Phone Interview with AGE

Ask them to describe their training program, before and after taking the Series 7.

What hurdles (asset gathering, revenue, etc.) will you be expected to achieve the 1st year, 2nd year, etc?

What assistance will they give in your obtaining specific designations: CFP, CIMA, etc?

Do they offer some type of mentoring program with a senior broker?

What's the marketshare of the AGE office in that area?

Who (is, are) the biggest competitor(s) and why?

Good luck!

[quote=doberman]

Ask them to describe their training program, before and after taking the Series 7.

What hurdles (asset gathering, revenue, etc.) will you be expected to achieve the 1st year, 2nd year, etc?

What assistance will they give in your obtaining specific designations: CFP, CIMA, etc?

Do they offer some type of mentoring program with a senior broker?

What's the marketshare of the AGE office in that area?

Who (is, are) the biggest competitor(s) and why?

Good luck!

[/quote]

Those are all good, but don't forget the closer, "Mr. Johnson I think you're the most interesting person I've ever met.  Can I take you to Bermuda for the weekend?"

[quote=Home Officer][quote=doberman]

Ask them to describe their training program, before and after taking the Series 7.

What hurdles (asset gathering, revenue, etc.) will you be expected to achieve the 1st year, 2nd year, etc?

What assistance will they give in your obtaining specific designations: CFP, CIMA, etc?

Do they offer some type of mentoring program with a senior broker?

What's the marketshare of the AGE office in that area?

Who (is, are) the biggest competitor(s) and why?

Good luck!

[/quote]

Those are all good, but don't forget the closer, "Mr. Johnson I think you're the most interesting person I've ever met.  Can I take you to Bermuda for the weekend?"

[/quote]

Why not, Put?  It apparently worked for you with Mr. Humphrey!

Once again something clever is tossed out and the clever poster is immediately thought to be Put Trader.

I wonder if any single personality has ever so dominated an Internet message board?

Clever?  Why, thank you, Put!

[quote=Starka]Clever?  Why, thank you, Put![/quote]

Not hardly.  I be clever, you be vapid.

When I'm asked "why do you want to be a FA?", is it wrong to tell them I am interested in learning how to make money, and that money is a prime motivator for me, or do I appear to be shallow?

[quote=brainflux]

When I'm asked "why do you want to be a FA?", is it wrong to tell them I am interested in learning how to make money, and that money is a prime motivator for me, or do I appear to be shallow?

[/quote]

Your job is not to learn to make money--it's to advise others how to make money.

Not good.

Well, is wrong to say i want to make money?

[quote=brainflux]Well, is wrong to say i want to make money?[/quote]

That is better than telling anybody that you want to learn to make money.

Use the word "earn" rather than "make."

how long have you, Home Officer, been in the business? I notice your a “newbie”, but that only applies to the website. Another thing, who is this infamous “Put”?

You want to build a career for yourself by developing a series of long term relationships.

I like your answer HO. Thanks.

[quote=brainflux]how long have you, Home Officer, been in the business? I notice your a "newbie", but that only applies to the website. Another thing, who is this infamous "Put"?[/quote]

Got registered in 1972.

As for the infamous Put.  He is a guy who contributed to this forum for several months.

He too had been around for more than thirty years.  Bright guy, very bright.  Offered good advice to those who listened.

Made enemies among the morons.

[quote=brainflux]I like your answer HO. Thanks.[/quote]

Thanks, I try.

Cna you think of any question that me throw me off guard, or be a baited trap, or am I just being silly now?

[quote=Home Officer]

[quote=brainflux]I like your answer HO. Thanks.[/quote]

Thanks, I try.

[/quote]

You try.  The rest of us succeed.  So you keep trying there, Put.  Someday you might actually be successful.  (I doubt it though.)

Even though it will be a phone interview, put on a coat and tie as if you were going to a face to face meeting.

Stand while you talk to them.

They will ask how much money you want to make. 

This is the most dangerous point in interviewing, regardless of what you're applying for.  You simply cannot toss out a number--it's way too early.  Even talking in generalites is dangerous.  If you come across as somebody who is happy with next to nothing you won't be hired because you're not ambitious--but if you come across as somebody who is driven by money you'll come across as somebody who could become a compliance problem.

This is one of the many differences between interviewing for an insurance job and being interviewed for a securities industry job.  Insurance is sleazy and they like to hear "All I want to do is make money" in a tone of voice similar to the famous line from "Alice's Restaurant" about going to Viet Nam to kill.

A stock brokerage firm is infinitely more professional.  Try something like this:

"It is my understanding that my long-term success will be my responsibility but that AG Edwards, like all firms, has a policy of helping us get started.  To keep the wolf away from the door so to speak so we can concentrate on our future.

I'm sure that after a face-to-face meeting the local manager will be in a position to know what the firm will offer based on what I will be bringing to the table."

