Edward Jones worth it?
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[quote=Fooled No More]
I never even made it to my “Can Sell Date”. I came over to Jones licensed, and had never heard of a “Can Sell Date”. When I started out at BAI as a licensed advisor, I was expected to start producing from Day 1. I expected training, which was a week in Tempe, was going to teach me the EDJ systems and technology. But instead it was a “Door-Knocking Convention”. At the campus, at the hotel, everywhere there was “doorknocking”. I guess there is no training required for the MS-DOS Order Entry.
When I returned from from Tempe, I tried to get my Can-Sell date so I could move over clients, but my ATL and Field Trainer was more worried about me completing my Blue Book, and doing my Regional Leader Exam. So no it is not all about producing, I had around 5mm to move over immediatley. I know that is not a huge number, but it would have been production.
I am not here to bash EDJ, I am just saying it is not for everyone.
[quote=SMUSMU] [quote=Fooled No More]
I never even made it to my "Can Sell Date". I came over to Jones licensed, and had never heard of a "Can Sell Date". When I started out at BAI as a licensed advisor, I was expected to start producing from Day 1. I expected training, which was a week in Tempe, was going to teach me the EDJ systems and technology. But instead it was a "Door-Knocking Convention". At the campus, at the hotel, everywhere there was "doorknocking". I guess there is no training required for the MS-DOS Order Entry.
When I returned from from Tempe, I tried to get my Can-Sell date so I could move over clients, but my ATL and Field Trainer was more worried about me completing my Blue Book, and doing my Regional Leader Exam. So no it is not all about producing, I had around 5mm to move over immediatley. I know that is not a huge number, but it would have been production.
I am not here to bash EDJ, I am just saying it is not for everyone.[/quote] That isn't on EJ thats on you. You weren't willing to "play the game" and do the very basics that they asked of you. 5 million is some production, but then what ? Why the hell would Jones invest in you when you weren't going to provide them with a work ethic in return. It is so easy to go along with what they are telling you until you get things rolling. The only thing that gets in the way is ego. What happened to you has nothing to do with EJ.
Unless you were going to liquidate and transfer that $5MM, it wasn’t production. I can’t even count the number of hotshots like you who used to come through my training class acting like they owned the place when they had a $5MM book and had been in the business for a year. There was a reason you went through the normal training program and not the “I’m already a big boy” producing transfers class - you needed to start over. You evidently weren’t successful enough yet at BAI to be able to sit at the adults table at Jones.
That blue book would have taken you a couple of hours. The RL exam maybe a few more. You could easily have done those two things in a day or two, depending on the RL's schedule. KYC is about trying to create customers, not enter orders. It's written specifically for those folks who come to Jones without any industry experience. It doesn't matter if you know how to place orders, get email, use Bondnet or the FAST tools IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO USE THEM ON!!! Thus all the doorknocking roleplaying. I agree with Ron - your ego got in the way of a succesful career at EDJ. That's on you.So in your calls, are you trying to sell a product or an appointment?[/quote][quote=SometimesNowhere]Just what I was thinking. I, from personal experience, can attest to the fact that they couldn’t care less how you prospect as long as you are exceeding expectations. I haven’t knocked on a door since before Eval/Grad.
I call on product or just to introduce myself. I really just want people to talk, and appointments sort of happen naturally. I think it has been said on here before, it doesn't matter what you say, just as long as you're calling. Just depends on what I feel like doing on a particular day.
I am, however, about to make a campaign of calling wealthy people (I traditionally have been focusing on the $200-400k crowd). With that I will probably lead with product.
I think from my first post, it was pretty evident that I know it was my fault. I clearly said you have to do it the Jones way, I was not willing to do so.
I was not let go from BAI for Production reasons, my book was over 20mm in a year and a half. It was for something stupid I did. I knew I could guarentee to bring over 5mm and would work to bring over the rest, that was going to be my prospecting. My ATL said these people had to be NEW contacts, and would check my prospecting for notes. When I entered notes, he would say it was not enough. You guys really need to chill out, and stop being so defensive. I am a strong believer in standing up for your company, but recognize that I was not on a bashing spree. In my short peroid there, I could do plenty of bashing but there is no need to. I am happy with the way things turned out, and EDJ was around before I was born, and will probably be here when I die. So they will not miss me one bit.[quote=SMUSMU]
I think from my first post, it was pretty evident that I know it was my fault. I clearly said you have to do it the Jones way, I was not willing to do so.
