Recommended reading? Just accepted a FAA position with MSSB
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I'm excited as heck but I've got almost 2 months before my start date. In the mean time I'll continue doing my current job to the best of my abilities. I'm coming in from another financial services sales field.
I want to get a head start on the Series 7 and 66 test. My boss recommended the "for dummies" series.
I've read to avoid Kaplan's training. The series 7 looks pretty easy from the sample questions I've read but it's the 66 that has me a little concerned after reading how most people fail it the first time and barely passing with a 78% is considered an achievement (and I'm not saying it's not, just a testiment to the difficulty of the test).
What books or study material should I occupy myself with over the next two months and subsidize my MSSB training? Any other tips? I want to pass both of these the first time and start production; the last thing I want to do is disappoint my new firm.
My series 7 will be in March and the 66 in April or May.
Thank you!
-RFA
Passing the 7 and 63, what have you, are the least of your worries. You are expected to pass that, and insurance, as a pre requisite to being a RR.
What you really need to prepare yourself for, is 3 yrs of intense sales and marketing, and living well below your means financially. Get your financial house in order, or you'll NEVER make it. Learn everything you can about making effective telephone presentations, and developing extremely high quality marketing lists so you have folks with money you can call upon. You cannot BUY a good list, you have to create it. Look at some posts by Ricky and Westwood about these subjects, I think they have some great ideas that are current to a newbie like yourself.
So fine, yes, you better be able to pass all those tests, but wihout what I described, it will be a very wasted effort.
Regarding Kaplan; I've only read from others about their experience with their training suite.
Big -- I'm glad you replied, I enjoy reading your post.
I think you're absolutely right, but to keep the whole thing from overwhelming me, I'm trying to break things down to tackle problems one at a time. Initially one of my first task will be preparing for and taking the exams.
My family is in pretty good shape for this move; when I started in the mortgage business I hit it like gang busters (and this was at the eve of the crash no less) and while my friends were buying bigger houses and expensive toys I stayed in the house my wife and I bought and the cars we drove when we had a combined household income of around $55k -- i.e. our very early 20s.
I think I'm in a very special place with MSSB and the paticular office I've joined - I can't quite quanitfy it other then it simply feels "right" for me.
I'll take a look at those post you recommended, thanks for chiming in.
-RFA
training consultants is amazing. I am using them for their class on the 7 in Dec. Not sure when Im gonna do the 66. Maybe Dec also or Jan.
It has some outstanding reviews around my office. Everyone I know that has used them has pssed first time.
I was also told to steer clear of Kaplan. FAs complained about bad textbooks and a teacher that only knew what the test was like and not someone that knew about the subject they were teaching.
I am using Training Consultants after switching from Fire Solutions and like them a lot.
I switched over to Training Consultants a few weeks ago and found them to be clearer and more understandable than Fire Solutions. Training Consultants' online program follows their printed material very closely. They also have a 90+ pass rate on the first try for the Series 7. Edward Jones trainees and those of another national firm use them exclusivley. I wish Merrill Lynch did. Most in my office started with Fire, gave up on it and went to STC. However, several in my office tried to use STC and/or Fire for the Series 66 and failed on the first try. I know two ladies that are new to the business that used Training Consultants and passed in the mid-80's in the last 3 months. I have called Training Consultants several times for help and they have at least 4 trainers that can answer what ever questions that you have. Also, if while you are watching their tutorials you have a question, you can click a link, type your question and then they email the answer back to you. At first, when I saw the course material, it was HALF as thick as STC, PassPerfect and Fire Solutions, but that is because they are only giving you what you need to know, not every thing possible. Anyway, I had to buy the training myself and it is not cheap, but I think that i have a better chance now.