By: Jacob Phillips, Technology Information Security Intern
Fidelity, (/fəˈdelədē/), noun: faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support. As a young student in a middle school English class, I remember the word Fidelity was one of the words we had to memorize. I remember the teacher saying as an example of the word Fidelity, “Fidelity, the company, tries to give off the connotation that they are going to be prudent with your money.”
Being an intern at Fidelity means having access to opportunities and experiences that allow for learning and personal growth. Within my first week, it was stressed to all Interns that one of the best perks of being here at Fidelity is the culture. No matter what level someone was at, it felt easy to talk to different people, understand their role, and really get a glimpse into how they are impacting Fidelity. Whether talking to entry level associates, Directors, Vice Presidents, or even the CIO, it consistently felt like there was a genuine interest in the discussion and a desire to help me develop both professionally and personally. This was my favorite part of my internship experience: Meeting new people, seeing what they were working on, and how they were adding value. Over the course of my internship, I had the opportunity to meet with well over 60 associates. Without exception, every associate gave stellar advice on career goals, building a personal brand, how to set myself apart in today’s job market, or even just conversations about what I should do next weekend.
I also cannot talk about being an intern at Fidelity without mentioning the incredible mentor system Fidelity has with both my Fidelity Young Professional Network* (FYPN) mentor and my mentor from my team in cybersecurity. Coming into a company of well over 70,000 employees can be intimidating, especially in a time where teams are distributed globally, and working remotely. Having mentors who have been in my position before has been crucial in my development and onboarding here at Fidelity. It could be a question I couldn’t ask during a team meeting with my PI Information Security group, feedback on my speaking skills, or general questions about how corporate culture works, and no matter what my mentors were the first person I would reach out to for help and guidance. It extended beyond the office as well. On personal matters, family life, or just general life advice, my mentors were always willing to guide however possible, and the internship would not have been the same without them.
The number one thing I learned during my internship is just how integrated technology is with the business. I remember sitting in a class, freshman year of college, where the professor would say “every technology decision is really a business decision in disguise,”. I never really understood that to be true until I experienced working at Fidelity. The amount of complex business decisions that take place behind every piece of software or technology that Fidelity uses is amazing—not even mentioning the numerous regulations, rules and procedures Fidelity must also follow. Being an intern in the Information Security Office, I got a first-hand glimpse into all of this, and it really opened my eyes as to how much there is to learn in the technology world.
Overall, the definition of the word Fidelity rings true to my experience here as an intern, as well as the culture within the company. I’m thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve met, and I’m excited to see where the skills I learned while at Fidelity can take me in the future.
*FYPN is a special interest group at Fidelity where employees who are looking to meet new people and learn more about the company can connect and build their network.
