This summer, the Money Management Institute, the New York-based professional association for firms offering clients financial guidance and investment advisory services, along with the affiliated Gateway Foundation, announced the launch of the MMI Career Connect platform.
According to the association, this new program “aims to bridge the gap between MMI member firms and professionals from underrepresented backgrounds, enhancing both individual and industry growth.”
Sarit Abramowicz, MMI’s First Vice President and program director for the Gateway Foundation, oversees the implementation of this new online tool, which is designed to provide meaningful in-person connections, promote career entry points and further expand the talent pool for diverse next-era professionals and leaders.
Digital Wealth News spoke with Abramowicz to better understand the program, its impact in the first few months after its launch and how technology can help drive greater diversity in the industry.
Digital Wealth News: What features or services are you most excited about on the platform?
Sarit Abramowicz: We are most excited about how MMI Career Connect brings financial services firms, specifically our member firms, and diverse talent together on one platform. All the features on the site are designed to help firms access and recruit a broader range of diverse hires, while providing talent with greater access to professional growth opportunities.
This site is easily accessible and created to be user-friendly as part of ongoing efforts to ensure inclusivity in our industry. It serves as a bridge between the industry and an often-overlooked segment of the talent pool. It is also a place for individuals of all career stages to not only enter the industry but grow and thrive so we can see more leaders of color in leadership roles.
One notable example of this is the Recruitment Resource Library, which provides job seekers with top tips on landing a job in financial services – while providing firms with information on what the next generation of individuals expect from employers. There is also a place where diverse talent can request an industry introduction to gain industry insight and build their network.
Through the Gateway Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established by Money Management Institute, we offer Scholarships and Conference Fellowships for diverse talent to participate in MMI’s award-winning educational programs and attend our industry conferences or other industry conferences specially designed for underrepresented professionals, such as Black Women in Asset Management. Firms can further support these efforts on the Career Connect platform through the Fund-a-Fellow initiative. These opportunities are invaluable for career growth and reducing attrition among diverse talent. We have seen beneficiaries of these programs find their next role, receive promotions, and take the lead on critical projects and initiatives.
DWN: How does technology impact your DE&I efforts, especially when reaching out to underrepresented communities?
SA: Our DE&I efforts aim to expand the industry talent pool and ensure that we see a broader spectrum of talent rising to leadership roles within the financial services industry. Technology plays a part in that process, in the ability to share and network our efforts through many touchpoints that include newsletters, websites, social media, videos, and more. Our success also lies in leveraging our unique position as an industry association with 200+ member firms across the spectrum of the Investment Advisory space and our nonprofit, the Gateway Foundation, which has partnerships and relationships with associations and programs serving diverse talent.
The Career Connect platform was designed to be clear, interactive, and user-friendly so that all visitors can access and take advantage of the site’s features. The content is curated to align with the needs of each audience.
DWN: What kinds of technology are most critical for those looking to break into this part of the industry to understand?
SA: Technology is rapidly evolving and needs to be constantly reviewed to ensure that it accounts for the varied user base. In the world of AI, this is especially key as the tools are only as good as the data provided. As we strive for inclusivity in the workplace, it applies just as much to our technology as it does to our other practices. In fact, the beauty of the Fund-a-Fellow program featured on the Career Connect platform is that it allows more diverse talent to be part of these conversations on critical technologies via our conferences and professional development programs. This topic is always embedded into MMI programming, and gaining access to these discussions is crucial. It also ensures that conversations include a more expansive range of individuals with different life experiences that can inform how technology is designed and built in the financial advisory space, particularly for the growing diversity of the client base.
