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      Why You’ll Love Working as a Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual

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      Working with a variety of different people to unlock their financial, personal, and professional goals, the work of a Financial Representative is vast and unbounded. Given that there are so many different options and ways to build your financial health, representatives have the ability to use tools and resources to help design plans for their clients. 

      But what does that actually look like? To find out, we spoke with Josh Chandler, a financial representative at Northwestern Mutual, about why he loves working as a  financial representative. 

      Despite being at an intern level, Josh has already been given several opportunities to drive his career forward. In our conversation with him, we learn a little bit more about what working at Northwestern Mutual as a financial representative is like and how he became so successful early on in his career. 

      Impacting Your Clients

      When I first asked Josh what it was about financial consulting and planning that interested him, he shared an anecdote about a family member who he wished had help from a financial representative. 

      Today, Josh is inspired to help other people reach financial wellness because of the story his family member went through. For him, working with people from all different walks of life is what really makes him feel fulfilled. 

      Although blue-collar folks are Josh’s favorite clients to work with, they only represent a  portion of the clients that representatives get to work with. Maybe you want to help out single moms, maybe you want to work with athletes, or maybe you want to work with people like yourself who just got their first job!  

      The beauty of being a financial representative is getting to build your own portfolio and working with the people whose lives you truly get to make a difference in. 

      Celebrating Wins

      Another rewarding part of being a financial representative is that you get to enjoy celebrating the success of your clients every single day. The work you’re doing with these people is very real and impacts their lives in very meaningful ways. What you’re doing might help someone buy a new car, pay off debt, or even send their child to college! These are all milestones that you get to celebrate with your client. 

      It is clear that financial representatives have a really big impact on people’s lives and well-being. This means on any given day, you could be helping someone reach their goals that wouldn’t have been possible without you! It works like this that makes the day-to-day of a financial representative so fulfilling.  

      Interns Do the Same Things as Full-Time Representatives

      By the end of my conversation with Josh, I had to ask him again if he was still an intern  because it hardly seemed that way. Josh had his own office, tons of clients, and was  continuing to build his career in profound ways. 

      However, a good portion of his success can be attributed to the fact that Northwestern  Mutual gives interns the chance to work as full-time representatives right from Day 1  and work with people who inspire them to succeed. Senior advisors help guide in the beginning and along the way as needed, but the role is still very autonomous. 

      The financial representative internship at Northwestern Mutual is hardly an internship at all. Take Josh Chandler’s story as proof that you can have a limitless impact on the  clients you serve while building a business for yourself, but not by yourself. 

      Northwestern Mutual is looking for more people to join their internship program and start  experiencing what life working as a financial representative is really like! Check out their  WayUp profile for more information on jobs, news, and the company itself. 

      Northwestern Mutual Financial Representatives are Independent Contractors whose income is based solely on production. 

      Not all Northwestern Mutual representatives are advisors. Only those representatives with the titles “Financial Advisor” or “Wealth  Management Advisor” are credentialed as NMWMC representatives to provide advisory services. 

      Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM) and its subsidiaries in  Milwaukee, WI. More

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      Day in The Life of an Investment Analyst at Insight Partners

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      The private equity and venture capital space is one of the most exciting and dynamic industries to work in. So much so, that job descriptions often fall short of capturing the incredible opportunities and fulfilling work that professionals get to do.

      This being the case, those who want to pursue a career in PE and VC don’t always have a clear picture of what it looks like. To shed some light on what a career in investing entails, we spoke with a pair of former analysts and current associates at global software investor Insight Partners about their day-to-day work. Insight Partners invests in high-growth technology, software, and Internet startup and ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries

      Sourcing

      Analysts are responsible for identifying new investment opportunities in the form of businesses and products, or what’s known in the industry as “sourcing.” At Insight Partners, analysts look to source promising companies in a variety of software subsectors such as FinTech, HealthTech, cybersecurity and more.

      Simply put, sourcing is the active process of identifying and evaluating potential investment prospects. The actual undertaking of that can consist of anything from market research and referrals to outreach and pitching. What’s so enjoyable about this part of the job is the excitement surrounding the discovery of a new business or opportunity that no one has come across before!

