My name is Kate Miller, and I’m a current freshman double majoring in Business Administration (emphasis in Finance) and Economics with a minor in Analytics.

This summer, I’ll be working at Stratos Wealth Partners as a Finance Intern. Stratos emphasizes entrepreneurship within the field of financial advising and aims to provide valuable resources to both their clients and partner advisors with a unique wealth management experience.

As a Finance Intern, I will join a team of financial advisors to learn about and participate in portfolio design, financial planning, and acquiring sales leads.

Chapman’s Handshake page presented this opportunity. After working with a career advisor on my resume and adding more keywords plus acceptable formatting, I submitted a resume and cover letter to Stratos. I had a fabulous interview with a financial advisor and a Human Resources associate where we talked about finance, entrepreneurship, and Stratos’ unique approach to wealth advising.

Financial planning is essential to living a fulfilled and happy life, and I am thrilled to learn how to best interact with clients to optimize their finances for their personal goals. Everyone has different aspirations and opinions on money, and recognizing this helps financial planners create the most value for their clients.

This also relates to searching for internships. My advice for other students would be to apply to opportunities that truly interest you and forge your own path! Brand names may sound flashy on your LinkedIn, but if they aren’t a fit for you, the experience won’t be fulfilling. Connect with career advisors who understand your wishes and scour any and all job boards for hidden gems of experience, knowledge, and networking.

Set aside any judgments you receive from others and follow the companies, people, and opportunities that make you feel excited to go to work. Don’t be afraid to fling your resume into a slew of exciting positions even if you don’t feel qualified- chances are, you aren’t giving yourself enough credit. Go for it, get that interview, and smile consistently along the way!