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Jun 13, 2005 10:18 pm

Greetings,

I just finished a few stages of the inteview process with UBS (phone interview and in-branch testing).  I am moving on the last two steps of the hiring process - branch interviews and business plan evaluation.  Does anyone know much about that last requirement?  What do they expect from that business plan?  A biz plan can really vary in depth and complexity...

Any insight will be very helpful.  Thanks in advance for your tips.

Goldfish go....

Jun 14, 2005 4:41 am

[quote=goldfish05]

Greetings,

I just finished a few stages of the inteview process with UBS (phone interview and in-branch testing).  I am moving on the last two steps of the hiring process - branch interviews and business plan evaluation.  Does anyone know much about that last requirement?  What do they expect from that business plan?  A biz plan can really vary in depth and complexity...

Any insight will be very helpful.  Thanks in advance for your tips.

Goldfish go....

[/quote]

Yep they will want to know how many rich friends and relatives you have that you can suck into their proprietary products before they fire you.......
Jun 15, 2005 2:56 am

Unfortunately that is incorrect. Possible CEG worldwide might Shed some light on the subject for you.

Good Luck they have some awesome Swiss chicks that work there.

Not much in the way of proprietary products although they have some impressive interpretations of the market as it relates to "value"

Jun 15, 2005 5:45 am

Lots of great articles on the CEG worldwide website.  Thanks babyfat.

Regarding getting your rich friends and families, I don't think there is one single company that does not do that.  The only difference is whether they would give you a fair price (i.e. salary) in return...

Thanks for both of your insights!!!

Goldfish go go

Jun 22, 2005 12:45 am

I had a phone interview, went into a branch now I have to do some testing.  The chick that took care of me was sweet

Jul 15, 2005 1:44 pm

[quote=joedabrkr]

[quote=goldfish05]

Greetings,

I just finished a few stages of the inteview process with UBS (phone interview and in-branch testing).  I am moving on the last two steps of the hiring process - branch interviews and business plan evaluation.  Does anyone know much about that last requirement?  What do they expect from that business plan?  A biz plan can really vary in depth and complexity...

Any insight will be very helpful.  Thanks in advance for your tips.

Goldfish go....

[/quote]

Yep they will want to know how many rich friends and relatives you have that you can suck into their proprietary products before they fire you.......
[/quote]

Do they hire regular folks that don't have many rich friends?
Jul 15, 2005 1:52 pm

[quote=SaySo]



Do they hire regular folks that don’t have many rich friends?

[/quote]



That’s strike three.



The brutal, unvarnished, truth is that if you get an offer from any
major firm you should look at the man or woman who made that offer and
tell yourself that you’re looking at somebody who just made a hiring
mistake.



Strike one–you’re too young



Strike two–you have no selling track record



Strike three–you don’t know anybody with money



What part of this do you not get?

Jul 15, 2005 1:56 pm

[quote=Put Trader] The brutal, unvarnished, truth is that if you get an offer from any major firm you should look at the man or woman who made that offer and tell yourself that you're looking at somebody who just made a hiring mistake.[/quote]

Just like every manager that hired you.

[quote=Put Trader] Strike one--you're too young[/quote]

You're too old. And just plain fugly.

[quote=Put Trader]  Strike two--you have no selling track record[/quote]

Neither do you, putty boy. You're a failed planner.

[quote=Put Trader] Strike three--you don't know anybody with money[/quote]

Neither do you. The men you see while watching TV at your adult day care center don't count.

[quote=Put Trader] What part of this do you not get?
[/quote]

Have you ever actually sold anything, puttyndacrack? (selling your soul to the devil doesn't count)

Jul 15, 2005 2:03 pm

Roger,



In order to disagree with me you have to believe that being young is not a disadvantage.  Is that your position?



In order to disagree with me you have to believe that having zero sales
experience is not a disadvantage.  Is that your position?



In order to disagree with me you have to believe that the absence of a network is an advantage.  Is that your position?



Are you incapable of grasping how ridiculous you are?

Jul 15, 2005 2:08 pm

[quote=Put Trader]Roger,In order to disagree with me you have to believe that being young is not a disadvantage. Is that your position?In order to disagree with me you have to believe that having zero sales experience is not a disadvantage. Is that your position?In order to disagree with me you have to believe that the absence of a network is an advantage. Is that your position?Are you incapable of grasping how ridiculous you are?[/quote]


Every disadvantage you mention can be overcome by a top gun producer, with a fiery desire to succeed.