      Talking to Founders

      A big part of sourcing is talking to founders and executives. As an analyst, you’re given the opportunity to speak directly with these founders as they share what oftentimes is their life work, and something they have built from the ground up. In addition, being able to speak with some of the smartest subject matter experts across a variety of industries and sectors presents analysts with a massive opportunity to grow and learn about different technologies and domains.

      Zack went on to say how thought-provoking it is to listen to someone sharing the most interesting things that they know—things that might have taken them years to find out, test, or hypothesize. For Zack, having access to that kind of information and learning more about the world are what he really loved about being an analyst. 

      Becoming a Market Expert

      Although talking to founders is a crucial aspect of being an analyst, it is just one of many levers pulled on the track to becoming a market expert. Analysts also need to be well-versed and informed on particular markets in order to evaluate the potential of a business. While much of this is done by individual research, the analysts at Insight Partners have the opportunity to learn from those around them, which makes for an incredible culture of learning and development for all.

      For Ana Hugener, the Onsite Diligence & Growth Strategy team and the broader Insight Onsite team were two of the biggest influences to her becoming a market expert. The Insight Onsite team is made up of 140+ operational experts who work side-by-side with Insight’s portfolio companies in the key functional areas of a software company, including talent, sales, marketing, product, engineering and strategy. Onsite’s different Centers of Excellence mirror these company functions.

      These Centers of Excellence allow analysts the opportunity to grow in a variety of fields while also setting themselves up for future opportunities.

      Diligence

      While becoming a market expert is crucial for sourcing, it is equally as important for conducting diligence. The end-to-end diligence for new investment opportunities can consist of talking to founders about what they are building, telling them about Insight Partners, learning about markets, and more. Whether that’s looking at the model, the customer data, the competitive landscape or talking to customers, analysts at even the most junior level are given the opportunity to get involved.

      In our conversations with Ana and Zack, one thing they made clear about diligence is how much Insight allows entry-level and junior-level employees to get involved. Right from the get-go, analysts are making lasting impacts and contributions to the firm and their portfolio companies.

      Meaningful Work with Meaningful Companies

      Whether it’s sourcing, diligence, or portfolio work, one of the most gratifying aspects of working as an analyst at Insight Partners is the opportunity to do meaningful work with companies that make a difference. 

      After meeting with these successful analysts, it became clear that the software and technology industry is an incredibly fascinating and ever-expanding industry. This being the case, there is no shortage of interesting companies to work with.

      For Zack, his favorite portfolio company that he’s worked with sells software to pharmaceutical companies to help with clinical trials. The software allows the companies to simulate parts of the clinical trial process so that they can get FDA approval for drugs faster. For Zack, this meant he was helping a company that might be responsible for getting life-saving medications and drugs to market faster. This was an incredibly fulfilling opportunity in his day-to-day work as an analyst.

      For Ana, her favorite companies to work with were startups that were early on in their growth journey. Ana claimed that these companies are so interesting to work with because of all the questions that still need to be answered and the opportunity to have a real impact on the success of a business. For Ana, growing something from these early stages is what made the analyst role so appealing for her.

      Whether it’s sourcing, talking to founders, becoming a market expert, doing diligence, or making meaningful impacts on businesses, the work of an analyst at Insight Partners is an unbounded position with infinite potential. If you’re interested in a role where you can launch your career in private equity and venture capital, check out some of Insight Partners’ open roles today. More

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      How Two Engineers Found Success with Klaviyo and Their Boston-Based Experience

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      When you think of an ideal internship, what comes to mind? Do you think of a sprawling office space in a big city? Maybe you imagine rooms filled with massive whiteboards and colleagues sharing ideas and making moves? Or maybe, you think of an ideal internship as a place where everyone is friends as much as they are colleagues with a fantastic work-life culture?

      If you answered yes to any of those questions, then the Boston-based e-commerce marketing automation platform, Klaviyo, may be the place for you. Their summer engineering internship is a dynamic opportunity for aspiring engineers to find their footing in the industry and get a taste of the local tech scene in the Northeast. 

