Pros
-Provide you with all of the financial tools you need for analysis -Veteran FA's will go out of their way to try and help new ones -provide industry standard training for exams (no better or worse then most others) -better base salary then Indy firms, but minimum wage for first 2-3 months -Good Culture (client's interest) -Some nice people
Cons
-Bad Culture (if you struggle , the company claims you are not a "hardworker" and doesn't offer much help to find a solution) -Absolutely ZERO work/life balance first 3 years (you will work from 8 a.m to 9 p.m weekdays, and 6 hours Saturday -One Size fits all approach, no innovation with sales/prospecting techniques -Software/ technology is a complete joke (the system has fantastic content, however it takes me 2 hours to get into the system most days and terrible usability) -Big Brother Feel -- you will receive calls from a faceless name in STL every other day -If you are "New/New" you will work from home for 1 year -Stiff contract (you can quit anytime, but be ready to pay them back for training) -Door-knocking can work, but it isn't very enjoyable (Unless you are the perfect jones fit) -Benefits worse then rest of the industry My Advice - If your not the type of person who talks to everyone they come across in any situation, then do not take this job. You are expected to basically befriend thousands of people in hopes that some of them will like you enough to give you some of their nest egg. To me, this was just incredibly draining and monotonous. You have to truly know that you want this job, be able to accept having no life for 3 years, and be extremely self-disciplined. I am a very hardworking person, but I need some structure in my work life, therefore it wasn't the best place for me. I thought It sounded like a good opportunity with alot of freedom. In truth you have too much freedom in your daily activities, but absolutely 0 freedom in long-term orientation, goals, and expectations.