You do not possess said fiery desire. You exhibit a mean streak as wide as your experience is narrow.


"A negative thought is a downpayment on an obligation to fail." - John Savage


This is how I can tell you're a failed planner. You spew venom and negativity like a snake.

Jul 15, 2005 2:19 pm

[quote=Roger Thornhill]

Every disadvantage you mention can be overcome by a top gun producer, with a fiery desire to succeed.

[/quote]



Nonsense. At least in the securities industry.



Now, in insurance all you have to be able to do is ask things like, "Mr. Johnson, have you ever had diabetes…?"



That can be done by a young man or woman out of school and in so doing

they can develop the age that allows them to at least possibly be

credible, it allows them to develop confidence in their selling

abilitiy (even though it’s really order taking), and it allows them to

walk into Morgan Stanley with a network of sorts, their insurance

clients.



How many times do I have to tell you that the website is mind numbingly sophomoric.



Tell me what is wrong with my suggestion to SaySo. I suppose you’re high on something so I’ll repeat it.



SaySo should go to work at a first rate insurance company–where they

can learn to hone their selling skills in an environment where

credibility is not really very imporant. Then at age 35 or so, if

they’ve succeeded at insurance, they’ll be a Smith Barney branch

manager’s wet dream.



Where am I wrong?

Jul 15, 2005 2:47 pm

[quote=Put Trader]Where am I wrong?  [/quote]

Everywhere.

Jul 15, 2005 2:52 pm

As I said, immaturity coupled with raw stupidity strutting its stuff like a peacock.



And to think you what passes for a top gun producer.



Jul 16, 2005 1:13 am

[quote=Put Trader]Roger,



In order to disagree with me you have to believe that being young is not a disadvantage.  Is that your position?



In order to disagree with me you have to believe that having zero sales
experience is not a disadvantage.  Is that your position?



In order to disagree with me you have to believe that the absence of a network is an advantage.  Is that your position?



Are you incapable of grasping how ridiculous you are?

[/quote]



Put, have you heard of a SWOT Analysis? If not you can google it.



As young as I may be, I have lived in two countries, came to the US
alone at 18, speak 4 languages, hustled my way thru college, graduated
Summa Cum Laude, and have had to fight for everything I have.



These are my words, but for what they are worth, I believe the key to
success in any business is the ability to channel your strengths to explore all
opportunities, identify your weaknesses and work to eliminate or control them,
and turn threats into opportunities to grow and advance personally and professionally.





Failure is NOT an option. If someone fails, AGE, LACK OF FORMAL SALES EXPERIENCE, AND LACK OF WEALTHY CONTACTS, become the EXCUSE, not the cause of failure.





SaySo.<o:p></o:p>

Jul 16, 2005 1:15 am

[quote=Roger Thornhill]

[quote=Put Trader]Roger,In order to disagree with me you have to believe that being young is not a disadvantage. Is that your position?In

order to disagree with me you have to believe that having zero sales

experience is not a disadvantage. Is that your position?In order to disagree with me you have to believe that the absence of a network is an advantage. Is that your position?Are you incapable of grasping how ridiculous you are?[/quote]



Every disadvantage you mention can be overcome by a top gun producer, with a fiery desire to succeed.



You do not possess said fiery desire. You exhibit a mean streak as wide as your experience is narrow.



“A negative thought is a downpayment on an obligation to fail.” - John Savage



This is how I can tell you’re a failed planner. You spew venom and negativity like a snake.

[/quote]



Roger,



I agree with your statement 100%

Jul 16, 2005 1:17 am

[quote=SaySo] Put, have you heard of a SWOT Analysis? If not you can google it.

As young as I may be, I have lived in two countries, came to the US alone at 18, speak 4 languages, hustled my way thru college, graduated Summa Cum Laude, and have had to fight for everything I have.

These are my words, but for what they are worth, I believe the key to success in any business is the ability to channel your strengths to explore all opportunities, identify your weaknesses and work to eliminate or control them, and turn threats into opportunities to grow and advance personally and professionally.