      We decided to sit down with a couple of Klaviyo engineers, one of whom started as an intern, to find out what it is that makes the program so special. In our conversations with them, we discovered that the hands-on work, vibrant office space, and incredible culture at Klaviyo helped make their internship experience memorable, and their work today as engineers so satisfying.

      Building Real World Applications

      Everyone we spoke to at Klaviyo agreed that part of what makes Klaviyo’s engineering internship unique is that interns get to work on things that have real business applications and problem-solutions for the company. Klaviyo’s goal for their interns is that by the end of the summer, they will have a project they worked on where they can really see their contributions taking hold.

      Maya Nigrin, a former intern and now senior software engineer, recounted how these very real engineering endeavors and projects made her feel like she was progressing in her career.

      Maya went on to share that never felt like she was being treated like an intern or somebody that didn’t know what they were doing. The fact that she was trusted to write code, do a good job, and take on difficult projects gave her the confidence needed to grow herself both as an engineer and early career professional.

      A Vibrant Office Space

      One of the biggest headlines over the past few years at Klaviyo is without a doubt the arrival of their downtown Boston office. With multiple floors fitted with everything from coffee, beer, and snack bars, a large outdoor balcony/terrace, open format workspaces, and even arcade games, ping pong, and shuffleboard, there is little that the sprawling office space doesn’t offer.

      In our conversation with Dmitry Mamyrin, a veteran engineer with tons of experience in the industry, he remarked on how much he enjoyed the layout and overall aesthetic of the space.

      Definitely not a bad view to have while writing some code or working on a project!

      Keeping a Level Head

      For Dmitry Mamyrin, it was the way in which his fellow colleagues dealt with high-intensity situations that made him admire the culture so much. Referring to a problem he and his team were addressing, Dmitry remarked that “everyone was so cool-headed during the event.” It made him realize how much he wanted to be a part of a culture with people who, “think critically and seriously, but don’t freak out and continue the process when out-of-the-ordinary events occur.” From our conversations with Dmitry and Maya we could tell that they are impassioned engineers who work alongside a cohort of similarly passionate colleagues who love what they do and the customers they do it for.

      As Klaviyo continues to grow, so too does its summer engineering internship and the opportunity it affords everyone who participates in it. For more information on Klaviyo and internship application details head over to their company profile today! More

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      The IoT Adventures of One T-Mobile Engineer – From Intern to Product Manager

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      From LEGO® and iPads to some of the most complex engineering products in the world, Hari Annamraju has always been interested in the way things are built. For someone like Hari, it was never enough to stand on the sidelines as a student or an impassioned fan. He wanted to live the engineering life and every aspect of it.

      Luckily for Hari, fortune found its way to introduce him to T-Mobile and the company’s revolutionary aspirations in developing and emerging technology. Although he started his career with T-Mobile as an intern, he is now working as an IoT Product Manager Intern spearheading some of the bravest innovations in engineering.

      Given Hari’s incredible three years with T-Mobile, we were eager to chat with him about why he chose to pursue the internship, what he’s learned since being there, and what he hopes to do with his experiences.

      From chasing what he’s passionate about and getting second-to-none exposure to growing as a leader and making lifelong friends, this is Hari’s story as a T-Mobile intern.

      Pursuing a Meaningful Passion

      One thing Hari reiterated during our interview is that passion is one of the most important things someone can have. It was clear that he was brimming with plenty himself.

      The year was 2020 and the gloom of quarantine was just beginning to break the horizon. But in these dark times, something became illuminated to Hari. He noticed that this was a time when everyone wanted to be connected and people were craving human interaction more than ever. 

      When he finally came across T-Mobile, a light went off in his head. What better time to join a company connecting people across the country than now?

      With his ambitions in engineering coming to a head with a new-found pursuit of preserving human connection, Hari dove headfirst into T-Mobile’s emerging technologies internship.

      Second-to-none Experiences

      In the three years that Hari interned at T-Mobile, he got the opportunity to work on projects that directly impacted his fellow employees as well as innovators and developers across the world.

