Build Your Career. Develop Your Own Financial Practice.
Financial Representative Internship | Business Owner & Private Wealth Focus Location: New York City Start: January 2027 Open to: College students interested in financial services, entrepreneurship, and relationship building
The opportunity
What if you could graduate with practical client experience, progress toward professional licenses, and a foundation for building your own financial services practice?
We are inviting ambitious students to explore an entrepreneurial career with a Northwestern Mutual team focused on business owners, wealth creators, and their families.
Starting a business often means developing a product, raising capital, and building the infrastructure to serve customers. This opportunity gives you access to an established platform, financial solutions, training, technology, and professional mentorship—so you can focus on developing your skills and building client relationships.
You will learn alongside experienced professionals serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, beginning with the fundamentals of insurance, financial planning, and business development.
Your three-stage pathway
1. Explore the career: Career fairs and lunch-and-learns
Meet our team and learn what a career in financial services involves. We will discuss:
– How financial professionals help business owners connect business success with personal and family financial goals. – The day-to-day work of building a financial practice. – Career paths in insurance, financial planning, and wealth management. – How compensation, licensing, mentorship, and professional development work.
These conversations will help you decide whether this career fits your interests and ambitions.
2. Experience the work: January internship
Our structured internship begins in January and serves as a hands-on career discovery experience.
You will:
– Learn the fundamentals of life insurance, risk management, and financial planning. – Develop prospecting, networking, communication, and relationship-building skills. – Learn how to identify prospective clients, initiate conversations, and arrange meetings. – Support meeting preparation and participate in appropriate client discussions under supervision. – Gain exposure to the planning needs of business owners and affluent families. – Participate in regular coaching, training, and progress reviews. – Begin developing client relationships within the scope of your licenses and role.
This is an active business development opportunity. Connecting with prospective clients and learning to earn their trust are central parts of the experience.
3. Prepare for your career: Licensing and post-graduation development
Following the internship, selected participants will be considered for an accelerated licensing and development pathway, with the goal of preparing for a full-time advisor development program after graduation.
Depending on your role, eligibility, and firm approval, support may include:
– Required state insurance licensing. – Preparation for the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) exam. – Firm sponsorship for the Series 6 or Series 7 examination, as appropriate. – Preparation for the Series 66 examination for those pursuing the Series 7 and investment advisory pathway, or other applicable state examinations.
Timing depends on exam completion, registration requirements, and firm approval. Passing examinations alone does not authorize someone to provide investment advice or conduct securities business.
What you will gain
– An entrepreneurial foundation: Learn how to develop a client base and build a long-term practice. – Professional mentorship: Work alongside experienced professionals serving business owners and wealthy families. – Institutional support: Access Northwestern Mutual’s training, technology, resources, and established financial services platform. – Practical career skills: Develop confidence in client communication, sales, financial concepts, and business development. – A broader planning perspective: See how insurance, investments, retirement, business succession, and legacy planning connect. – A potential path after graduation: Build toward a full-time development opportunity, subject to selection and program requirements.
Who we are looking for
We welcome students across academic disciplines who demonstrate:
– An interest in entrepreneurship and financial services. – Strong communication skills and curiosity about people. – Initiative, resilience, and a willingness to develop sales skills. – Integrity and a commitment to putting clients’ interests first. – Coachability and the discipline to follow through. – The ability to balance academic commitments with agreed program expectations.
Prior financial services experience is not required.
Compensation and incentives
The internship includes performance-based earning opportunities and incentives tied to qualifying activities and results. The specific compensation structure, incentive criteria, licensing support, and any participant expenses will be explained during recruitment and provided in writing before acceptance. Earnings vary and are not guaranteed.
Role structure and work authorization
This internship and subsequent financial representative career follow an independent-contractor business model. Applicants must have work authorization that permits them to undertake this role in the United States. We cannot provide employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.
Take the first step
Join a career discussion or lunch-and-learn to explore the opportunity and meet the team.
To express interest, apply below or email your résumé and a brief note about your interest in financial services and entrepreneurship to:
Thilan Kiridena Director of Growth & Development — Northwestern Mutual, thilan.kiridena@nm.com
Start building the skills, relationships, and professional foundation for your future—before you graduate.