it started as soon as I got the job offer. I was hearing “That’s where I have my accounts!” and “I know someone who works there, and they love it!” It didn’t take long for me to realize that the success of the company and our reputation are well-deserved, as every focus is to do what’s right for our clients. This didn’t change, of course, as my career progressed. With additional responsibility came a greater level of care and attention to detail. As a financial advisor now, I use a measured and practical investment approach to help my clients reach their goals. We focus on controlling risk, as well as keeping investment costs and taxation to a minimum. Controlling risk and tax efficiency is practiced by advisors anywhere—but where Vanguard aims to set the bar is at cost management. It has been at Vanguard’s core from the beginning, when the aforementioned John Bogle founded the company with the goal of treating investors fairly.
These Vanguard advantages are so powerful for me as an advisor. I can focus on getting to know my clients and pairing them with the right solution without any second-guessing. This is the ideal climate for a trusting relationship—one that will survive through good times and bad. It seems like everyone is bracing themselves for the next correction or bear market, investors and advisors alike. Only the trusted advisor will maintain their clients’ confidence through turmoil, and I look forward to the challenge knowing that we have a rock-solid foundation.
In the meantime, I’m doing what I love. I’m helping people. As financial professionals, we may not realize how stressful finances can be when you don’t have a plan. You could argue that we’re as important to someone as their primary care physician or their psychologist, and that gives me tremendous satisfaction. And to be able to do it at Vanguard—it doesn’t get any better than that.
-Vahan T.
More careers blogs you may have missed
Studying For the CFP® Exam? Don’t Run Out Of Gas
Financial Advisor Matthew B. shares tips on studying for the CFP exam and trying to keep perspective and not “run out of gas”.
Redefining Success at Vanguard
Financial Advisor Daniel writes about how he found a career in advice at Vanguard, and how he’s able to balance his love for travel and his career.
A Lifetime of Opportunities to Lead, Grow, and Impact Others
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Exploring Careers in Client Services – Personal Advisor Services
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I Moved 2,000 Miles to Be a Vanguard Advisor
Jon, a Senior Financial Advisor, moved from Michigan to Arizona to start his career at Vanguard. He wanted to do something different with his life and make a bigger difference—he answers “Why Vanguard?” in this blog post.
About 10 years ago, before ‘distance-until-empty’ technology was standard in vehicles, I had a couple of friends who often played the ‘gas light’ game. The rules of the game are simple: Reset your vehicle’s tripmeter once your gas light goes on, and see how many miles you can go without running out of gas. Because MPG can vary for each vehicle, my friends never played against each other, but rather the game was always them vs. their car. Interestingly, there’s no way to win the ‘gas light’ game. Either you eventually go to the gas station to refuel, or you run out of gas and lose the game. Consequences of losing the game included calling a loved one, explaining why you ran out of gas, and then humbly asking for their help. Studying for the CFP® exam is a lot like playing the gas light game. Each study module is its own challenge where you must push yourself to the limit and increase your knowledge, but you must know when to give yourself a break and refuel. You must understand that it is a lot like planning for a wedding, not a toddler’s birthday party, and the inability to pace yourself appropriately can cause one to get burnt out and ‘lose the game’. Another key similarity between studying for the CFP® exam and the gas light game: There is no way to win the game. “What?! Don’t I get credit for passing the exam?!” Well, yes, but that’s not the end. If you’re like me, it is more of an enabler towards the ultimate goal: Helping people who need help. What matters most is what you do with the knowledge and how you use it to positively impact people’s lives, and there is no end to that, but rather it can be a life-long calling.
So, I bet you can guess what my motivation was for wanting to pass the CFP® exam. What is your motivation? What is the very specific, extremely tangible reason why you yearn to be a CFP® Professional? I strongly believe that you must have a confident, consistent answer to that question, because you’ll need that ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ amidst your long study sessions. What else might you need? Here are a few things for you to consider:
Leverage a professional education provider and trust their process. At Vanguard, we have a program where we partner with a professional education provider, and they have a myriad of resources that improve one’s ability to be successful. If your company does not have a formal partnership established, do some research and ask for corporate sponsorship through a provider of your choice.
Know your learning style and study habits. I cannot stress enough that this is, in my opinion, the most critical piece of one’s study strategy. You must know your learning style and what works for you. This allows you to be efficient and spend your time learning how you learn best. For me, self-study is key, and a classroom environment isn’t as effective. For you, it is likely something different. Adjust your learning style as appropriate.
Set a study schedule and get buy-in from your support system. I have five young kids. NOTHING is getting accomplished at home. For me, study time started in the office at 6:00am each weekday before my work day began. Whatever it is for you, make sure those supporting you during this journey, both at home and at work, know your study schedule and agree to help hold you accountable to it.
Final encouragement: If I can do it, anyone can do it. I hadn’t studied for a formal exam in over 10 years, and my fifth child was born a month and a half before exam day. That means my study skills were rusty, and I wasn’t getting enough sleep when I needed it the most. You’ll likely have your own challenges, but if you hold on to that motivational reason and persevere, you’ll be well on your way to positively impacting people lives. Just don’t run out of gas.
-Matthew B.
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.
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The Brain of an Engineer, the Heart of an Advisor
Financial Advisor Gary reveals why he changed his college major from architecture to finance and how he never looked back.
Redefining Success at Vanguard
Financial Advisor Daniel writes about how he found a career in advice at Vanguard, and how he’s able to balance his love for travel and his career.
A Lifetime of Opportunities to Lead, Grow, and Impact Others
Follow Célestine’s journey from finding her core purpose to returning to her roots as a leader at Vanguard.
Exploring Careers in Client Services – Personal Advisor Services
Crew members Tiana and Darrell share their perspectives on career choices, teamwork, and how they contribute to Vanguard’s mission in Personal Advisor Services.
I Moved 2,000 Miles to Be a Vanguard Advisor
Jon, a Senior Financial Advisor, moved from Michigan to Arizona to start his career at Vanguard. He wanted to do something different with his life and make a bigger difference—he answers “Why Vanguard?” in this blog post.