Written by Ori, a Fidelity Intern.
It’s an unusually brisk Monday morning as I approach the entrance of 245 Summer Street. The sun has barely risen, yet the street behind me is packed with people frantically scrambling to get to their destinations. I press my hand onto the cool glass of the revolving door and let it linger for a second. All I can think of is how long it’s been since I’ve last worked inside an office, or even the last time I’ve worn business casual clothing. As I enter, I’m once again reminded of the pure magnificence of the lobby that greeted me on the day I interviewed months ago. The spacious lobby boasts a tall ceiling and lustrous floors. Ornate plants populate the area giving homage to Fidelity’s classic green color scheme. An impressive wooden security desk dwarfs the small glass readers that hurried employees quickly rush through. It’s a lot to take in, as I’ve never worked anywhere comparable. I make sure by belt is in place and quickly stroll towards what I could only imagine could be a group of fellow anxious interns packed in a tight group by the corner. Today was beginning of something big, I could just feel it.
That was the beginning of my Enterprise Technology internship several weeks ago. Now, I could truly see why Fidelity has been rated as one of the top ten financial services companies to work for[1] and why I value my internship experience. I’ve decided to write an essay, as I don’t believe I could truly articulate why I love interning at Fidelity through some other creative medium.
First and foremost, Fidelity’s emphasis on technology is something that adds a lot of value to my internship experience and is something to be rivaled. Working within the Enterprise Technology Group, I have a lot of exposure to Fidelity’s technology and how it impacts the organization. I never feel as if the company is out of touch or lagging behind. Fidelity’s unique emphasis on vertical integration within technology has also impressed me and made finding resources extremely easy. For example, I recently learned about robotic process automation in school and wanted to possibly learn about implementing it at Fidelity. To my surprise, I found that not only does Fidelity use robotic process automation, Fidelity even has an internal team that implements and manages it at the company. That was an awakening experience and when I truly believed in Fidelity’s emphasis on technology.
Another thing I love about my internship is that everyone is extremely caring. It didn’t take me long to realize that this culture is pushed from the top-down and permeates throughout the organization. This doesn’t just include your typical Fidelity Associates that sit in a cubicle or office. It also encompasses the employees cleaning and touching up the kitchen and bathrooms or those working in Café 245. All have a smile on their faces and will easily strike up a quick conversation (including mine detailing how the coffee is dispensed). My manager and fellow employees will always ask me if I need help or advice and are ready at a moment’s notice to lend me hand. Whenever I’ve asked a question to anyone within the company, I’ve always gotten a thoughtful and respectful response. No one has ever attempted to make me feel uncomfortable or unknowledgeable in the slightest. The company itself promotes this culture through various benefits as well. The most obvious to me are the free snacks and drinks provided to employees, but there little things to supplement that. The frequent points I gain for eating healthy food is an incentive that shows Fidelity cares about the health of its employees. Fidelity provides the use of specialized treadmills to do work, detailed walking paths around the building available online, and even a reimbursement for joining a fitness club. This aligns with my values and was very exciting to see as I am an extreme advocate of physical fitness.
At work, I’m constantly challenged and this proves to be a rewarding experience. Fidelity promotes that individuals should be comfortable being uncomfortable and this is a mantra I am in complete agreement with. How many times could have opportunities passed me by because I was too uncomfortable to tackle them? I’m glad that Fidelity encourages smart risk-taking; just enough risk to allow an individual to leave his/her comfort zone but not enough where the individual is scared to be punished or reprimanded. I’ve always told people that they will usually regret what they haven’t done rather than what they’ve done. Everyday I’m constantly challenged, whether it is learning an unfamiliar system, leading a portion of a meeting, engaging in complex projects, or my eventual presentation at the end of my internship. The truth is, I’d rather be uncomfortable engaging in those activities than in not trying at all. As human beings, we have a natural tendency to crave change and challenges that will put our minds to work. While every job will have routine tasks, I’ve found that Fidelity allows me to work on various projects simultaneously, free from micro-management. This keeps me busy while also keeping my engaged. I’ve had jobs in the past where I was always busy with routine work; this doesn’t necessarily mean I was engaged. In psychology there’s constant talk of employees being physically present, but their cubicles are referred to as, “empty,” because they are not mentally present. I don’t see that issue at Fidelity, and don’t think I’ll ever be seeing that.
So, what keeps people at Fidelity for so long? Why does everyone on my team have years of experience, with no intention of leaving? The truth is, it’s opportunity. With everyone I’ve spoken with, the same word is used over and over again. Opportunity. Employees don’t see themselves stuck in a position indefinitely, with no chance of improvement or growth. Fidelity is so vast that individuals could move vertically up the hierarchy as well as across different groups. At Fidelity the opportunities are endless. I don’t see myself as just an intern at Fidelity, I see a potential future. While I don’t know if I’ll have the fortune of working at Fidelity as a full-time employee, I do see my internship as a ten week interview and learning experience. I love coming to work each day and seeing opportunity and hope. At Fidelity, opportunity is driving most of the employees I see every day. It’s not the hope that they will rise to become some sort of senior executive. It is the opportunity to move across groups, locations, etc. if the person chooses that path. At Fidelity, I do see myself as having some control of my destiny which is not something a lot of employees at other companies can say.
There’s obviously a lot more about Fidelity I haven’t learned yet and a lot more I do hope to learn in my time here. One thing is for sure though. I think that instead of saying, “Fidelity,” I’ll begin to say, “us,” because Fidelity does truly feel like one big family. I’ll never get to know everyone, but being Fidelity Associates puts us all under the same umbrella. I hope to continue to learn on my internship and grow personally and professionally by pushing myself every day. I’m thankful for my opportunity to work here and am looking forward to the rest of my internship. Thank you!
[1] https://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45elflh/7-fidelity-investments/#3aef83d133b9
