Summer internship turns into full-time gig

Treavor Dodsworth is counting down the days to when he begins his first financial planning job July 7.

He just graduated from Olivet Nazarene University with a double major in accounting and finance, and he’ll be kicking off his career at NorthWest Financial Services Inc., a fee-based firm in Indianapolis.

“It’s a small firm with nine employees, and I’m No. 10,” Mr. Dodsworth, 22, said. NorthWest provides comprehensive services including planning related to investments, charitable giving and estates.

This isn’t this Coloradan’s first rodeo at NorthWest. He interned there last summer for 10 weeks.

INTERNSHIP

Things clicked right away.

“They have a heart for what they’re doing — a passion — and they enjoy it,” he said. “They go above and beyond what they have to do in order to earn their fee.”

Even though he hasn’t started work yet, the firm already is helping him prepare for the certified public accountant exam. Mr. Dodsworth also hopes to obtain his CFP designation.

Though he didn’t always have “financial planner” on his career list growing up, Mr. Dodsworth had a knack for working with money. When it came to school clubs, for instance, he was always the treasurer.

In addition to the new job, other major life changes are under way for Mr. Dodsworth. He just got married and will be moving from his native Wray, Colo., to Indianapolis.

“Starting a real job, I’m a little bit nervous about it,” he said. “But it’s all good change and I’m excited about where I’m going.”

(A previous version of this story incorrectly identified NorthWest Financial Services Inc. as a fee-only firm. The firm is fee-based, as it generates a small amount of revenue from commissions.)