Failure is NOT an option. If someone fails, AGE, LACK OF FORMAL SALES EXPERIENCE, AND LACK OF WEALTHY CONTACTS, become the EXCUSE, not the cause of failure.


SaySo. [/quote]

I'm making my prediction today:  SaySo will be successful in this business.

Jul 16, 2005 3:38 am

[quote=Roger Thornhill]

[quote=SaySo] Put, have you heard of a SWOT Analysis? If not you can google it. As

young as I may be, I have lived in two countries, came to the US alone

at 18, speak 4 languages, hustled my way thru college, graduated Summa

Cum Laude, and have had to fight for everything I have.These are my words, but for what they are worth, I believe the key to success in any business is the ability

to channel your strengths to explore all opportunities, identify your

weaknesses and work to eliminate or control them, and turn threats into

opportunities to grow and advance personally and professionally.Failure is NOT an option. If someone fails, AGE, LACK OF FORMAL SALES EXPERIENCE, AND LACK OF WEALTHY CONTACTS, become the EXCUSE, not the cause of failure.SaySo.<o:p></o:p> [/quote]



I’m making my prediction today: SaySo will be successful in this business.

[/quote]



In what business? Insurance? Perhaps. Securities? No way.



Now, in addition to being too young, with no network and no selling

experience we have a kid who has only been in this country for a

handful of years.



It is admirable and all that when a person can reach down by their boot

straps and pull themselves up–this is America and all that.



However, securities sales is unlike anything I can think of.

Insurance sales is actually little more than order taking–people have

100% sales resistance to insurance until they wake up one day and

realize that they need insurance on their life as well as their car and

their home. Anybody who is alive can take an insurance

application once the client has decided to buy–and no matter how many

top gun producer techniques you’re not going to be able to move

somebody from point A to point B unless and until they’re ready.



The insurance industry is known for hiring the functionally illiterate

among us, the young, and the plaid sport coat hale fellow well met

types.



By comparison securities is actually the fine art of persuation.

In the back of people’s minds is the nagging knowledge that they need

to do more in the area of saving and investing. Unlike life

insurance where the client knows that he needs “X” dollars of

insurance, with securities he or she feels somewhat lost and in need of

professional advice.



The largest sums of money–at the retail level–are controlled by

successful middle aged people. Predominantly white and well

educated.



It is a fact of life–genetics or something–that middle age people

have no faith in 25 year olds. You know it, I know, all God’s

children know it. The other day I stated that Ms. Babbling Looney

would probably admit that when she was 27 she would not have had the

credibility to make it, and she agreed.



There is nothing–NOTHING–that a 25 year old can do to gain credibility except get to be 35, or even 40.



Anybody who disagrees with me is a fool. Kids should be told that

they need to go sell something such as insurance unitl they’re in their

mid thirties.



The danger in not doing so is burning out and getting a reputation as a

faillure in the business. Suppose SaySo actually does encounter

an idiot manager who offers him or her a job. They will have a

U-4 record.



Now, since the odds are 99% that SaySo will fail at this age the U-4

will have a termination date. They call it a U-5.



SaySo will have to do something with their life so let’s say that he or

she walks into your office and since he or she can breath one a cold

mirror and it will fog up you give him or her a job.



Let’s further say that he or she can actually sell insurance–it’s as

easy as falling off a log, all you have to do is make appointments and

then keep them–so after about ten years he or she is the still young

age of 35 and they meet the branch manager of a local Morgan Stanley

office. That manager suggests that with their success at

insurance they might be able to make it in securities so they offer him

or her a job.



Put a smile face on the entry from ten years earlier–the previous employment, the previous testing, the previous failure.

Jul 16, 2005 4:18 am

[quote=Put Trader]

[quote=Roger Thornhill]

[quote=SaySo] Put, have you heard of a SWOT Analysis? If not you can google it. As

young as I may be, I have lived in two countries, came to the US alone

at 18, speak 4 languages, hustled my way thru college, graduated Summa

Cum Laude, and have had to fight for everything I have.These are my words, but for what they are worth, I believe the key to success in any business is the ability

to channel your strengths to explore all opportunities, identify your

weaknesses and work to eliminate or control them, and turn threats into

opportunities to grow and advance personally and professionally.Failure is NOT an option. If someone fails, AGE, LACK OF FORMAL SALES EXPERIENCE, AND LACK OF WEALTHY CONTACTS, become the EXCUSE, not the cause of failure.SaySo.<o:p></o:p> [/quote]



I’m making my prediction today: SaySo will be successful in this business.

