Find What You Are Looking For
I am sure everyone has seen at least one movie with that stereotypical intern who is tasked with preforming miserable and frankly degrading duties. They get paid scraps to survive and are constantly fighting an uphill battle just for the possibility of an opportunity to work their way up the corporate ladder. When I was informed that I would have the privilege of interning with BCR Wealth, I was thrown back to every movie and story I had ever come across where interns were treated as an extra body to do the things that the actual employees did not have time for or did not want to do. I thought my days were going to be filled with coffee runs and ordering lunch for the whole office. I was preparing myself for cleaning out junk closets and the mounds upon mounds of busy work that would be thrown my way. I am not sure you could imagine my relief when I arrived to find that BCR owned a coffee maker, had a refrigerator full of food for their employees, and were ready to allow me to make a mark on the firm right out of the gate.
BCR expressed their desire to have a coveted internship program and to be an employer of choice in the financial industry from my very first day. In order to attract talent to the firm, they commit to giving more opportunities to have firsthand experiences that really prepare you for a career in the industry. This translates into an internship experience with an emphasis on work that is meaningful and not trivial. BCR gave me the ability to leave my mark and to have a lasting impact on their future, just as they will continue to have on mine.
I began to reap a full and rich experience from the moment my internship commenced. I was given extensive training, support, and guidance from the entire team. I prepared for client meetings alongside the advisors and learned how to document them. I was able to not only sit in meetings, but was also encouraged to participate; and I entered any assigned tasks that came out of the meetings while following my own to completion.
I had the opportunity to work on some incredible projects that have not only expanded my knowledge of the industry, but in my own wealth management. I worked on projects that included 529 comparisons, HELOCs vs mortgages, an identity theft protection analysis (pre-Equifax breach!), and most recently I have been examining different Social Security Analyzer programs to find the one with the most value to BCR’s clients. They entrusted me with projects that will be shown to their clients for years to come and that is a very powerful thing for an intern on the cusp of starting their own career.
Even though I was completely unsure of what direction to take post-graduation, my time at BCR has guided me to the next step on my path. I am pleased to announce that I have had the incredible fortune of accepting a position as an Operations Associate for The Money Advisor Group in Columbus, GA which was made possible by the mentorship, personal recommendations, and the experience I gained at BCR Wealth. I can personally affirm that BCR genuinely means it when they say they are passionate about helping people succeed. They are on a mission to have a positive impact on people, from their clients to a random person they meet, from their employees down to even me, the lowly intern!
I have worked with some very intelligent, kind, and truly caring individuals here at BCR and I could not have imagined a better place to intern. I have learned so much in my few short months that I am sure will stay with me for the rest of my life. I have learned just how a financial advisor should conduct themselves and the right way to do business with clients. I have learned about the industry and everything it takes to be successful in it. I have learned the best ways to handle operating a business and the most efficient way to stay on top of your goals. BCR has unearthed my calling and I could not imagine working in another industry.
I want to thank all of the people that I had the pleasure of meeting for allowing me to help BCR serve you and your financial success. I wish you nothing but the best and I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know all of you. I appreciate all of your kind wishes and I hope that you all find exactly what you are looking for in your lives just as BCR has helped me find my excitement for helping people and the financial industry.
War Eagle!