I was not let go from BAI for Production reasons, my book was over 20mm in a year and a half. It was for something stupid I did. I knew I could guarentee to bring over 5mm and would work to bring over the rest, that was going to be my prospecting. My ATL said these people had to be NEW contacts, and would check my prospecting for notes. When I entered notes, he would say it was not enough. You guys really need to chill out, and stop being so defensive. I am a strong believer in standing up for your company, but recognize that I was not on a bashing spree. In my short peroid there, I could do plenty of bashing but there is no need to. I am happy with the way things turned out, and EDJ was around before I was born, and will probably be here when I die. So they will not miss me one bit.[/quote] How many names would have been in that 20MM? Should have just included Santa Claus as a prospect. I wouldn't be a member of RR unless I asked what you did?[quote=SMUSMU]
I think from my first post, it was pretty evident that I know it was my fault. I clearly said you have to do it the Jones way, I was not willing to do so.
I was not let go from BAI for Production reasons, my book was over 20mm in a year and a half. It was for something stupid I did. I knew I could guarentee to bring over 5mm and would work to bring over the rest, that was going to be my prospecting. My ATL said these people had to be NEW contacts, and would check my prospecting for notes. When I entered notes, he would say it was not enough. You guys really need to chill out, and stop being so defensive. I am a strong believer in standing up for your company, but recognize that I was not on a bashing spree. In my short peroid there, I could do plenty of bashing but there is no need to. I am happy with the way things turned out, and EDJ was around before I was born, and will probably be here when I die. So they will not miss me one bit.[/quote]What the hell? I never had that sort of problem with my ATL. Half the time I didn't have notes.
If that is your experience with Eval/Grad SMUSMU, then you have issues.
Here’s Eval/Grad in a nutshell:
Bring a bunch of made up numbers…
Fake half your calls…
Fake half your money dues…
Try to leave as early as possible…
They don’t check anything, atleast in Tempe. Your ATL and your Vet don’t wanna be there anymore than you do. The ATL’s are all 20 something year olds living in Tempe, wanting to leave for the lake or to party ASAP and your Vets are ready to get to happy hour at the hotel. It’s all a corporate game, to see who can play it and get by. The whole door-knocking thing is dumb, but i understand it. In fact i think it’s pretty genius on Jones part. Not because it gets them ton’s of business, but because most of the money made is actually AFTER the whole door-knocking phase and when an Advisor does things his own way. It’s genius because door-knocking is about the hardest type of prospecting there is. Not physically, but it kills you mentally, unless you laugh at angry people like i do. If an FA can door-knock and be alright, he/she can do any kind of prospecting. It’s more of a weed out program than a “formula”.
Once you get to PDP, do what you want. Screw STL, they don’t give a crap what you do as-long as you are throwing up numbers and your operating in an ethical manner. For instance, I moved to Seg 3 pretty fast, and the Development Leader called me and said “Why don’t you just skip BDW and we’ll focus on Visions”. Sure, you might learn a little here or there from these classes, but they are just a weed out program. I’d encourage anyone who starts at Jones, to do what they tell you and fake it until you make it. Get to PDP, then throw everything you learned away and develop your own strategy that works.
I actually did what the last FA I interviewed with during the hiring process. I plugged in my former clients, and I just went to my county tax roll and got everybodies name and address. Then I went to Whitepages and got the phone numbers and cold called them. The ones I spoke with, I sent out the postcards to them. Prospects was not a problem.
My ATL used to go through my prospects while I was on the phone with him, asking me question about them.
Someone mentioned earlier that most don’t make it to their can-sell date, I would not say most but it is more than I would have imagined. My roomate from training did not make it to his can-sell date, and he had prior experience also.
Quick question, why does EDJ make you have a roomate anyways? I was very surprised by that. Been on business trips/training before and never had a roomate.
[quote=Ronnie Dobbs] If that is your experience with Eval/Grad SMUSMU, then you have issues.
Here’s Eval/Grad in a nutshell:
Bring a bunch of made up numbers…
Fake half your calls…
Fake half your money dues…
Try to leave as early as possible…
They don’t check anything, atleast in Tempe. Your ATL and your Vet don’t wanna be there anymore than you do. The ATL’s are all 20 something year olds living in Tempe, wanting to leave for the lake or to party ASAP and your Vets are ready to get to happy hour at the hotel. It’s all a corporate game, to see who can play it and get by. Once you get to PDP, do what you want.[/quote]
Once again, someone is being defensive. If I never made it to my can-sell date, then obviously I did not attend Eval/Grad. I have never even mentioned Eval/Grad. I don’t even know what goes on during that time.
[quote=SMUSMU]
Once again, someone is being defensive. If I never made it to my can-sell date, then obviously I did not attend Eval/Grad. I have never even mentioned Eval/Grad. I don’t even know what goes on during that time. [/quote]
I wasn’t being defensive at all. I was giving you facts.
