Northwestern Mafia - Financial Representative Northwestern Mutual Employee Review

1.0
11 Aug 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Make your own schedule and extensive training

Cons

Working at Northwestern Mutual was the biggest mistake of my life. I joined the company with hopes of creating a career for myself where I could determine my own schedule and be my own boss. I couldnt have been more wrong. To start, they force you to call all of your friends and family and be vague about wanting to meet with them. If they agree to it, they train you to use high pressure sales tactics to paint a picture of the worst possible scenario that could happen to them (if you want to sell a lot of disability or life insurance, they want you to to sell a lot of disability or life insurance, they want you to make the client afraid of death or disability). If they disagree and say they dont need insurance, you are trained to essentially insult the client and say that they dont love their family if they dont buy from you. I lost many friends because of this and it made many family gatherings extremely awkward. Even if you can get a large number of your friends and family to buy insurance, they set such high production requirements that they essentially try to remove you from the business in 1 year. But why would a company try to have such high turnover But why would a company try to have such high turnover around the 1 year mark? Because Northwestern Mutual is essentially an elegant pyramid scheme. They bring you in, screw you over, and take all of the phone numbers from you when you leave so they can harass your friends and family even after you've left. On top of that, the way you are paid for selling an insurance policy is they give and family even after you've left. On top of that, the way you are paid for selling an insurance policy is they give you the full 13 months premium payments from the sale and if that client decides to cancel or cannot afford the premiums anymore, guess who forks up the bill? YOU DO! I left the company 6 months ago and have paid them over $13,000 through mafia like extortion tactics that they use. They dont explain why you owe them more money, they just send you a bill and deduct absurd amounts of money from your savings. They assume that it is the reps fault that some one would cancel but they is the reps fault that some one would cancel but they dont take into account events like covid putting pressure on clients to pay high rates for something they cant afford. The managing partners at each office is set because they are the top of the pyramid scheme while they destroy all the people coming in that are new to the they destroy all the people coming in that are new to the business. I followed every training action they told me to do and I was treading water from day one. They promised that it would get better if i kept calling more and more people i knew, but it never did. If anyone is reading this and is considering working for Northwestern Mutual, DONT! If you know anyone considering working here, please show them this and warn them. The Northwestern Mafia will drain and beat you down all so the Mob boss (managing partner) can add another 0 to his income.

Explore other reviews about Northwestern Mutual

5.0
4 July 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great culture, very rewarding and fulfilling career, providing amazing flexibility and recurring income with benefits as you grow your business.

Cons

Challenging to get the business off the ground in the first couple of years, just like they told me that it would be. Need to expect to put in 50+ hours per week in the beginning if you want to thrive but it's worth it.

5.0
17 June 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This internship has allowed me to get real world experience from the very beginning. I've learned how to use LinkedIn Recruiter, make scheduling and screening phone calls, and gotten to shadow the Director of Recruitment during interviews. Compared to other internships that I applied for, Northwestern Mutual has allowed me to have far more exposure to what a real career in recruiting could look like. The office has a great energy and culture, and I am able to participate in fun team events, like going to the Cardinals baseball game. As for career growth, I really admire the emphasis that Northwestern Mutual places on growth and development. Through my time spent around this company, I've been personally and professionally challenged to grow. I've been given books to read, attended leadership meetings, and been given the opportunity to dive deep into my strengths. The management here has encouraged me to explore and shadow different roles to help me make an informed decision about what kind of careers I want to pursue after graduation. Overall, I can't recommend this company enough! They are truly focused on serving their clients well, and developing employees to reach their full potential.

Cons

None, I've had a great experience! This is an environment of growth, so it can require moments of being challenged and stretched to do things outside your comfort zone. I could see some people being uncomfortable with growth, so it's not the environment for everyone! But if you are willing to lean in, it will make such an impact on your life.

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