College Financial Representative Intern - Internship Program
About the job
- Be a full-time student; juniors and seniors are preferred.
- Have entrepreneurial ambitions and curiosity for sales.
- Be highly involved on campus, such as as a leader, athlete, campus organization participant, or student government member.
- Demonstrate strong time-management skills.
- Have an interest in financial literacy and planning tools.
- Demonstrate business savvy and a desire to increase critical-thinking abilities.
- Learn how to prospect and network to build the business and client base.
- Develop and execute a business strategy.
- Call on potential clients and set meetings to understand their financial goals.
- Prepare plans and offer useful recommendations.
- Gain exposure to proprietary planning software platforms.
- Engage in weekly coaching, training, and development meetings.
- Receive Risk Product State Licensing in Life, Accident, and Health.
- Build life skills that create future career opportunities.
- Continue growing the practice with support for registrations and certifications such as Series 6, Series 63, or Certified Financial Planner certification.
- Collaborate with experts in the business.
About the company
Northwestern Mutual provides financial planning, insurance, and investment services as a mutual company owned by policyholders. It offers life, disability, and long-term care insurance plus investment products and wealth management, with financial advisors crafting personalized plans for retirement, estate, and wealth goals. The company differentiates itself through policyholder ownership that aligns interests with clients and a focus on long-term advisory relationships beyond insurance. Its goal is to help clients achieve financial security and growth through a long-term financial partnership.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Founded
1856
Get referred to Northwestern Mutual
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Financial Planning ranked Northwestern Mutual sixth among independent broker-dealers on August 18, 2026.
- Q2 2026 client investment assets topped $453 billion, rising nearly 12% year over year.
- Family Office Services, launched September 29, 2026, targets $50 million-plus households and expands advisor wallet share.
What critics are saying
- The EEOC subpoena fight over DEI policies continues in Wisconsin federal court.
- Northwestern Mutual's January 2026 defamation win exposed recurring FINRA reporting and misconduct scrutiny.
- A major advisor misconduct scandal would break the referral model and push clients to rivals.
What makes Northwestern Mutual unique
- Mutual ownership aligns policyholder capital with long-duration trust and client retention.
- Family Office Services, launched September 29, 2026, bundles legal, tax, and legacy planning.
- Its scale spans 22,000 staff, five million Americans, and $453 billion client assets.
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Benefits
Growing your Career
Compensation & Time Off
Insurance plans
Health Savings Account
Wellness programs & resources
401(k) plan and cash balance contributions
Company News
More than 80% of Americans aged 57 and older want to receive long-term care at home if needed, but most families haven't planned financially for it, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2026 Planning & Progress Study. The research surveyed 4,375 US adults. Sixty-one per cent of Americans expect to need long-term care eventually, yet 54% haven't prepared financially. The situation affects younger generations too: 67% of Gen Z and 66% of millennials anticipate providing care for loved ones, but 60% haven't planned for associated costs. Current caregivers already feel the strain. Among the 39% providing or having provided care, 69% took financial actions like reducing spending or tapping savings. Some worked longer hours or took on debt. Northwestern Mutual's analysis suggests that if current cost trends continue, annual expenses for eight-hour daily home care could exceed $500,000 by 2058.
Northwestern Mutual's Foundation has reached $75 million in total donations to advance childhood cancer treatments and cures since 2012. The company announced a new $100,000 investment for Children's Wisconsin MACC Fund Center in Milwaukee, with more hospitals to be named in 2027. The funding will support families facing financial challenges and expand professional development for hospital staff. It also includes the inaugural Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Healthcare Hero Award, presented to nurse Katy Tomlinson. During September's Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Northwestern Mutual is donating $100 to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for each new financial plan delivered, up to $2 million. The company's partnership with the Milwaukee Brewers has raised over half a million dollars for childhood cancer research. Since 2012, the Foundation has funded more than 860,000 hours of research and supported over 370 students through scholarships.
Northwestern Mutual's chief executive officer Tim Gerend has been named the seventh highest-rated CEO in America by Glassdoor. The recognition is based entirely on anonymous feedback from employees and financial advisors who rated their approval of how Gerend leads the company. Gerend became chairman, president and CEO in 2025. Under his leadership, Northwestern Mutual recently announced record business performance, including new highs for revenue, surplus position and annual dividends paid to policyowners. The company serves more than five million clients and holds $2.5 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force. It manages more than $450 billion in client assets through its retail investments business, ranking among the top five independent broker-dealers in the US.
Financial pressures are forcing many young Americans to postpone or abandon major life milestones, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2026 Planning & Progress Study. Nearly three in four Gen Z adults and more than half of Millennials have delayed at least one significant milestone due to financial challenges. The impact is particularly acute for homeownership and family planning. Thirty-one per cent of Gen Z respondents have postponed buying a house, whilst 24% have delayed having children. Among those who have become parents, over 70% spend as much or more on their children monthly as they do on housing. Artificial intelligence is adding to concerns, with 46% of Gen Z and 32% of Millennials pessimistic about its impact on their careers. Despite these challenges, younger generations are responding proactively. Gen Z and Millennials started saving for retirement at ages 22 and 28 respectively, years earlier than previous generations, and seek professional financial guidance at higher rates.
Northwestern Mutual's 2026 Planning & Progress Study reveals that 60% of Americans consider poor money habits a dealbreaker in new relationships. Excessive gambling and risk-taking rank as the top financial red flag, followed by hiding purchases and high credit card debt. Among Gen Z couples, 41% report money arguments are seriously straining their relationships. Financial compatibility has emerged as more important than emotional chemistry, physical attraction, or shared interests for maintaining successful long-term relationships. Single Americans seeking partners who earn money expect an average income of $139,000 annually, with women's expectations ($172,000) significantly exceeding men's ($101,000). Nearly three-quarters of Americans believe couples should discuss finances well before marriage or cohabitation, though 19% of married couples delayed these conversations until after major milestones. The survey included 4,375 US adults, conducted online between 5–21 January 2026.