My Journey to Wealth Management

MAELLA TAGNE

During my sophomore year at Brown, I joined finance/business-related clubs after realizing that I wanted to concentrate in economics, and more specifically that I had an interest in finance. Immediately, I was flooded with information about recruiting, technicals, and networking. By the time I felt like I was up to speed and that I had an understanding of the industry, it was already time to begin recruiting for internships. At first, it felt like my only two options were consulting and investment banking - and I chose the latter. After struggling to answer the question “why investment banking” for a while throughout the recruiting process, I decided to go back to the drawing board and further explore my options within the finance industry. I found that there were plenty of options beyond investment banking, a lot of which offer similar salaries, exit opportunities, and would equip me with a similar skill set. I wanted a position that would challenge me and push me to learn a lot about finance while catering to my personal interests. Wealth management offered a perfect mix of analytical rigor and interpersonal skills, and so my decision was made. 

I was instantly drawn to the dynamic nature of the position and the fact it would allow me to develop personal long-term relationships with clients. The position also offers a much better work-life balance, something that I was not willing to overlook. I was also attracted to the fact that I would still be following the markets in this position. Finally, compared to other finance jobs, a career in wealth management would provide me with a lot of autonomy. Based on my personality this felt like the best choice for me, so I switched paths mid-recruiting season and began recruiting for wealth management summer internships. 

The recruitment process involved many coffee chats to learn more about different firms and their internship programs. The interview questions, even those on superdays, were a mix of technical and behavioral, with a heavier emphasis on the behavioral questions. Compared to recruitment for other positions, the process was more enjoyable as I felt that recruiters were very interested in getting to know more about me, my interests, and my experiences. Given the nature of the job, I was given many opportunities to showcase my personality, my active listening and problem-solving skills, on top of my technical knowledge throughout the interview process. Throughout the process, I relied heavily on the advice and guidance of people who worked in the field and of my peers who were going through the same process. After months of interviews and contemplating my offers, I chose to accept a position as a wealth management summer analyst at the Bank of America. 

I am very grateful for the opportunity and as I prepare for this next first big step in my finance career, there is much to look forward to. During the internship, I am eager to work on very small teams and gain relevant exposure to different aspects of the business, from client relationship management to portfolio management and financial planning. I am also very excited to provide a meaningful contribution while working alongside people who are so knowledgeable about their field and can teach me how to analyze market trends and construct portfolios based on different types of client needs and scenarios. Above all, wealth management is a relationship-driven business, and therefore I look forward to the many networking and mentorship opportunities that will surely come from this internship. 

It’s definitely been a long road to finding the right job and landing this position, but it has also been a very rewarding experience. From the initial decision to pursue this path to navigating the rigorous recruiting process, each step has reinforced my passion for the industry. I am grateful for my experience in WIB and all the individuals who have helped me along the way. As I prepare for my internship which is a few short months away, I also prepare myself to embrace all the challenges that lie ahead in my career.