      The first project Hari worked on was a development called Employee Connect. The question for the project was posed; how can we transform the way all 75,000 employees at T-Mobile work on a day-to-day basis?

      The answer was fearless: create software that helps employees align with corporate goals, mature in their careers, and align with one another to create seamless execution on projects and help employees see direct results that make them feel valued for their work.

      From leading scrums to flexing programming muscles that he never knew existed, Hari’s first project as a T-Mobile intern was eye-opening. It dunked him into the deep end of the pool and gave him an experience that welcomed him to the engineering industry with a splash.

      Although I was already impressed hearing about the two summers that Hari spent working on Employee Connect, it was when he started talking about a platform that would change the way developers build products that made me sit up in my chair.

      Offering both a software development toolkit and a hardware development board, DevEdge empowers developers to create the next generation of IoT products while using the Power of T-Mobile’s network. Whether you’d like to control a fleet of drones or you’re creating a mobile Bike-theft defense system, DevEdge helps designers get it done. And Hari was there to make sure that happened.

      But hands-on practical experience wasn’t all that Hari would gain during his time as a T-Mobile intern.

      What Does It Mean to Be a Leader?

      Another alluring feature of T-Mobile’s internships is that they aren’t just building future engineers, they’re building future leaders. For Hari, not a single summer went by where he didn’t find himself growing as a leader and sharpening his abilities to inspire direction.

      His first taste of leadership with T-Mobile was as a scrum master and in his contributions to the Employee Connect project. Some of this work even included him advising his senior colleagues and offering suggestions on workload management.

      It was clear that in the three years he spent at T-Mobile, Hari turned himself into someone people could really follow and take note of. In describing what it means to be a leader, Hari said that it’s not necessarily about directing people, but more so influencing their decisions. 

      The key phrasing here, to “influence someone’s decision” rather than telling them what to do, is what separates Hari apart from other young leaders. Staying humbled enough to win his peers’ respect but intelligent and adept enough to grab the reins when needed.

      While his leadership position may have been chiseled during his time in the UofMagenta program, it was when he worked as an IoT Engineering Intern in Washington state this past summer that his ability to lead really came to life. 

      Sitting in a boardroom with four of his fellow interns, looking over a view of the Seattle cityscape, Hari and his team were charged with creating a new product using their DevEdge platform. Their own “startup” as Hari referred to it with a chuckle and a grin.

      Who would be there to lead that team, none other than Hari Annamraju?

      Friendships, Networking, and an Uplifting Community

      When Hari spoke about the friendships he forged during his time at T-Mobile, it was hard not to see the company as a thriving social community as much as it was a national powerhouse in communication and tech.

      He reflected upon one of the first colleagues he befriended, someone he would chat with often on topics ranging from highly complex engineering concepts like remote controlling full-sized vehicles and fighting wildfires with 5G to banter about the Oscars.

      What was also touching about Hari’s first year at T-Mobile was the farewell he got at the end of the summer. After writing a goodbye/thank you message on the company’s messaging app, Hari was delighted to receive several reactions, comments, and responses from fellow colleagues letting him know that the feeling was very much mutual.

      It’s clear that the culture at T-Mobile is all-for-one and one-for-all, if not through Hari’s early experiences than through his recent exploits as well.

      This idea was underscored, emphasized, and by all means, punctuated by Hari’s recent interaction with a Director at the 5G Hub at T-Mobile – a division looked at as the company’s Excalibur in the world of interconnectivity.

      The conversation seemed like two friends swapping ideas in their neighborhood garage. In reality, they were discussing potentially life-changing consumer IoT applications but it carried on as a very amicable and passion-flavored exchange that two casual acquaintances would have. 

      It was then that I realized the kind of prosperous and collaborative environment that T-Mobile has created. An environment in which wins are better celebrated when stacked on top of each other.

      It didn’t matter that Hari was an intern or that he was interacting with a Director, the culture at T-Mobile purports the idea that no matter who you are or what your position is, you can work, learn, and grow with whoever you want.

      What Hari and T-Mobile also seem to purport time and time again is that anyone can do it, you just need to be passionate enough to take the chance.

