My Journey from Intern to Full-time Employee

Isabel interned with Fisher Investments in 2022 as an account executive (AE) in their sales department. During her time, she developed professionally and personally and learned how Fisher creates a supportive work environment. She now works full-time as an Annuity Counselor, where she interacts with clients daily. Below, she shares about her time as an intern, what it was like transitioning to a full-time role, and why Fisher is a place where she sees herself building a career!  

Tell me more about your internship experience. What was your day-to-day like? Did you have a favorite aspect of the internship?

I loved my internship experience because every day was a blend of on-the-job experience and professional development opportunities to network with leaders around the firm. My days were full of personal and professional development opportunities, such as shadowing account executives and seeing how they build connections with prospective clients, working on various projects, and participating in programming provided by the Talent Recruitment team. 

My favorite aspect of the internship was the opportunity to shadow full-time AEs, who were great resources to help me improve my sales acumen and learn about the day-to-day of the role and the department culture.

What about your experience made you decide to pursue a full-time role?

The supportive culture! By the end of the summer, I knew that this was a place where I could grow and develop my career. Learning about the training and development programs available to employees and how you can move into different roles around the firm based on your skills and interests appealed to me.

What was something that surprised you jumping from intern to full-time employee?

When I returned to Fisher full-time, I was surprised by the work-life balance I had since I wasn’t a student anymore. I didn’t have to go to class or work on homework at night. It was exciting to have the opportunity to discover new passions and interests with my time outside of the office since my evenings were free now. I am grateful that Fisher makes work-life balance a priority for employees and offers generous paid time off to enjoy time away from the office. 

Can you talk more about your current role? What do you enjoy about it? 

In my current role as an Annuity Counselor, I help our clients review their annuity policies as part of their overall evaluation at Fisher Investments. My favorite part of my job is connecting with clients. I love getting to know our clients and being a part of the process that helps them reach their investment goals.

Now that you have been at Fisher for about a year, what support have you received that has helped you start your career?

I have had amazing mentors throughout my time at Fisher, and I am especially grateful for my team. They have all been supportive and provided feedback, which has helped me improve professionally and personally. I also made many connections during my time as an intern, and those people still encourage me and provide advice when I need it.  

What would you tell yourself a few years ago when you were getting ready to enter the working world?

Stay present and enjoy the college years because undergraduate years go by so fast. Also, my first year at Fisher provided many exciting opportunities that I did not anticipate, so I would also say to keep an open mind and continue learning how to be adaptable as life is full of changes. 

When looking for internships, look at the company’s values to see if they align with yours. Pay attention to the workplace culture and see if you think you would fit in. I focused more on finding a company I wanted to work for and less on finding the specific role or internship of my dreams. This worked well for me, and I am excited about what the year holds!