They will be listening to you, how you speak, if you butcher the language and so forth.  You know yourself, if you cannot speak well, if you screw up verbs, things like that you should go slow.

Don't be afraid to buy some time with a comment such as "I guess I didn't think you'd ask that.  Can we come back to it before we end the call and let me think about it while we chat about other things."

Have you talked with other firms?  If not, why not?  If yes, did you get an offer?  If not, why not?  If so, why are you talking to AGE instead of accepting the offer?

Do you know people who invest?

What do you do with your spare time?

If you're married, will your spouse be willing to put up with long hours?  If you're not married are you willing to give up your social life for a couple of years?

What was the biggest mistake you've ever made?  Tell them that you would make it if you answered that question.  Then go on to say that you really haven't made any big mistakes and that every minor one was a learning experience.

[quote=Starka]

You try.  The rest of us succeed.  So you keep trying there, Put.  Someday you might actually be successful.  (I doubt it though.)

[/quote]

Brainflux,

Whatever you do in life try to never be like this loser.

One more thing--well perhaps there will be more.

How big a loser does somebody have to be to have a signature line that reads, "If you want to be stupid you have to be strong."

The fool is claiming that he actually wants to appear stupid as if appearing stupid was an asset in life.

Clearly Put, I misjudged how tough you must be!

Why don’t you just give up, Put?  You’ve never gotten the upper hand with me, and you never will.

[quote=Starka]Clearly Put, I misjudged how tough you must be![/quote]

You don't get to my station in the food chain by being anything but bright as the sun.

Bright as the sun?  The wax melted from your wings a long time ago, Skippy.

Put is probably brainflux as well. If you remember his posts this weekend, he stated that his theory was that there are only nine members on this forum, and that most of the posts, and answers to the posts are the same person. I would be willing to bet that Put has at least 15 to 20 different ID's because he is embarassed to admit that all he does is surf the Net all day. These are Put's pet questions. Notice how brainflux refers to him as "the infamous Put" and compliments him on his answers. Nobody would do that except Put himself.

Just for the record, I am proud to say I only have one ID, multiple personalities is not my thing!

Starka, perhaps you can point us to something you have contributed to this forum that is worthy of anybody's time?

It appears that your entire mission is to pop up whenever somebody says something smart and make it look even smarter by parading  your stupidity as if you were a peacock.

Showing you up is something fun and easy when I have an idle moment.  You’re an amusement, Put.  Nothing more.

[quote=Coag]

Just for the record, I am proud to say I only have one ID, multiple personalities is not my thing!

[/quote]

It would be good if you had one brain cell to go with that one ID.

Brainflux--here's another of the geniuses who prowl around these parts. This particular wunderkind is a guy who sells diapers to hospitals and would love to be a stock broker but realizes he couldn't pass the Series 7.

In short a wannabe.

You know what is scary?  Morons like this (apparently) are in the securities industry.

Sophomoric drivel being posted for the sake of seeing something on the forum--not unlike a three year old jumpiing off the toilet and pointing proudly to what he did.

Boy that sure is funny, a real knee slapper.

Fellow forum members, what's the over and under on Starka's mental age?

[quote=Home Officer][quote=Put Stinks]

I just realized something funny.

Home Officer, if you shorten it, is Home O.

I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. This explains why Put is so evil. He's still in the closet, even though he's about to collect Social Security.

[/quote]

Boy that sure is funny, a real knee slapper.

Fellow forum members, what's the over and under on Starka's mental age?

[/quote]

Wow.  You must have busted 'em up in grade school during recess.  Still are, I'll wager!

I'm not quite sure how to receive all these comments. So far, HO has offered the most sound advice. Everyone else has only encouraged me not to follow this advice. It's strange in here. I don't think I am properly armed to combat the wit being displayed. I did enjoy the exchange about the wax & sun, but for the most part this forum is nothing but prattle. Thanks HO for providing me with some insight. If anyone has something of substance to share I'm eager to read it.

Anyways, rest assure that I am not PUT.

[quote=brainflux]

I'm not quite sure how to receive all these comments. So far, HO has offered the most sound advice. Everyone else has only encouraged me not to follow this advice. It's strange in here. I don't think I am properly armed to combat the wit being displayed. I did enjoy the exchange about the wax & sun, but for the most part this forum is nothing but prattle. Thanks HO for providing me with some insight. If anyone has something of substance to share I'm eager to read it.

Anyways, rest assure that I am not PUT.

[/quote]

That the nimrods think you might be is a badge of honor.  Stupid people are never accused of being Put.

Remember, put on a suit tomorrow and stand up when you're on the phone.

Put:

Why do you pretend that you live in New York City?

[quote=Coag]

Put:

Why do you pretend that you live in New York City?

[/quote]

I can't speak for Put, but I live in New York because it is where I work.