Example: “I never made it to my can-sell date” - You got weeded out. Pulled out the John Deere and WHIIIIIZZZED on you.
Weeded Out, really? The not sitting at the big boy table was a good joke, the John Deere was lame.
I have nothing to prove by getting into a pissing match with you. I wish you much success in your professional career.
I’m very comfortable with my business, and obviously you are with yours.
BTW, My kids are enjoying the tablet PC…I guess it will get some use after all.
[/Quote]
You guys really need to chill out, and stop being so defensive. I am a strong believer in standing up for your company, but recognize that I was not on a bashing spree. In my short peroid there, I could do plenty of bashing but there is no need to. I am happy with the way things turned out, and EDJ was around before I was born, and will probably be here when I die. So they will not miss me one bit.[/quote] Most of your respondents don't even work at EDJ. I'm an Independent and couldn't care less about EDJ's success or reputation. We're just tired of listening to bitter people come on the forum and knock a company's business structure because THEY couldn't cut it in the industry. I guess we just get a little edgy. You've gotta tread lightly when you come on here and point fingers. So by the way, where are you now? Not trying to be rude, but I'm just curious as to what firms take a guy who's been fired twice already.Nobody in there right minds would hire me. With BAI I was fired because of something really stupid on my part. I appealed the decision so it never showed up on my U4 but I was still fired. I was told that “we are not going to move forward” from my ATL with EDJ. I just wanted to make it clear that I did not quit. When I moved my book over to BAI from Smith Barney I got the infamous letter saying I owed $$$ for leaving.
I am no longer in the business. I own a kids gym now.
What did you get fired for at BAI?Nobody in there right minds would hire me. With BAI I was fired because of something really stupid on my part. I appealed the decision so it never showed up on my U4 but I was still fired. I was told that “we are not going to move forward” from my ATL with EDJ. I just wanted to make it clear that I did not quit. When I moved my book over to BAI from Smith Barney I got the infamous letter saying I owed $$$ for leaving.
I am no longer in the business. I own a kids gym now.
[quote=SMUSMU]Nobody in there right minds would hire me. With BAI I was fired because of something really stupid on my part. I appealed the decision so it never showed up on my U4 but I was still fired. I was told that “we are not going to move forward” from my ATL with EDJ. I just wanted to make it clear that I did not quit. When I moved my book over to BAI from Smith Barney I got the infamous letter saying I owed $$$ for leaving. I am no longer in the business. I own a kids gym now.
What did you get fired for at BAI?[/quote]
I am too ashamed to say why
Could it have been swept under the rug, Yes. Did my boss have the right to fire me, Obviously Yes.
I will say I did not steal, I did nothing inapropriate, and no one was harmed in the incident. Just end of the day boredom, got me in trouble.
Thanks for your honesty. Whats a “kids gym”?
It is an interactive gym where all of the "games"require movement. There are no actual weights, just kids being active and having fun. We also host birthday parties, and have camps & after-school programs.
[quote=SMUSMU] [quote=Mr.Blonde] [quote=SMUSMU]Nobody in there right minds would hire me. With BAI I was fired because of something really stupid on my part. I appealed the decision so it never showed up on my U4 but I was still fired. I was told that “we are not going to move forward” from my ATL with EDJ. I just wanted to make it clear that I did not quit. When I moved my book over to BAI from Smith Barney I got the infamous letter saying I owed $$$ for leaving. I am no longer in the business. I own a kids gym now. [/quote]
What did you get fired for at BAI?[/quote]
I am too ashamed to say why
Could it have been swept under the rug, Yes. Did my boss have the right to fire me, Obviously Yes.
I will say I did not steal, I did nothing inapropriate, and no one was harmed in the incident. Just end of the day boredom, got me in trouble. [/quote] Were you looking up porn at the office? *serious question, I can't think of what else it would be.*
[quote=SMUSMU] [quote=Mr.Blonde] [quote=SMUSMU]Nobody in there right minds would hire me. With BAI I was fired because of something really stupid on my part. I appealed the decision so it never showed up on my U4 but I was still fired. I was told that “we are not going to move forward” from my ATL with EDJ. I just wanted to make it clear that I did not quit. When I moved my book over to BAI from Smith Barney I got the infamous letter saying I owed $$$ for leaving. I am no longer in the business. I own a kids gym now. [/quote]
What did you get fired for at BAI?[/quote]
I am too ashamed to say why
Could it have been swept under the rug, Yes. Did my boss have the right to fire me, Obviously Yes.
I will say I did not steal, I did nothing inapropriate, and no one was harmed in the incident. Just end of the day boredom, got me in trouble. [/quote] YOu had to have slept with said boss's wife on his desk......congratulations!