How to Find and Secure a Financial Advisor Internship

Financial advisor internships offer a great opportunity to get experience before earning a finance degree and fully entering the workforce. Internships enable aspiring financial advisors to learn the ropes firsthand, and the knowledge and “on-the-job” training can be beneficial during a later job hunt. Internships also benefit financial firms by providing additional help to address pressing demands. This article shares ways you can find a financial advisor internship and the steps you can take to secure it.

Financial Advisor Internships Aren’t Just for Summer Anymore

Before you start your search, think about whether you’d be willing to consider something other than a summer internship. Some universities and companies offer co-op positions throughout the year. Fall and spring internships are also available at some financial services firms. These longer-term internships are often easier to secure because there is less competition. So, if you go for one of these positions, you could already be an intern when the majority of students are applying for summer opportunities.

Another benefit of longer-term internships is that they look good on your resume. They can also, on occasion, lead to a job offer from the same firm because they have had more time to evaluate your work and see your skills and knowledge.

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Searching for Financial Advisor Internships

Once you decide what kind of internship you’d like, a good place to start the search is at your college or university career center. These centers often have a list of financial services firms who are specifically interested in hiring interns. The career center can also help you determine where you would like to work when you graduate and in what capacity, which can help you hone your search.

Another avenue for finding open internships is searching the websites of major financial services firms. Some of the most well-known, such as Merrill Lynch, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo, advertise for internships on their sites. Others have their own special programs for college students. Vanguard, for example, has a College to Corporate Advice Internship Program.

Amplified Planning hosts 8-week Externships each summer that are 100% virtual and asynchronous for anyone interested in starting or advancing in a career in financial planning. That means you can take part from any part of the world, at any time of the day.

Independent finance associations such as CFP^® Board, NAIFA, and the Society of Financial Services Professionals have career listings that include internships. For less specialized sources, visit internships.com, Glassdoor.com, LinkedIn, and indeed.com and do a keyword search for internships as a financial advisor.

And, here’s a great tip for internet searches that can save you time if you are interested in interning close to home or your university: simply go to Google and type “finance internship” or “financial advisor internship.” It will return listings of all the internships available in your area or state, including those that are advertised by financial firms or on all the major job search sites, including internships.com. You even have options for where and how to apply.

Getting a Financial Advisor Internship Interview

Like any career opportunity, you need to stand out in a sea of online applications so you can get an interview. Here are three good tips that can help you meet that goal:

• Contact the financial firms on LinkedIn before you apply: Do a search for the firms’ job openings. There is usually a contact name there. Or, you can do a search for “talent” with the company’s name to find a talent manager. Reach out to that person and express your interest in the internship and explain what makes you the best candidate. Let them know you plan to apply.
• Go over your resume carefully to make sure that it honestly represents your experience: Eliminate language that stretches the truth, such as saying you have cash management experience because you were a retail sales associate. Put your most relevant experience at the beginning and don’t forget to include any related volunteer work, such as helping people with their taxes at the library or being part of an investment club at a charitable organization.
• Apply early: As in just about every job market, competition for internships is fierce. The earlier you can get your application to financial services firms, the better. It helps you make a great first impression. You should also read the application carefully to make sure you follow the instructions to the letter. That also goes a long way toward impressing the firm.

Although these tips can’t guarantee you an interview, they can get you closer to one. If you don’t get an interview on the first try or first few tries, do not become discouraged. Look for other opportunities and keep applying. This article on getting a finance internship has additional advice that can help.

Acing the Interview

If you’ve been notified that you have an interview for a financial advisor internship, there are a number of things you can do to make sure you come through it with flying colors. Here are a few that have worked successfully for others:

• Before the interview, brush up on your finance knowledge and technical skills and work through the common finance problems or processes on which you could be tested. Then consider them in the context of the firm that is interviewing you and how to apply them in real-life scenarios. In addition, read this article on common finance internship interview questions and practice answering them.
• On the day before the interview, practice “selling yourself”: What are you good at? What makes you different from every other candidate who is applying for this internship? What soft skills, personality traits, passions, and values do you bring to the table that others don’t?
• On the day of the interview, bring your own set of questions: This article on preparing for a finance interview has some really good ones that focus on the work you’ll do, the organizational culture of the firm, and what skills and abilities you’ll have gained at the end.
• Emphasize your flexibility: Although many interns have set duties, you might be asked to do work outside those duties or they might vary or change frequently. Let the interviewer know you are willing and able to take on new or different tasks. Be as professional as possible throughout the interview and in other interactions you have with anyone else in the firm. However, you should also relax and have confidence in yourself. Smile when you can because that always makes a good impression.

Personality Wins Out

A final note: personality is key to landing a financial advisor internship. Companies really aren’t interested in hiring robots; therefore, you can stand out from the crowd by demonstrating that you’re passionate about something other than work. Help the company get past your interview “game face” by letting them learn more about you as a person. Situations that demonstrate your ability to lead or be an active member of your community are great examples to cite in your resume, application, and interview.

You Got the Internship! What’s Next?

The questions shouldn’t stop once you’ve gotten hired. Read our article on the five valuable questions you should ask your employer during your financial advisor internship to learn more.