When I first moved here I tried the NJ suburbs--first Edison, then Ramsey.  I hated it, absolutly hated it.  The reason was because I had to leave so early for the office.

Finally, after commuting for two weeks from the far south and two weeks from the far north I told my wife that we should do whatever we could to liive in Manhattan.

Having a half hour door to door commute suits me and our lifestyle.

Why do you think Put does not live in New York too?  There's a lot of Wall Street types here.  It is Mecca for a stock market professional.

[quote=Home Officer]

You know what is scary?  Morons like this (apparently) are in the securities industry.

Sophomoric drivel being posted for the sake of seeing something on the forum--not unlike a three year old jumpiing off the toilet and pointing proudly to what he did.

[/quote]

What's even scarier is that there are even greater morons working in management positions of chopshop firms in Manhattan.  But, I guess that's why they're there and why they're posting constantly on forums.

How does Rayond James compare to AGE?

On the subject that was recently posted.  The one BIG bad thing I have heard about AGE and Merrill is that their top people are not advisors.  That really can affect your job.  I am at RJ and Tom James is STILL an advisor.  So , he interacts with compliance, the computer system, people, etc. just like we do everyday.  I have been here since April and I am very pleased.

Good luck.

[quote=maybeeeeeeee]

On the subject that was recently posted.  The one BIG bad thing I have heard about AGE and Merrill is that their top people are not advisors.  That really can affect your job.  I am at RJ and Tom James is STILL an advisor.  So , he interacts with compliance, the computer system, people, etc. just like we do everyday.  I have been here since April and I am very pleased.

Good luck.

[/quote]

Are you saying that Tom James prospects, smiles and dials, writes order tickets, holds hands with clients and all the other things that go along with being a registered representative?

Do you suppose that Stan O'Neal at Merrill or Bob Bagby at AG Edwards do not interact with compliance and technology?

Finally, how is your day to day life and activities affected by what the CEO of your firm does, or does not do?

Most, if not all, of Tom's biz is managed money, so no he's not writing tickets, etc. any more than any rep who's all in managed money.  By maintaining a book he deals with most of the same issues that the RJ advisors deal with on a daily basis.  He's subject to any new compliance policies, uses the technology, has to hold clients' hands when the market tanks and/or a manager's performance suffers, etc., etc.  The point is, by maintaining a book it helps him to better appreciate what RJ reps experience.  He's not management sitting in an ivory tower with little if any appreciation for the reality of this business.

FYI, Tom also got his CFP a number of years ago.  He didn't do it because he was going to be an active practicioner of financial planning.  He did it because if he and RJ were going to promote financial planning, then he felt that he, as the CEO, should have the same professional designation of the many RJ reps who follow this discipline with their clients.  He's very much a "walk the talk" type of leader.

Hey Duke, great reply.  Also, he has his name on the building and he has worked to build this business his entire life.  I think he is very invested in the success of this company.  He puts the Advisor's #2 because we are revenue.  He makes sure everyone knows that.  He has high morals and a great work ethic.  Besides that, he graduated from Havard magna cum laude and has a law degree.  Bottom line, he is smart and he makes smart decisions.

The clients are #1.

We might not be the biggest (for now) but we are the best.

Take a look at Raymond James.  The Good luck.

[quote=Wirehouse Fan][quote=maybeeeeeeee]

On the subject that was recently posted.  The one BIG bad thing I have heard about AGE and Merrill is that their top people are not advisors.  That really can affect your job.  I am at RJ and Tom James is STILL an advisor.  So , he interacts with compliance, the computer system, people, etc. just like we do everyday.  I have been here since April and I am very pleased.

Good luck.

[/quote]

From what I hear, AGE has changed a lot-not necessarily for the better-since Ben retired and Bagby took the reigns.  There was a brief period where they thought Ben's son would run the company, but he also tried to make a lot of changes and he didn't last.

Stan O'Neal may interact with compliance and other support functions, but he came up through investment banking.  He was never a broker and doesn't understand the daily struggles we face.

Are you saying that Tom James prospects, smiles and dials, writes order tickets, holds hands with clients and all the other things that go along with being a registered representative?

Do you suppose that Stan O'Neal at Merrill or Bob Bagby at AG Edwards do not interact with compliance and technology?

Finally, how is your day to day life and activities affected by what the CEO of your firm does, or does not do?

[quote=joedabrkr]

Stan O'Neal may interact with compliance and other support functions, but he came up through investment banking.  He was never a broker and doesn't understand the daily struggles we face.

[/quote][/quote]

Do you suppose that the investment bankers sit around and whine that the retail brokers have no clue to how hard their job is?

