Impact Communications, Inc. a leading marketing and PR firm focused exclusively on elevating the stature of independent financial advisors, fintech firms, and allied financial services companies, announced a partnership with the BLX Internship Program (BLX), a 501c(3) organization that strives to provide an entry point to the financial planning profession for Black and Latinx individuals and increase diversity in the financial planning profession.
“As someone who came from humble beginnings and worked myself up to a position of influence and belonging in the financial services industry, DEIB initiatives and fiduciary standards have become increasingly important to me,” said Impact Founder and CEO Marie Swift. “I’ve been impressed with the work that BLX is doing and wanted to make sure more financial planning firms and allied institutions know about its mission. I’d like to see more planning firms and sponsors get involved. Taking on the PR and serving as visible advocates for their program will be Impact’s one pro bono ‘passion project’ in 2024. It’s part of our 30th anniversary celebration and continuing mission to bring the best and brightest people and ideas to the financial services industry.”
FINANCIAL PLANNING FIRMS: GET INVOLVED NOW
Currently, BLX has over 200 high-quality up-and-coming planners as part of their talent pool. An internship is a great way to test out new candidates and test-drive new team members. However, there are not nearly enough financial planning and investment advisory firms signing up to be matched with these interns for the 2024 program.
The deadline for firms to commit via application to BLX is December 31, 2023.
Why consider the BLX Internship Program?
- Diverse Talent Pool: By participating in the BLX Program, financial planning firms gain access to a curated pool of diverse and highly qualified candidates. This not only contributes to a more inclusive workplace but also brings fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the team. Moreover, it’s a sound investment. Numerous studies have demonstrated that diverse teams consistently outperform their counterparts.
- Internship Hiring Resources: BLX provides a comprehensive set of internship hiring resources to make the process seamless for independent investment advisory and financial planning firms. From sample hiring documents to internship syllabi, they’ve got everything covered.
- Personalized Candidate Screening: The BLX team ensures that the candidates presented align with the firm’s values and specific requirements. They take the guesswork out of the hiring process, allowing firms to focus on selecting the best fit candidate for their team.
- Built-in Talent Pipeline: Beyond the immediate internship placement, the BLX Program offers a built-in talent pipeline. This means that even after the internship period is over, firms have access to a pool of skilled individuals for future hiring needs.
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Designed to bridge the diversity gap in our industry, BLX offers a unique set of resources to participating companies. They understand both the importance of hiring excellent candidates and making the hiring process as painless as possible.
It is also impressive to note that Schwab has just renewed their pledge to support the BLX Internship Program for another 5 years. “This sends a strong signal to everyone in the financial services industry,” said Swift. “Let’s be about the change!”
“Working with Impact has kicked it up another level in getting our message out about the highly qualified talent available through BLX. We strongly encourage fee-only and fee-based advisory firms to get involved,” explained BLX co-founder Shawn Tydlaska, CFP®. “Our partnership with Impact confirms that our message of making the financial services industry more reflective of the world we work in is not only an important message to share but that it’s resonating within the financial planning profession. We’re hoping to see more advisory firms get involved.”
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