Just tell them how much you like going around your neighborhood and meeting people. If you tell them you love knocking on peoples doors they don't even care if you can read. Yes it is compared to a cult, and yes if you are hired they will make you drink it, and yes after you've had a few glasses you'll want to commit suicide. Those of us posting on here were the ones who were smart enough to put the koolaid away and sneak out while we still could. Before you take this job ask yourself...do you want to knock on doors 10 hours a day? and ask yourself if you had over 50,000 to invest would you give it to some schmuck who just knocked on your door and then tried to sell you a 30 yr bond payin 5 percent without even knowing you.

[quote=guru]How is kool-aid and EJ linked? I see this a ton in the posts, but the only conclusion that I have reached is that EJ is being compared to a cult.

I am still trying to figure out what fogging a mirror means. I know the literal translation, but you are throwing something figuratively at me. Maybe I am too young to know. Heck maybe I don’t want to know. Forget I asked.

[/quote]

Dude if you can’t figure out the mirror fogging reference you might want to consider other employment…

“Thanks and would you like some fries or an apple pie with that?”

[quote=newandconfused]

Just tell them how much you like going around your neighborhood and meeting people. If you tell them you love knocking on peoples doors they don't even care if you can read. Yes it is compared to a cult, and yes if you are hired they will make you drink it, and yes after you've had a few glasses you'll want to commit suicide. Those of us posting on here were the ones who were smart enough to put the koolaid away and sneak out while we still could. Before you take this job ask yourself...do you want to knock on doors 10 hours a day? and ask yourself if you had over 50,000 to invest would you give it to some schmuck who just knocked on your door and then tried to sell you a 30 yr bond payin 5 percent without even knowing you.

[/quote]

OR...you could ask yourself if you want to spend thousands of dollars to send out invitations to seminars and wait for the phone to ring.  Or you ask yourself if you want to pick up the phone everyday for the next 5 years and dial it 200 times hoping some will talk to you and schedule an appointment with you.  Even though you've never met them and they just called you on the phone like a timeshare salesman.  You should also ask yourself if you had $50K to invest, and you don't know who to go to, would you rather give it to that guy on the phone who you've never even seen, or would you rather give it to that guy who took the time to come out to introduce himself in person, then called with an investment idea. 

If you'd give your money to the guy on the phone, don't worry about the interview with Jones.  You won't like the way we do business.  Go look for employment eslewhere.

[quote=Spaceman Spiff][quote=newandconfused]

Just tell them how much you like going around your neighborhood and meeting people. If you tell them you love knocking on peoples doors they don't even care if you can read. Yes it is compared to a cult, and yes if you are hired they will make you drink it, and yes after you've had a few glasses you'll want to commit suicide. Those of us posting on here were the ones who were smart enough to put the koolaid away and sneak out while we still could. Before you take this job ask yourself...do you want to knock on doors 10 hours a day? and ask yourself if you had over 50,000 to invest would you give it to some schmuck who just knocked on your door and then tried to sell you a 30 yr bond payin 5 percent without even knowing you.

[/quote]

OR...you could ask yourself if you want to spend thousands of dollars to send out invitations to seminars and wait for the phone to ring.  Or you ask yourself if you want to pick up the phone everyday for the next 5 years and dial it 200 times hoping some will talk to you and schedule an appointment with you.  Even though you've never met them and they just called you on the phone like a timeshare salesman.  You should also ask yourself if you had $50K to invest, and you don't know who to go to, would you rather give it to that guy on the phone who you've never even seen, or would you rather give it to that guy who took the time to come out to introduce himself in person, then called with an investment idea. 

If you'd give your money to the guy on the phone, don't worry about the interview with Jones.  You won't like the way we do business.  Go look for employment eslewhere.

[/quote]

Or you could do all the things that the guys at Jones are so proud of doing (door knocking, cold walking, community service etc) and get paid 80% to 100% of your production.   Spending money to get money makes sense when you get to keep more of your earnings.

[quote=babbling looney][quote=Spaceman Spiff 

Or you could do all the things that the guys at Jones are so proud of doing (door knocking, cold walking, community service etc) and get paid 80% to 100% of your production.   Spending money to get money makes sense when you get to keep more of your earnings.

[/quote]

And what is the best way of getting to this point (indy) without doing the Jones thing for several years?  Everyone seems to speak highly of their training program and the number of new hires they bring on.  Alternative suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks.

[quote=guru]How is kool-aid and EJ linked? I see this a ton in the posts, but the only conclusion that I have reached is that EJ is being compared to a cult.

I am still trying to figure out what fogging a mirror means. I know the literal translation, but you are throwing something figuratively at me. Maybe I am too young to know. Heck maybe I don't want to know. Forget I asked.
[/quote]

They never give specifics, most crazy people don't.  It's.....it's.....coming....out.......of.....my.......omg... ......I......can't........help.......see them?........there.........see that?......you see that?......it's there......right there!.....you can't see that?

