Campus Recruiting

Intern Spotlight – Advisor Inclusion Networks

The Advisor Inclusion Networks support advisors and the communities they proudly represent, providing resources, strategies and a forum for sharing ideas designed to enhance their businesses.

Alexis Rodriguez
Relationship Manager, Advisor Inclusion Networks
University of Central Florida and Florida State University

What drew you to the Raymond James internship program?

I have a passion for creating a space where all employees feel they can bring their full and best selves to work. I was drawn to the Advisor Inclusion Networks team for its efforts to increase representation among women, Black and LGBT+ advisors, as well as its work creating opportunities for each group to develop professionally within the industry. The internship was particularly appealing because it allowed me to work closely with advisors and the Private Client Group Education and Practice Management departments.

What was one of your biggest accomplishments during your internship?

I was given the opportunity to cultivate the agenda and oversee the communication plan of the Black Financial Advisors Network (BFAN) Career Night.

In one hour, 60 participants were split into three breakout rooms where they engaged with three Raymond James advisors every 11 minutes. It was crucial to Career Night that we made it interactive and engaging by utilizing the breakout room function on Zoom and capping the number of attendees to make it a more personal experience.

To conclude the event, we invited Campus Recruiting to discuss pathways to joining the firm. Our goal was to introduce students to the inclusive and supportive culture here at Raymond James and create a relationship with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the U.S. It was also important to showcase all the avenues to joining the financial services industry – the opportunities are limitless.

How were you able to apply your school curriculum to planning BFAN Career Night?

During my internship, I was completing my final semester of graduate school to earn my Master of Science in industrial organizational psychology.

I was studying recruitment and retention, diversity and inclusion, virtual teams, and data analytics in depth, so my coursework added value to my role. I knew that especially within the student demographics, it’s important to be concise and timely to keep them engaged. It’s also crucial to showcase Black industry leaders as we are targeting HBCUs for recruitment. If students are able to resonate with speakers, they are more likely to envision themselves in the industry. It’s the whole “see it, be it” mentality. Students believe they can – and will – reach these heights when they look at Raymond James employees and see themselves.

What experiences from your internship do you think will be helpful to others making internship decisions?

There truly is a seat for anyone interested in joining Raymond James. I think it’s important to understand that you do not need a finance background to be successful in this industry. My team is extremely empowering, as I would imagine other Raymond James departments are. Everyone believes in your success from the top down. If you have passion and grit, firm leaders will support your professional development within the role.