How to Make the Most of Financial Planning Internships

By Dawn A. Harris

Financial Advisor Magazine, August 10, 2022

Internships are a rite of passage for many college students embarking upon a financial planning career. Interns today are up against challenging virtual workplace dynamics, a looming recession and lingering consequences of three pandemic years. Despite these factors, this year’s class of financial planning interns is still eager to maximize their internship experiences, translate them to full-time offers amid an unsteady economy and launch their careers.

Dawn Harris describes six concrete, actionable tips to help financial planning interns to propel their careers forward. Here are some of them.

• Develop strategic career goals. Ask yourself what you are hoping to accomplish or learn over the next few months.  Spend some time researching the technical and interpersonal skills that you’ll need to advance your career, and think strategically about how your current employer can help you hone them.
• Find a mentor and other resource individuals or groups, such as ERGs. If you are assigned a supervisor, start there, but also be receptive to others with whom you might have natural chemistry or who may be doing work that excites you.
• Find an organizational style that works for you. Try out a few strategies, like maintaining a formal planner or running a to-do list on your laptop, to see what works.

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Dawn A. Harris is Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning.