Internship Spotlight: Eleanor Daniel, Wells Fargo

Eleanor Daniel '24 BSBA (Accounting & Management Information Systems) was a Financial Advisory Intern at Wells Fargo Advisors in Boston, Massachusetts.

What was the process of getting this internship, job, or summer experience?

I had applied to 90 internships, and maybe about 10 within Wells Fargo. I received a phone call asking to interview, I did a 30 minute interview, and got an offer about two weeks later (delay due to New Years holiday). 

What was a typical day like?

I would get to the office before my boss/MD so around 8/8:30am, check my outlook and write out a to-do list for the day. Then, the other interns and I would meet (4 of us total) and go over the day. From there, I would usually get started on any summer long projects assigned from my MD or University Programs. I would have a 30 min lunch, sometimes longer if I was with an FA (financial advisor). After lunch, I would get started on any work I had from advisors so expense tracking, organizational needs, brand improvements, etc. I would usually have an afternoon meeting with University Programs via zoom and then finish up any advisor work, and leave by 5pm. After work, the office was very social and would get together usually about once a week.

What was your favorite part of the experience?

Exploring Boston was so much fun, but the people I worked with made it even better. The advisors went out of their way to show us their favorite spots, while also showcasing what life is like as a financial advisor. 

If you worked on a big project, please describe it below:

I worked on a few big projects, but I would say my biggest one was an analysis on McKinsey's report on Wealth Management going into 2030. The other interns and I looked at how financial advisory is going to change with new technology, how advice is going to change, and how firms need to change as a whole. We presented this to our MD initially, then the entire Boston market/university programs team, and finally to the executives of Wells Fargo wealth management in St. Louis. 

What did you find most challenging?

Learning the systems and software that the warehouse had in place. We used a program called SmartStation and they were transitioning to another software called E-Money while we were there for the summer, so the ever changing world of technology.

What did you learn?

I learned about the process of becoming a financial advisor and what it looks like in the modern age. If you are joining a big warehouse, you'll most likely get placed into a group, and from there need to build your book. I also learned a lot about working in a big corporate environment as well so that was a great experience. 

What advice do you have for other students looking for a similar experience, or advice for future students to be successful?

Apply for everything! If you don't apply to the program, club, internship, job, you don't have a shot from the beginning. Also don't be afraid to email people within the profession you're looking to go into. Networking is everything. For this particular experience, I would apply to the big warehouses under their financial advisory program, and reach out to various advisors!

How did Eller Prepare you for this experience?

I had completed my first semester of Eller before I went into this Summer, and the presenting skills I had learned from the previous semester had paid off so much. I was able to stand out amongst my colleagues from ivy leagues and hold my own very well. Also, I was able to proficiently use Excel throughout the summer! 

Did you feel supported by the company or organization you worked with? Please share what they did to help you feel included.

Absolutely, the entire Boston office was very gracious with the interns, and went out of their way to have lunch with us. We would also have big dinners with people from the office and wholesalers that worked with the advisors so always ensuring we got a big scope of the industry.