      So what are you waiting for? Start browsing open roles inside and outside of T-Mobiles thriving engineering space today and take yourself from entry to executive. More

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      Data and Financial Technology: What it’s Like to Work at Bloomberg

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      Finance and business professionals are faced with the challenge of navigating increasingly large volumes of data to make the most informed decisions possible.Bloomberg, a financial technology company, plays an important role in connecting the world’s decision-makers to accurate information about the financial markets. Through innovative tools such as the Bloomberg Terminal, the company provides access to financial data, news, and insights that help clients turn knowledge into action.Bloomberg’s Data team is responsible for the end-to-end intake and delivery of data behind the company’s products and services. The team processes billions of pieces of financial information daily and plays an integral role in ensuring the breadth, depth, and quality of financial data for which Bloomberg is known.In this article, we’ll learn more about the Data department and its ever-evolving role at Bloomberg and within the financial technology industry. Additionally, we interviewed James Hook, the Global Head of Data, about the latest industry trends, his career trajectory, and the traits and skills needed to succeed in Data roles today.Bloomberg’s Data Department At Bloomberg, data analysts combine both financial market knowledge and technical expertise to collect, analyze, and supply the most relevant content to clients operating across industries and asset classes. At its core, the team is primarily responsible for: 1) acquiring, modeling, and enriching proprietary and third-party data so that it can be used by clients, 2) providing support to client data queries, and 3) innovating workflow efficiencies that enhance the company’s systems, products, and processes.Data management is an emerging area that comprises many academic

      disciplines, including data modeling, artificial intelligence, data science, and data quality management. Individuals who focus on data at Bloomberg are given training and client exposure to better understand how data fits into the financial markets. As the data industry evolves, ample opportunities to expand one’s skill set and experience emerge across various domains.The rapid evolution of the industry also requires Bloomberg’s data team to adapt to the latest trends and practices to help clients solve their current business problems. The team proactively stewards data that addresses future client needs.

      The Career Trajectory of James Hook

      During his 18-year tenure at Bloomberg, James Hook has embodied what it means to be an effective team member and leader. At Bloomberg, James has demonstrated an ability to work across different disciplines, first as a software engineer and later as a Team Leader of the Structured Products team, where he developed both technical and financial market expertise to deliver valuable client solutions.That experience led him to the Data Technologies Engineering team, where he  managed the talented individuals who built the systems that on-board all the reference data that drive Bloomberg’s applications and enterprise systems. Now, as the head of the Data division, he focuses on combining domain expertise with innovative data management techniques to increase the overall value of our data products

      Through his intellectual curiosity, collaborative spirit, and diligence, James has grown his career at Bloomberg. While his path is unique, it speaks to the career possibilities available in Bloomberg’s Data Division. Global Opportunities in Data

      During our interview, James Hook described what Bloomberg – and the data industry in general – looks for in candidates, and the qualities it takes to succeed and make an impact as an employee.

      Successful Bloomberg data professionals can come from a variety of academic backgrounds and share two common traits – first, an aptitude to delve into specific data and financial domains, and second, an appetite for innovation and experimentation.

      In addition to developing subject matter expertise and technical skills, data analysts collaborate with a range of stakeholders around the globe, from Engineering to Sales, on product development.While most of Bloomberg’s employees work in major cities around the world, many data analysts work in Princeton, NJ, a suburban community about an hour from New York City. The Princeton location offers a research campus-like culture and boasts open, outdoor spaces that facilitate unique collaboration opportunities among the departments working there. This location also allows the team to build relationships with local universities and foster a continuous learning environment where new and bold ideas are developed, tested, and brought to life.With a diverse data team based around the globe in Princeton, New York City, and more than half working in Latin America, Europe, and Asia, James is focused on nurturing a culture of collaboration and inclusivity throughout the department and the broader organization as a whole. 

