Landing an interview at Vanguard is an exciting opportunity but it can also be nerve-wracking. To help you ace your interview and make a strong impression we’ve compiled a comprehensive guide based on insights from Vanguard’s official blog. By understanding the interview process, practicing your responses, and showcasing your best self, you’ll be well-equipped to secure your dream job at Vanguard.
Preparing for the Interview
1. Practice Makes Perfect
Treat your interview preparation like a presentation Gather relevant information, rehearse your responses, and practice answering common interview questions. Utilize mock interviews with friends, mentors, or career services professionals to refine your skills
2 Know Your Vanguard
You don’t need to know a lot about Vanguard’s strategy, but you should learn about their mission, purpose, and values. Check out their website, videos, crew profiles, and social media pages to learn more about how they work and how they run their business.
3. Articulate Your Passion:
You should be ready to talk about why you want the job you’re applying for. Customize your answer to show why you want the job, whether it’s the chance to grow, the company culture, or a strong belief in their values. Avoid simply reciting information from their website; make your answer personal and relatable.
4. Present Your Best Self:
Interviews can be nerve-wracking, but it’s important to remain composed and professional. If you show too much nervousness, it could be seen as a sign that you aren’t ready. Remember that interviewers want you to do well, so show that you are confident and professional.
5. Answering Tough Questions:
Prepare for questions about mistakes and challenges you’ve faced. Be honest and genuine in your responses, even if they involve minor errors or miscommunications. Demonstrating humility and the ability to learn from mistakes is highly valued.
6. Mind Your Manners:
Avoid making negative comments about previous employers, colleagues, or educational institutions. Remember, your interviewers may have connections to those places, and negativity can reflect poorly on you.
7. Ask Thoughtful Questions:
Asking insightful questions demonstrates your interest in the role and your understanding of the company. Prepare questions about typical daily tasks, career trajectory, success metrics, required strengths, and employee satisfaction at Vanguard.
8. Follow-Up Etiquette:
Even if you decide to withdraw from consideration, politely inform the recruiter. A simple email expressing your gratitude and withdrawal is professional and courteous.
Quick Tips:
- Use notes sparingly during phone interviews, avoiding robotic delivery.
- Keep jokes and conversation topics neutral and professional.
- Fuel up before in-person interviews, as they can be lengthy.
- Bring your resume, notepad, and pens.
- Print directions to the office in case technology fails.
By following these tips and thoroughly preparing, you’ll be well-equipped to impress your interviewers and land your dream job at Vanguard. Remember, interviews are a two-way street; use the opportunity to assess if the company aligns with your values and aspirations. With confidence, preparation, and a genuine interest in Vanguard, you’ll be on your way to a rewarding and fulfilling career.
Preparing for a Vanguard interview – Be a STAR
You should learn more about the STAR format, which is also called behavior-based interviewing, and how to prepare for these kinds of questions if you have an interview coming up. What are STARs? The STAR format, which focuses on Situation/Task, Action, and Results, is often used by Vanguard’s hiring teams in interviews. This helps us learn more about your skills, experience, and how you work, as well as how they apply to the job you’re applying for. To give a good answer to these kinds of questions, you should describe the Task or Situation, the Action you Took, and the Results of that Action. 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 in retail, we had a regular customer who wanted to use coupons that were no longer valid. 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 that whenever he came in, he could see our newest deals. We found him a discount that he could use that day (Action), and the customer was happy and said he would be back when he left the store. That taught me that you can always find a way to help a customer, even if you can’t give them 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: “One person in my marketing class wasn’t finishing their work, which slowed everyone down on a team project.” 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. My teammate asked me to show him an easy way to do his research, and I gave him a few simple links that could help him get started. 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. ”.
See how the interviewee gave just the right amount of information to make the story clear without going on and on? Also, think about how many skills this candidate just showed off in a short amount of time: problem-solver, team player, strong communicator, and more.
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 don’t like, don’t answer with something unrelated or a question you’d rather not answer. Taking either of these avenues shows that you can’t follow directions. You might also finish early and not have time to answer any more questions that show off your skills and relevant experience.
Identify your STARs
You don’t have to have lots of job experience to share something relevant. Classwork, conversations with teachers, clubs, sports, part-time jobs, and volunteering are all good places to find STAR examples.
Interviews are professional interactions, so avoid inappropriate stories. And it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. Slang and fillers like “like,” “um,” and “uh” can weaken your words and make them less clear.
Final thoughts
STAR questions are hard to answer because they want you to talk about past successes that are related to the job you’re applying 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. Problem-solving with a professor, being a leader on a sports team, or communicating clearly while volunteering are all examples of skills and experiences that can show you will do well in your next job.
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.
How to stand out during an interview
FAQ
How many rounds of interview are there in Vanguard?
Why do you want to work at Vanguard answer?
What is the interview process like at Vanguard?
I interviewed at Vanguard (Malvern, PA) in Dec 2018 The first round is a phone screen with HR that consists mostly of behavioral questions. They are very big on the STAR method at Vanguard and really like answers that closely follow those guidelines. Most of their questions are about experiences working in a group.
What was the interview process like at Vanguard (Cambridge)?
I interviewed at Vanguard (Cambridge, MA) in Sep 2019 It was a 20 minute interview. The first half began with questions regarding content in the resume and some general fit questions. Second half shifted to questions about general finance and economics. Tell me about Quantitative Easing. I applied online. The process took 8 weeks.
How long does it take to get a job at Vanguard?
The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Vanguard The process was very fast and efficient it took 2 weeks. You receive a job assessment vie email which asks you personality type questions and has you complete job related scenarios. I had an initial phone interview with the recruiter then a video interview with 2 hiring managers.
How long did it take to interview at Vanguard?
I interviewed at Vanguard Full day on campus skills based and face to face on campus. Lasted for 8 hours. Interviewed with the hiring team and had to take a skills based test. Took a month to hear back. Why you for this tole? I applied through an employee referral. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at Vanguard (Malvern, PA) in Dec 2018
