Vanguard reviews

You'll find stats driven by a division called the CONN. Vanguard is crafty in approaching their "no's" to scheduling time off or required trainings in a good cop, bad cop fashion. Every 15 minute or 30 minute interval of the entire day has a quotient associated with it. If you know anyone who has phoned Vanguard anytime recently, they'll tell you they've waited around 20-30 minutes to get through to someone. We have been understaffed for a longtime. Upper Mgmts approach is to work faster. So they grade something called "AHT" (Average handle time) as well as other drivers--that they feel lead to YOUR issue for not handling calls fast enough. If you work on the phone, you'll find that the pace is relentless. Go to use the restroom when management is staing at the "INOVA" (shows calls holding and such) boards, you'll hear about it during a one-on-one. This gets labeled as a infraction to "managing oneself" . An event like this stays with you for your annual review. The company always has a massive push to increase "engagement" after a large Gallup poll. Every year , the summary is negative overall as employees feel undervalued an unappreciated, so as a team member you are now assigned to figure ways to make the company look better.

Where to begin.... And I am just being honest, I don't want some wide eyed college kid like myself to come into this job without all the facts. This was my first job out of college, and Vanguard suckered me in like they do a lot of undergrads. I was all excited about getting my Series 7 and 63 and to help people make investment decisions. While occasionally you do get to help people make investment decisions they don't explain a lot to you. Such as you are just working in a CALL CENTER. They say there are lots of projects and off the phone opportunities, but they do not exist. You have 30 minutes of "break" everyday, which sounds nice, but they don't tell you if you want a glass of water or to use the washroom you have to use your "break". How kind of a company, to allow you time away from your desk.. that you have burn just to exist. Most people figure out ways around it that are against the rules, and most managers are human so they let it slide. They will tell you that you only work 37.5 hrs per week. Which is technically true, but they don't tell you that everyday around 11AM you get your lunch call email which tells you if your lunch is 30min, 45 min, or 60 min. And for a good chunk of the year only expect one maybe two one hour lunches a week. I worked in the Charlotte offices, and quickly found out if you want to do any legit work you have to move to PA, and Vanguard does not hire many of its phone associates to move into analytical roles. Unless you want to answer the phone, manage someone who answers the phone, or be in HR there are no other career paths in NC. If you want to get into finance you can spin the b/s you are doing here into getting a legitimate job if you are smart. Just be aware that most of your day will be dealing with elderly people with 3k in their retirement accounts screaming at you because they don't understand expense ratios or they messed up a form, or they need you to reset their password. The pay is below industry average as well. I came in a 37.5k, but got promoted within 6 months and got bumped to 42ishk which was decent. Plus if I would have stayed for partnership I would have been closer to 46-47k. You also need to be prepared to be treated like a two year old. I quit after about 9 months.