[/quote]



In what business? Insurance? Perhaps. Securities? No way.



Now, in addition to being too young, with no network and no selling

experience we have a kid who has only been in this country for a

handful of years.



It is admirable and all that when a person can reach down by their boot

straps and pull themselves up–this is America and all that.



However, securities sales is unlike anything I can think of.

Insurance sales is actually little more than order taking–people have

100% sales resistance to insurance until they wake up one day and

realize that they need insurance on their life as well as their car and

their home. Anybody who is alive can take an insurance

application once the client has decided to buy–and no matter how many

top gun producer techniques you’re not going to be able to move

somebody from point A to point B unless and until they’re ready.



The insurance industry is known for hiring the functionally illiterate

among us, the young, and the plaid sport coat hale fellow well met

types.



By comparison securities is actually the fine art of persuation.

In the back of people’s minds is the nagging knowledge that they need

to do more in the area of saving and investing. Unlike life

insurance where the client knows that he needs “X” dollars of

insurance, with securities he or she feels somewhat lost and in need of

professional advice.



The largest sums of money–at the retail level–are controlled by

successful middle aged people. Predominantly white and well

educated.



It is a fact of life–genetics or something–that middle age people

have no faith in 25 year olds. You know it, I know, all God’s

children know it. The other day I stated that Ms. Babbling Looney

would probably admit that when she was 27 she would not have had the

credibility to make it, and she agreed.



There is nothing–NOTHING–that a 25 year old can do to gain credibility except get to be 35, or even 40.



Anybody who disagrees with me is a fool. Kids should be told that

they need to go sell something such as insurance unitl they’re in their

mid thirties.



The danger in not doing so is burning out and getting a reputation as a

faillure in the business. Suppose SaySo actually does encounter

an idiot manager who offers him or her a job. They will have a

U-4 record.



Now, since the odds are 99% that SaySo will fail at this age the U-4

will have a termination date. They call it a U-5.



SaySo will have to do something with their life so let’s say that he or

she walks into your office and since he or she can breath one a cold

mirror and it will fog up you give him or her a job.



Let’s further say that he or she can actually sell insurance–it’s as

easy as falling off a log, all you have to do is make appointments and

then keep them–so after about ten years he or she is the still young

age of 35 and they meet the branch manager of a local Morgan Stanley

office. That manager suggests that with their success at

insurance they might be able to make it in securities so they offer him

or her a job.



Put a smile face on the entry from ten years earlier–the previous employment, the previous testing, the previous failure.

[/quote]



Hi Put,



Good points. So selling insurance worked for you when you were 25, right?



Besides, if I’m not a match to MS, ML, SB, … I can always become a

successful manager at AEFA… or whatever name they have then. Look at

the upside, I’ll have plenty of time to write on forums.

Jul 16, 2005 5:17 am

Interesting thread.

I see the points in both sides, but favor puts views. I look back at my careers and realize that there were times when I did not have the the knowledge or contacts to kick some butts in the security field. Also it seems to takes a few years for ones circle of influence to develope into solid investors. People who could potentially buy securites and make you some commissions.

Now without sales experience and any network of potential customers the odds are in favor of failure.

I do think reguardless of age it takes failure for one to get the valuable experience to succeed. So if a young man or woman with a clear goal and strong mentor gives it their all the chance of success is fair at best.

Now at the same time what mentor is going to hire a young man, with no sales experience and limited (if any) established network? I would not and I am not that experienced.

I have always thought I was a solid networker. I think there is a skill to it. Join organizations where you can learn from leaders and network. Examples are Toastmasters, Fire Depts, Reserve forces, Lions Club, Rotary Club, sports club or a investment club. My point is you have to be diverse and flexible.

Maybe I am wrong, but I think the chance of success with a limited sales exp, networking skills and personal development beyond college is low... Maybe this is why 9 out of 10 fail after a year.? OF COURSE NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

Jul 16, 2005 5:58 am

Also with the diversity I dont think it hurts to have some experience in another career field. Then one could have the knowledge to talk to professionals in that career field.

I think this is a great place for young bulls to learn from the old bulls.. I am a young bull and I dont want anyone to be offended by my comments.