      Bloomberg runs on data. Thus, developing strong data management skills is critical for Bloomberg’s continued and sustained growth as a company. Positioned at the intersection of technology, finance, and data management, employees have a lot of range to explore their passions and pursue different projects throughout their careers with the firm.Not only is the culture and environment of Bloomberg special, but also the company’s philanthropic mission makes a real impact on the world and is incredibly motivating.If you’re interested in learning more about open roles at Bloomberg and taking a step further into the world of data and analytics, check out their current job listings. As the world of data grows, so do the opportunities, so don’t hesitate to make your move! More

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      Day in the Life: Working at One of the Biggest Accounting Firms in the US

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      There is nothing that compares to an energetic, engaged, and sociable office environment. A place that feels like a second home, where you know everybody, where you can put your best foot forward, and where you can grow and thrive with a group of diverse minds who aren’t just your colleagues but your friends too.

      We’re happy to say that such an office exists in the heart of Minneapolis. KPMG Minneapolis has built a culture and community that goes far beyond an office space. In our conversations with employees from the KPMG Minneapolis office, both new and old, we discovered what makes their office perfect for those who want more than a run-of-the-mill office experience.

      Collective Problem-Solving

      A very common worry that a lot of entry-level employees or early career professionals come across is what to do when faced with obstacles. As is the case with any new job, challenges will arise, so this is very natural.

      When we spoke with Reece English, a former intern and current Tax Associate at KPMG, he mentioned that having a bunch of fellow colleagues in the same position as him was incredibly helpful. For example, one day Reece was having an issue with a platform he was using at his desk. After firing off a question to a fellow colleague, instead of replying in the chat, she stopped what she was doing and went over to Reece’s desk and walked him through it.

      Whether it’s asking a fellow intern for a ride to work or getting a managing partner to look over a review you did, everyone at KPMG seeks to support one another whenever possible.

      Social Life

      In our conversations with employees from KPMG, we discovered that they cultivate a culture that values socializing and employee interaction. Pizza days, taco Tuesdays, morning coffee and donuts, and happy hours are incredibly common at the KPMG Minneapolis office. These events help build camaraderie and meaningful bonds between employees.

      The Minneapolis office even has a basketball team and kickball team. While the basketball team is company-wide, the kickball team is exclusively for interns and gives them the chance to compete in a tournament against the other Big Four accounting firms. KPMG won in 2021 but lost in 2022 so they are hoping for a big comeback next year.

      Lastly, the training at the KPMG Lakehouse in Orlando also underscores the firm’s dedication to building a well-connected community. Every year, all KPMG professionals from, intern to partner, head down to the training and innovation center to upskill, socialize, and get to know one another better. Fit with a gym, social venues, and tons of other amenities, the experiences at Lakehouse goes to show KPMG’s dedication to creating fun and lasting bonds between employees.

      Real Experience with Clients

      The KPMG Minneapolis office is particularly unique because of its close proximity to its clients, many of which are Fortune 500 companies. In fact, Minnesota is home to over fifteen Fortune 500 companies, most of which are audit, tax and/or advisory clients of the Minneapolis office. What this means is interns and associates get the chance to interact and work directly with clients on a regular basis.

      Whether it’s through coffee chats, boardroom meetings, or onsite engagements, employees get the chance to work directly with these clients as they help influence business decisions in real-time! For Lilli Denison, that meant no day was the same.

      This communal aspect, paired with the client engagement that even interns get to partake in, made Lilli realize that employees at the Minneapolis office would always be exposed to new, exciting, and meaningful work.

      A Supportive Network

      Another one of the most alluring aspects of the KPMG Minneapolis office is the bottomless support network provided by fellow colleagues and partners. In our conversation with James Powell, the office managing partner in Minneapolis, he spoke about the “pass it forward” mentality that exists throughout the organization.

      James emphasized how there is a “whole network of people who, yes, have a job to do, but at the same time also find it very important to make sure that the people around them are successful.” James went on to say how much of a proud culture the KPMG Minneapolis office has and how that pride reverberates off the behavior of employees helping one another. This pride stems from their devotion to helping fellow colleagues and lifting each other up whenever possible.

      At KPMG, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been with the company for a day or a decade, everyone is treated the same and given the same opportunities to grow and succeed.

