Women
At Schwab, we're focused not only on recruiting women to join our company, but also on understanding how they think about and use money and what they need from an investment services firm.
Start your job search today.
Schwab executives share their experiences at the firm
What's it like to be a woman working at Schwab?
Hear from a few of our female executives—Katie Casey, Neesha Hathi, and Terri Kallsen—for their perspectives.
NEESHA HATHI: So we are here to talk a little bit about what it’s like to be a woman working at Schwab. And, Katie, I’m going to start with you. I’d love your advice on what would you say is the key to success for a woman at Schwab?
KATIE CASEY: Confidence. You know, all the studies on success show that confidence correlates in the same way towards success as competence. And I would say that confidence in expressing ideas, and standing up and taking a point of view, and in leading others is really the key to the success.
NEESHA: Uh-huh.
TERRI KALLSEN: You know what I love about your answer, is that you were so confident.
NEESHA: I love it. Terri, what about you?
TERRI: You know, I’ve learned at Schwab as you come onboard that people really want to know that you care. And one of the things I think about a lot is that people really don’t care how much you until they know how much you care. And so caring about others, caring about the team, is really important.
NEESHA: That’s great. Great advice. I… you know, it’s funny, I think about success at Schwab, and I think of all the wonderful opportunities I’ve had. And I think it’s really often about having the confidence, having a team and environment around you, but, also, I think a little risk-taking. And for me, you know, the willingness to kind of try something that I felt really uncomfortable about trying was a real key to… to success, and… and something I think I grew from.
TERRI: Uh-huh.
NEESHA: So… so thank you, both, for joining me today. It’s been great to spend a little bit of time talking about women at Schwab. If you’re interested in learning more, check out the aboutSchwab.com/careers website.
"Having seen so much change in this industry, it's really important to be engaged in the conversation. I want to see more people like me in financial services."
-Gretchen Gardinier, managing director, Investor Services
Women in Finance: Leslie Tabor
Listen to Leslie's story
"As an employer that supports me by being flexible in the ways that I need, Schwab makes me feel connected in a very personal way."
Leslie Tabor, managing director, Product Management & Marketing for Schwab Advisor Services
Simple guitar music plays throughout.
Onscreen text: Charles Schwab. Own your tomorrow.
Onscreen text: Leslie, Managing Director, San Francisco
Leslie: So I'm a mom. My daughter's two years old. And so right from the get-go, since this is about being personal, I know we don't hear a lot of people talking about this, my husband and I had a tough time getting pregnant. When you're in that space, mentally it's challenging, physically it's challenging, financially it's challenging. I would say Schwab, through that experience, was very supportive in being flexible with my schedule if I needed to be at certain appointments.
To this day now that I'm—yay!—successfully a parent of a two year old, there's a different set of challenges, but that continued flexibility with my schedule has been really helpful, because you just never know if your child's gonna be sick one day. Things always happen unplanned. And so having an employer that is going to support me by being flexible in the ways that I need, not through a paycheck or not through benefits, but being flexible because my husband and I were having challenges in starting a family, it makes me feel connected in a very personal way
Onscreen text: Charles Schwab. Own your tomorrow.
The Charles Schwab Corporation is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to diversifying its workforce. All applications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or based on any individual's status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state or local law. (0817-7W2V)
Women's Interactive Network at Schwab (WINS)
More women are earning advanced degrees and higher salaries, resulting in greater purchasing power. This is changing the way women approach their financial futures, and it's why we believe it's critical that our female employees get involved, actively develop their careers, and help lead our company in reaching out to those women who need help, support, and guidance.
Purpose
WINS is an employee resource group dedicated to helping women employees advance their careers, demonstrate their leadership capabilities, and create outreach programs that help other women become more financially literate.
Principles
Recruit more women into the financial services industry: Schwab leaders often host site visits for young students in order to expose them to Schwab's mission, values, and culture, as well as communicate opportunities we provide in the financial services industry.
Empower employees to take ownership of their career development: Through programs like Career Path Chats and Executive Chats, women leaders and role models share their insights into the range of career paths available at Schwab, provide guidance for building a successful career, and inspire employees to explore different career-building opportunities.
Develop business opportunities to promote financial capability among women: From starting at a grassroots level to engaging key leaders, WINS developed and piloted a new initiative: Financial Life Planning Month for Women. The initiative promotes tools and guidance to build more inclusive practices that better engage and serve women investors.
Build relationships to support women in the community: Across our organization, our WINS chapters actively partner with various nonprofits like Dress for Success and Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. to host events and lead financial literacy programs that help women gain greater control of their financial lives and futures.
Progress
Financial Life Planning for Women Month was launched in 2012 as a May initiative, but it has since expanded to a yearlong event that focuses on building relationships with women investors and promoting financial literacy.
