Internship overview

Thinking about a career with an independent Registered Investment Advisory (RIA) firm? Schwab's unique Advisor Services RIA Intern Program can reveal new opportunities for your future by helping you understand how RIA firms operate and serve their clients.

RIAs have a unique place in the financial services industry: Many RIA firms are owned and operated by individual investment advisors. These advisors believe their independence is instrumental to offering advice based on their clients' best interests.

The details

Is this internship a good fit for you?

Ideal candidates will have:

• Completed two years of college-level education toward a related BA or BS degree
• Finished courses focused on CFP^® certification/financial planning, or business management, marketing, economics, communications, etc.
• Desire to work in the RIA industry post-graduation 
• An anticipated graduation date between December 2023 and May 2025
• Have an interest and plans to join the RIA and/or financial services industry
• Knowledge of financial products and services, combined with extracurricular activities geared toward a career in the RIA and/or financial service industry
• Ability to work full-time and on-site at Schwab's Westlake, TX campus during the eight-week program.

Logistics and dates

This internship is a paid position lasting eight weeks.

• The 2023 Intern Program will run June 5–July 28, 2023.
• The program will be held at Schwab's headquarters in Westlake, TX.
• Interviews are conducted and offers are extended on a rolling basis. Start your application today.

How your eight weeks will be spent

The RIA Intern Program is an eight-week internship designed to prepare undergraduate students for employment within RIA firms. You will learn about the independent RIA industry, the advisory profession, and how advisors and Schwab work together to accomplish the goals of risk management and client asset protection. You'll gain corporate work experience by supporting teams across Schwab Advisor Services and exposure to back- and front-office RIA firm operations, build practical skills that will enable you to effectively interact with clients, and gain an understanding of the importance of client service.

As an intern, you will learn how RIAs serve their clients. Through a series of program sessions, you will gain experience in areas including client service, trading support, portfolio construction, and financial planning. This internship will also focus on soft skills, such as presentation development, public speaking, and professional relationship building.

The following summary provides a sample of the various topics and training sessions from our most recent program.