      Make the Minneapolis Leap

      People choose to stay at KPMG for a variety of reasons. Some include the ones we mentioned earlier, but many of them are discovered by the employees themselves. Whether it’s the support system, the social life, or the paths to success that are paved for each and every employee, the KPMG Minneapolis office is the destination where early career professionals go to thrive.

      Learn more about the internships and open roles that KPMG is looking to fill at their Minneapolis office and locations across the country here and begin your road to success! More

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      How An Assistant Vice President Launched His Career with WayUp

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      There is no one set path to your dream job. As you move through life, college, and your early professional career, new avenues will appear and opportunities will begin to show themselves.

      While there are several places to look for these new avenues and opportunities, one place that a lot of early career candidates are using to find jobs is WayUp. One individual who used WayUp to find his dream job is Louis Smith, an assistant vice president at multinational universal bank, Barclays.

      Recently, we got the chance to chat with Louis to hear all about how he went from intern, to analyst, to assistant vice president in just three years. In our conversation, Louis mentioned some career tips and insights into the job-hunting process, what his internship was like, and why he loves working at Barclays so much.

      The Job Search

      In late 2018, Louis knew he wanted to explore finance, work in New York, and thought that it would be cool to work at a bank. He knew what he wanted, but he didn’t necessarily know where to find it. What he ended up doing, and now recommends to current job seekers, is find out everything he wanted out of a job – industry, location, position, etc. – and narrow down the search as much as possible.

      Luckily, WayUp provided him with the perfect place to do that.

      As a lot of college students, early career professionals, and job seekers will find, it can be hard to figure out what kind of job you want. What made things easier for Louis was scanning the market with WayUp, finding out what he did and didn’t like from job applications and filters, and shooting his shot from there. Eventually, he came across Barclays and their summer analyst internship.

      An Internship of a Lifetime

      While Louis had past job experience, his summer banking internship at Barclays in 2019 was his first major job in an office setting. Besides the fact that he was working in Manhattan, just a few blocks away from Time Square, and doing what he had always wanted to do, Louis didn’t really know what to expect during his summer at Barclays.

      As it turned out, Barclays’ summer analyst internship was the perfect combination of exploration and support. Louis was able to explore new territory, learn new concepts, and make significant contributions to the business all at the same time. 

      Whether it was financial analysis and modeling or valuation and client due diligence, Louis’ time during Barclays’ summer internship program exposed him to the world of corporate banking and all the opportunities that existed within it. Something that made his time at Barclays even better, however, is the culture, environment, and people at Barclays.

      What Makes Barclays Different

      The finance and banking industry is massive. That means that there is no shortage of places to work and grow your career. However, each of these institutions has something that sets them apart. For Barclays, it’s the culture and people that make their company stand out so much.

      For Louis, going to work meant he would be surrounded by people who don’t just care about performing their jobs, but uplifting and helping one another grow as well. In turn, this helped him appreciate his own role at the company and stay motivated to contribute to the company’s goals as well as his own.

      A Community Perspective

      While this people-forward mindset is certainly prioritized at Barclays, it goes a step further with employee resource groups. These employee-led organizations, whose aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with the organizations they serve, have proved to have enormous benefits for employees.

      As is the case with the employee resource groups at Barclays, Louis has certainly gained a lot with his involvement in the Black Professionals ERG. Specifically, as it pertains to his interactions with people he didn’t normally get to interact with.

      Additionally, Louis’ involvement in the Black Professionals Group has also allowed him to take on new roles and responsibilities. From leading panels and hosting discussions, Louis has been able to grow his skills in massive ways all while demonstrating his capabilities and competence in front of senior stakeholders. Once an intern but now an assistant vice president, Louis attributes part of his success to experiences like this.

      What Will Your Path Be?

      Although Louis Smith’s path to success was ideal, there are several different routes young professionals can take to achieve their goals. What every ambitious individual should take from his story is to make the most of the opportunities available to you.

      If you’re looking for new opportunities that could very well be the jumping-off point for a lucrative career, create your WayUp profile today and check out some of Barclays’ open roles. More

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      What Makes Lockton Such an Uncommon Insurance Agency?

