The Capital Group Companies

The Associates Program — do:different

Looking for a different kind of job after graduation? One where you can develop skills, meet interesting people, and contribute to the well-being of millions of individuals? The Associates Program (TAP) might be right for you.

TAP is a global rotational program created in 1981 to bring high–potential early-career individuals into our organization.

The program is approximately two years, during which you'll:

• Discover your strengths and grow to understand the type of career and work environment that suits you best.
• Gain exposure to a range of business areas through a series of four-month assignments that ultimately may impact millions of people throughout the world.
• Do meaningful work in your community through a nonprofit assignment during your second year of the program.
• Increase your understanding of investment management through in-house MBA-level courses in accounting, finance and capital markets taught by university professors.
• Develop friendships and mentoring relationships to last a lifetime.

A personalized experience

TAP is a very personalized experience; no two associates ever complete the same assignments. Each associate’s rotational experience is customized based on the current business need and your developmental objectives. You won’t know your schedule of assignments in advance, but you can be certain that the projects you complete will traverse a variety of business and geographic areas.

Along the way, you’ll work with a range of project managers and mentors to develop the skills and abilities that will serve you well after the completion of the program. We work with our successful TAP graduates to select the best long–term professional opportunity from a range of full–time roles in our offices around the world.

Is TAP for you?

We seek college seniors or early–career individuals from a multitude of backgrounds with different talents and outlooks. We don’t accept MBAs into the program. Below are just a few examples of what we look for in a candidate, among many other characteristics:

• Very strong analytical, problem–solving, communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated leadership potential, initiative and flexibility
• Outstanding academic record and extracurricular involvement
• A liberal arts background is welcome; finance or business experience is not necessary

TAP summer internship

The TAP summer internship is a structured 10–12 week program that gives you an introduction to the full–time TAP program. Think of it as a single rotational assignment that will give you a taste of what may come. You’ll spend the summer in Los Angeles learning about the Capital Group Companies, the investment management business, and developing professional skills that you can use anywhere. At the end of the summer, we’ll invite successful interns to join our full–time program the following year, after college graduation.

As a TAP intern, you’ll:

• Work with one department within Capital on an assignment with significant business value
• Join fellow interns to complete a team assignment related to one of our business initiatives
• Participate in a series of events that give you exposure to senior business leaders within the organization and training sessions that will help you build transferable skills
• Learn about yourself and your own strengths to determine whether the TAP program is the right choice for you

Is the TAP summer internship for you?

Are you interested in spending the summer in Los Angeles? Do you want to work on a substantial and meaningful business project? Are you interested in meeting like–minded students from across the world? If so, consider our summer program.

We seek:

• Undergraduates in their junior year of school
• Very strong analytical, problem–solving, communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated leadership potential, initiative and flexibility
• Outstanding academic record and extracurricular involvement
• A liberal arts background is welcome; finance or business experience is not necessary

Frequently asked questions

Full-time TAP

How is TAP different from other rotational programs?

TAP differentiates itself by providing exceptional individuals a unique opportunity to learn about business through customized assignments around the world, in–house MBA classes and an opportunity to work for a nonprofit while receiving their regular salary.

Instead of looking for candidates who already have a career path in mind, TAP helps individuals discover their talents and interests, develop their skills, and determine a career area in which they can be successful.

Another key differentiator is the mentoring and coaching provided throughout the program. In TAP, you work as a member of a team during some rotations and more independently during others. In all cases, the program manager, your rotation managers, and former and current TAP participants are available as resources.

Can I choose my own assignments and locations?

Your assignments aren’t determined at the outset. As you move through the program, we have frequent discussions about your interests and strengths, and the skills you’d like to develop. This allows us to match you with customized assignments that allow you to grow while helping us address our current business needs.

How long is the TAP program?

TAP associates generally rotate through six, four–month assignments. In some cases, assignments take only three months to complete, while others may be longer than the four month average. Timeframes are based on business need. Most TAP associates complete the program in approximately two years, but timeframes vary by individual.

How does the organization view TAP?

TAP has been in place at the Capital Group since 1981. The program's success is very important to the organization. Contributions made by TAP associates are valued because they address real-time business needs. Graduates find that their broad and deep perspective about our organization enables them to continue making significant contributions.

How many TAP candidates does the Capital Group accept each year?

We typically accept six to eight TAP candidates from around the world each year.

What’s the selection process?

The entire selection process takes roughly two months, during which you may participate in three rounds of interviews at a location near you and at our Los Angeles or New York offices. Throughout the process, you meet with associates with diverse experience levels from various business areas and have the opportunity to ask questions of current and former TAP associates. We understand that this process is important for you, so we encourage you to use this time to learn more about us and have your questions answered.

Do you sponsor work visas?

We’re often able to obtain work permits to address business needs.

TAP Internship

How many TAP interns does the Capital Group accept each summer?

We typically accept three to four TAP interns each summer.

What percentage of summer interns get invited to join the full–time program?

It’s feasible that all summer interns are offered a position depending on their individual development and success during the summer internship.

What’s the selection process?

The selection process for the TAP internship is very similar to that of the full–time program. (See above).

For acceptance into the full–time program, TAP interns will interview at the end of their summer internship. Their development and performance throughout the summer assignment also are key determinants.

Can I choose my own summer assignment and location?

The TAP summer internship takes place in our Los Angeles office. Your summer project will be assigned based on your existing skills, areas you’d like to develop, your interests, and business need.

Do TAP summer interns also take classes?

TAP interns participate in several customized training sessions geared to help them develop various professional skills, for example training in excel, public speaking, business communications, etc. Since the internship is only 10–12 weeks, there isn’t enough time to attend the MBA–level courses that the full–time TAP associates take during their first year of the program.

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