Peggy Hawkins has worked in the investment industry for many years. Currently she works in a large financial firm in Irvine (company procedures do not allow the use of the firm’s name). Many student interns have gained a wealth of experience from her exemplary supervisory and mentoring methods. Peggy Hawkins shares her thoughts about internships, qualities and experience that she looks for in an intern and how the college can help prepare the intern.

Tell me a little about yourself.
I started working in the investment industry in 1982. In 1989 I began focusing my efforts on a business plan that involved companies who provide retirement plans for their employees. Currently, I am part of a team of financial advisors that designs, implements and maintains these benefit programs for companies all across the United States. I enjoy helping employees plan for their retirement years and I get a great deal of satisfaction fulfilling the tremendous need for retirement planning education in every company in America. Recent tax law changes will help me and other advisors to offer better programs and give advice to the average employee who struggles with utilizing these employer sponsored retirement programs.

Why are you involved with internships?
It is a great opportunity to share what I have learned with a younger generation who will pick up where my generation finishes. I enjoy the "mini-mentoring" that happens when I work with the interns. It is also a great opportunity to get to know them in case there is an opportunity to offer them a position after they complete their education or even during their educational process. The interns I have worked with through the Cooperative Work Experience, have presented some great ideas, added some youthfulness to our team and are a pleasure to work with.

What are some of the interns’ responsibilities?
Interns learn how to answer our phones in a professional manner and they learn our filing systems. We ask them to interact with us on new marketing programs, and ask them if they see a better way to execute the marketing plan we are designing. In some instances, I have utilized their bilingual capabilities and I have asked them to assist me in explaining accounts or investments with a participant/employee who speaks a different language. We utilize their computer expertise and we have them run investment programs for us that require knowledge of computers and finance. We also encourage them to become part of the team, which requires a lot of interaction on their part and speaking up when needed.

What qualities and experience do you look for when hiring an intern?
Their resume is the first thing we consider. We want to see experience in the job market, such as customer service. We like to see what kind of jobs they have held since high school and how long they stayed at those jobs. We want someone who is committed to furthering their education and work experience. We look for integrity, honesty, a positive attitude, good communication skills, motivation to do the tasks on hand, dependability, well-groomed, and a strong interest in our industry. We utilize the non-paid internship first as part of a class requirement to see if we are compatible.

What are some of the most valuable lessons that the interns learn?
One of the most important lessons is how to work with others and how to handle office politics. Our business also requires that they interact with the public every time the phone rings or during client appointments. We teach them how to be professional even when things go haywire. The interns need to know how to handle themselves in the face of unhappy clients and disgruntled coworkers. They need to balance office politics with their personal responsibilities. We encourage them to look for ways to help us and we encourage them to show leadership skills, when given a project to complete. One of our goals is to enhance their capabilities, strengths and ideas to help them build a better professional package that they can use in their future careers.

How can the college assist students, so that they are ready for an internship?
I would suggest better preparation on what to say or do in an interview. I would like to see the intern ask more questions about what they would be doing for me, how I work with my clients, what are the most important things I would need them to know. The college could add more training on professional qualities needed to work in an office or financial institution.

For more information, please contact:
Peggy Hutchinson Hawkins
Second Vice President-Wealth Management
Senior Retirement Plan Consultant
Phone number: 949-955-7561
Email: pkhutchh@hotmail.com