Personal Narrative: My Informational Interview With Keith Peterson

For my informational Interview, I had the opportunity to sit with Keith Peterson of Smith Hayes to learn a little bit more about what it is like to work for a wealth management firm. Keith and I connected after he and a couple of his peers from the Lincoln Young Professionals Group gave a presentation on the importance of establishing a professional network in my BSAD 222 class. After this panel presentation I took a chance and establish a connection with Keith and I Ultimately chose to interview him for my informational interview. One of the main reason that I chose to interview Keith is due to the fact that I am interested in a career in the financial industry. As an accounting major, this was my chance to get a first hand experience and
With these responsibilities a Certified Financial Planner has to be able communicated effectively, in other words have strong interpersonal skills. Other skills that helps Keith on a regular basis when he is on the job is his excellence math skill and the ability to conduct research that will help his clients meet their short and long term goals.During the course of the interview I realized that one of my strength, Futuristic; aligned quite well with one of the basic skills that Keith uses. His ability to think about the future of his clients is an integral part of his day. Furthermore, this strength allows him to better manage clients’ assets. Another strength that I was able to compare with Keith was positivity. With positivity, Gallup describes these people as those who have an enthusiasm that is contagious. Just like Gallup’s definition, Keith was enthusiastic from the moment I entered his office until I left. With observation I make sense why he is thriving as a CFP. From my observation, I feel that his positive mind set is what keeps him wanting more. In terms of values, skills and interest we both concurred that independence was a huge part of our persona. We also discovered that we shared