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      When you think of insurance, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s broken windows and flooded basements. Or maybe you think of Jake from State Farm and their auto and car offerings. But what a lot of people don’t think of when it comes to insurance are all the unique businesses that require coverage and the exciting ways in which brokers and agents can offer it.

      Lockton Insurance, the world’s largest privately held brokerage firm, is constantly redefining the role that insurance companies play in the world of business. Simultaneously, they are also turning preconceptions regarding insurance companies on their head.

      Recently, we spoke with two executives at Lockton about what makes their firm such a unicorn in the industry. What we learned was that their approach to insurance, their clientele, the impact they have on businesses, and the opportunities they provide for employees are all factors that set them apart from every other insurance company in the game.

      Approach – Consulting Not Selling

      One of the most unique characteristics of Lockton is its approach to selling insurance. First of all, they don’t sell insurance. Rather, Lockton is filled with brokers and agents who act as consultants that play an active role in the facilitation of a business. This differs from what people normally consider brokers and agents – salesmen who are simply selling a product.

      The takeaway here is that working at Lockton as a broker isn’t a sales role and it’s nowhere near a typical insurance agent position. At Lockton, the consultant approach is what makes the job exciting and keeps it fresh.

      This consultant-forward and creative-minded approach is why Lockton stands out in the insurance industry and makes it such a popular place to work.

      Clients from Every Industry

      From cannabis farms to deep-sea drilling operations, the clients that Lockton works with aren’t who you’d expect. The diversity and range of the companies that Lockton works with are part of the reason why working at the one-of-a-kind firm is so enjoyable.

      As mentioned previously, Lockton’s consulting-led approach really allows them to be embedded within a company and understand the nuances of its particular business operations. 

      During Josh Luther’s time at Lockton, he worked with a chocolate candy manufacturer and got to see how chocolate-covered almonds are made. He worked with a bakery and got to see all the different bread being made. Josh even had a client that was a packaging company that did the Capri Sun juice boxes all the way to garbage bags and medical supplies. He exclaimed how fascinating it was to watch something start from raw material and get built into a final product that people everywhere will use. 

      At Lockton, you’re not just working in the insurance industry. You’re working in all the different industries that your clients are a part of.

      Real-life Insurance Impacts

      While it can be exciting to work with unique companies and be immersed in their operations, what really lights the fire of Lockton employees is making an actual impact on a business. Not only does it mean you’re doing your job right, but it’s incredibly gratifying and provides a massive feeling of self-worth.

      When we asked Lauren Carson about what her favorite project was during her 14 years at Lockton she spoke about a time when she saved a company $1,000,000. After offering the company a full evaluation of their program, engaging in a deep conversation about their business, and understanding where they wanted to take things, Lauren and her team came back with a bunch of creative ideas that projected to save the company a massive amount of money.

      On the flip side of that, not providing a company with the right support as an insurance firm can spell disaster for businesses. Josh Luther mentioned that without the services Lockton provides, “businesses could slow down, it could mean a company doesn’t earn revenue. It means a construction team couldn’t get on site do their work and they might shut the job down or slow it down,” for example.

      The bottom line is that brokers at Lockton play a larger role in the success or failure of a business than you think, something that makes the job particularly rewarding.

      A Wealth of Opportunities

      In addition to Lockton’s approach, clientele, and impact, we felt that one of the most important features of their firm, especially as it pertains to students and young professionals looking for a job in insurance, is the opportunities they bestow on their employees.

      When we were speaking with Josh Luther he celebrated the fact that the firm grows by double digits every year and how that creates opportunities for their people – both vertically and horizontally.  

      Josh explained that if you can become a subject matter expert in a particular field, your opportunities to explore other areas within the firm open up. Not only that, Josh mentioned that they even provide employees with training and education to help them make that move.

      Whether it’s the skills you learn or the experiences you have, Lockton has incredible opportunities that are just waiting for you to explore. So if you’re looking to join a revolutionary organization that is changing the way the world sees insurance and the manner in which businesses use it, take a look at some of Lockton’s open roles. More