[quote=Duke#1]

Most, if not all, of Tom's biz is managed money, so no he's not writing tickets, etc. any more than any rep who's all in managed money.  By maintaining a book he deals with most of the same issues that the RJ advisors deal with on a daily basis.  He's subject to any new compliance policies, uses the technology, has to hold clients' hands when the market tanks and/or a manager's performance suffers, etc., etc.  The point is, by maintaining a book it helps him to better appreciate what RJ reps experience.  He's not management sitting in an ivory tower with little if any appreciation for the reality of this business.

FYI, Tom also got his CFP a number of years ago.  He didn't do it because he was going to be an active practicioner of financial planning.  He did it because if he and RJ were going to promote financial planning, then he felt that he, as the CEO, should have the same professional designation of the many RJ reps who follow this discipline with their clients.  He's very much a "walk the talk" type of leader.

[/quote]

Was Tom James suspended for twelve months from any association with a broker dealer back in the 1970s?

[quote=Tough Questions][quote=Duke#1]

Most, if not all, of Tom's biz is managed money, so no he's not writing tickets, etc. any more than any rep who's all in managed money.  By maintaining a book he deals with most of the same issues that the RJ advisors deal with on a daily basis.  He's subject to any new compliance policies, uses the technology, has to hold clients' hands when the market tanks and/or a manager's performance suffers, etc., etc.  The point is, by maintaining a book it helps him to better appreciate what RJ reps experience.  He's not management sitting in an ivory tower with little if any appreciation for the reality of this business.

FYI, Tom also got his CFP a number of years ago.  He didn't do it because he was going to be an active practicioner of financial planning.  He did it because if he and RJ were going to promote financial planning, then he felt that he, as the CEO, should have the same professional designation of the many RJ reps who follow this discipline with their clients.  He's very much a "walk the talk" type of leader.

[/quote]

Was Tom James suspended for twelve months from any association with a broker dealer back in the 1970s?

[/quote]

No.

[quote=Duke#1][quote=Tough Questions][quote=Duke#1]

Most, if not all, of Tom's biz is managed money, so no he's not writing tickets, etc. any more than any rep who's all in managed money.  By maintaining a book he deals with most of the same issues that the RJ advisors deal with on a daily basis.  He's subject to any new compliance policies, uses the technology, has to hold clients' hands when the market tanks and/or a manager's performance suffers, etc., etc.  The point is, by maintaining a book it helps him to better appreciate what RJ reps experience.  He's not management sitting in an ivory tower with little if any appreciation for the reality of this business.

FYI, Tom also got his CFP a number of years ago.  He didn't do it because he was going to be an active practicioner of financial planning.  He did it because if he and RJ were going to promote financial planning, then he felt that he, as the CEO, should have the same professional designation of the many RJ reps who follow this discipline with their clients.  He's very much a "walk the talk" type of leader.

[/quote]

Was Tom James suspended for twelve months from any association with a broker dealer back in the 1970s?

[/quote]

No.

[/quote]

Would you bet your child's life on that?

Look, Put, you're only going to get booted off again, no matter who you come back on as.  Give up, please.

And re Tom, check with the NASD.  You'll see he shows up with a clean record.  Maybe you're confusing things (you're confused a lot) with the old penny firm Stuart James, which has no relationship with Raymond James or Tom.

[quote=Duke#1]

Look, Put, you're only going to get booted off again, no matter who you come back on as.  Give up, please.

And re Tom, check with the NASD.  You'll see he shows up with a clean record.  Maybe you're confusing things (you're confused a lot) with the old penny firm Stuart James, which has no relationship with Raymond James or Tom.

[/quote]

The details of all actions prior to 1985, or so, are not included in the NASD's CRD system.

If you wanted to know about somebody's history prior to that date it must be requested in writing and time must be allowed to access microfilm files.

The question stands.  Do you believe that if you had access to the microfilm from the 1970s you would find that the NASD suspended a young Thomas A James, during which time he could have no association with an NASD member firm?

No replies to Put.

Whether or not the "details" of all actions are in the on-line CRD is immaterial.  His record is shown as having "no" disclosures, regardless of the details.

In any event, instead of you doing your normal slimey stuff, what not just post on here the details of exactly what you are alleging?  Put up (pun intended) or shut up!!  I'm sure Tom's attornies will have a field day with you!

[quote=Duke#1]

Whether or not the "details" of all actions are in the on-line CRD is immaterial.  His record is shown as having "no" disclosures, regardless of the details.

In any event, instead of you doing your normal slimey stuff, what not just post on here the details of exactly what you are alleging?  Put up (pun intended) or shut up!!  I'm sure Tom's attornies will have a field day with you!

[/quote]

OK.  Stand by.

I’m waiting breathlessly. 

[quote=Duke#1]I’m waiting breathlessly. [/quote]



LOL…don’t hold your breath.  Our old buddy Put has been booted again…

Duke, cool stance.  Just had breakfast with the boss today.  I’ll put him up against anyone.