Schwab hosted a total of more than 400 events as part of Financial Life Planning for Women Month in May 2012 and 2013, reaching more than 10,000 attendees.
In 2014, our Financial Life Planning for Women initiative earned recognition as a top "model practice" among San Francisco Bay Area companies showcased during the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women's Gender Equality Principles Challenge.
Women at Schwab
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Women in Finance: Susan Strelow
Susan Strelow is helping front front-line Schwab employees to better understand the importance of the woman investor. Learn more about her experience at Schwab and her perspective on women and investing.
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Susan Strelow
Q: What attracted you to financial services in the first place?
A: After working at a number of different firms in sales, I realized I could be selling anything. I could be selling drugs to doctors. It wasn't about the markets. It wasn't about planning. It wasn't about helping people at all. I wasn't sure financial services was the right industry for me until I got to Schwab, where helping people achieve their dreams versus pitching them something really mattered. So it was Schwab that really made me commit to this field.
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Susan Strelow
Q: In what ways has Schwab helped you develop your career?
A: I've been extremely fortunate that every boss I've had at Schwab has cared about me as a person. I've had, on an informal and formal basis, a variety of mentors throughout my career. The kind of people who genuinely care about your development and aren't afraid to provide feedback and opportunities. If it feels a little uncomfortable, that probably means you should do it. And that's okay at Schwab because I think we create a safe environment to take calculated risks. We want people to think through ideas and take smart risks to see if an idea might work.
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Susan Strelow
Q: In what ways has Schwab helped you develop your career? (Continued)
A: We support people trying new things, and I think we really encourage diversity of thought. Not everybody here thinks alike. We want people to come in with new ideas. That's how we grow, and that's how we get better. We're always saying, "What did we miss? How would you come at this?" Over time, this encourages great thoughts, good behaviors, and new leaders within the company.
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Susan Strelow
Q: Why is it important that more women get involved in the financial services industry?
A: In my experience, women tend to make more referrals, so they tend to be more loyal. Women tend to be less prideful in making financial decisions, and they're quicker to raise their hand and ask for guidance and help. They think through longer-term plans and their counterparts tend to focus more on short-term performance. I think it's important that more women work in our field because it creates a balanced approach and a diversity of opinion and thought that matters to clients and employees.
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Susan Strelow
Q: What advice would you give to a young woman thinking about financial services?
A: Don't be scared. Jump in. Take calculated risks. And believe in yourself. Women have a tendency to not stand up and volunteer and take things on until they're 90 to 100% sure. Men, if they're 40% sure, they're like, "I'm in." So, don't be shy. Be confident. One of my favorite quotes I shared at a recent symposium is, "Bite off more than you can chew. And then chew it."
The growing influence of women
The significant purchasing power of women is well documented, and the dramatic monetary and decision-making shift toward women is changing how the industry views women investors.
- The $14 trillion controlled by women today is expected to grow to $22 trillion by 2020, and 50% of it will be controlled by women.1
- Approximately $2 trillion is in motion every year due to the death of a spouse or divorce.2
- Over the next 30 years, it's estimated that women will be the primary recipients of between $42 trillion and $110 trillion of inherited assets.3
- Seventy percent of widows fire their financial advisors within a year of their spouse’s death.4
- Ninety-three percent of women are the primary or joint family financial decision-maker.5
- Seventy-four percent are the primary or joint decision-maker for investments.6
Meet Our Employees
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Taeshima White
"I love what Schwab does for clients and employees. I feel like I'm really here to support people and to help them become better versions of themselves. And that's where my values line up so well with Schwab. I cannot imagine being anywhere else."
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Monica Donner
"My job is to build successful investors and to develop our talented people to care for clients and support their wealth management needs."
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Annie Liu
"I've been with Schwab through good times and tough times, and it all goes back to Chuck. He gives us the moral compass of who we are as a company and how we see through client's eyes. That has kept me here and it will keep me here."
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Cheryl McCoy
"Workforce planning touches almost every point in the organization and we’re a critical component of the success of Schwab’s mission – to put the client first, each and every time."
Read Cheryl's story -
Amy Ruegg
"I’m passionate about the development of others. I have had the good fortune of working with amazing leaders at Schwab and I am so glad to have the opportunity to pass that experience on to others."
Schwab recruits qualified women
The financial services industry at times seems to underrepresent women's interests. That's why it's so important to Schwab that we recruit qualified women to work here.
Start your job search today.
- Harvard Business Review, September 2009—The Female Economy
- 2010 Pew Research Center Study; Reach Advisers 2010 Research Study
- "A Profile of Older Americans: 2012," Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- "A Profile of Older Americans: 2012," Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- "Women and Financial Independence Study," Charles Schwab & Co. Inc., June 2012
- Financial Planning Magazine (March 2010)