Um see what? 

Notice they never give specifics, only general emotional statments  made to incite the same crazy hatred in you that is in them.  Make your own decisions based on facts and your goals in life.

[quote=babbling looney][quote=Spaceman Spiff][quote=newandconfused]

[/quote]

Or you could do all the things that the guys at Jones are so proud of doing (door knocking, cold walking, community service etc) and get paid 80% to 100% of your production.   Spending money to get money makes sense when you get to keep more of your earnings.

[/quote]

No expenses? no self employment tax? no business insurance? no lease? no secretary expense and all the time and expense it takes to employ even 1 person? no book keeping expense/time?

Lease, secretary, business insurance, utilities is going to be over 70k a year minimum.  Add other expenses in like equipment maintenance, office supplies, advertising, etc and you're looking at much more.

9k now for max self employment tax now?  have to pay for everything, welcome to self employment.   Not to mention the time it will take to do everything most employers do now.

Have to add in the cost of life insurance, accident insurance, unemployment insurance, etc everything employers pay for now to get an accurate apples to apples comparison.

$70K? Unless you’re in a metro area like New York, that’s absurd.



Become an S-Corp, and there’s no self employment tax. Does your

employer pay for your life and accident insurance? Office supplies?

Advertising? Probably not. So why should an Indy use them for comparison?

Wow. This thread got off the topic really quick. 

They don’t call you “guru” for nothing!

Mirror Fog?  Saw that on the ameriprisesucks site - that means full of “hot air”.

[quote=guru]Thanks justcheckin. So this is like an interview in disguise. The recruiter told me that it wasn't an interview, but I needed to treat it like one and take a copy of my resume in.  [/quote]

I can't believe no one has giving you this important suggestion. If you haven't put an IR's name as a referral, just hint this fact to he or she.  And you could think nothing better than allowing them to get the referral .  

However there is a catch .....You will proudly get up in meetings saying Doug  hired me, but he's not here today, he's  on his first diversification trip thanks to me.

[quote=Mandoman][quote=babbling looney][quote=Spaceman Spiff 

Or you could do all the things that the guys at Jones are so proud of doing (door knocking, cold walking, community service etc) and get paid 80% to 100% of your production.   Spending money to get money makes sense when you get to keep more of your earnings.

[/quote]

And what is the best way of getting to this point (indy) without doing the Jones thing for several years?  Everyone seems to speak highly of their training program and the number of new hires they bring on.  Alternative suggestions would be appreciated!

Thanks.

[/quote]

There are all kinds of ways to become successful. Read a book, read lots of books, use common sense, study for the CFP, get a job in sales, be a sales assistant in a brokerage firm, be a junior broker, get a BA in Finance, be a people person in a service industry job.  Lots of ways.  Most people go to a firm like Jones or others and learn the ropes.  They then decide after a few years that they like the firm and stay. Or they may decide that being indy is the way for them.  I agree that to go from zero to Independent advisor is not usually possible. 

I'm not bashing Jones. They do a good job of taking someone who couldn't find his butt in the dark and train them to do basic sales. 

I was responding to Spaceman's implication that if you don't do it the "Jones way" you are spending too much money, wandering in the wilderness. His implication that his (Jones) way is the only real and best way.  He irriates me because he thinks he has all the answers and I know he doesn't.  You know, all the kool aid stuff http://www.gbs.sha.bw.schule.de/jim_jones_history.htm   (for the benefit of those who don't know why we call it Kool Aid culture) that the company indoctrinates everyone with.   It is the Jones "attitude" that ticks people off.  If you plan to go there, try not to become a supercilious prick like the majority of the Jones cheerleaders.  Put down the pom poms..... step away from the megaphone before you hurt yourself.

Jones has a good training program with a large amount of attrition especially in years 3 to 5.  The attrition issue should raise a few red flags, don't you think. Lots of hires, lots of people leaving. There is nothing wrong with staying with Jones, AGE, Raymond James or any other firm as long as you personally can buy into the company culture.  There are lots of happy happy joy joy people at Jones.  Many good brokers there too who have successful careers.  I did learn some things at Jones that I wasn't able to do at my prior B/D. 

Kerho: with this statement" "No business insurance? no lease? no secretary expense and all the time and expense it takes to employ even 1 person? no book keeping expense/time"   You have just exposed yourself as a shill.  I don't have time to educate you on the nuances of being self employed at an 80% to 100% payout with tax deductions and business strategies like S Corps versus being an employee at 30 to 35% pay out with expenses that are not always tax deductible.

It always gets down to this on these threads.  The Jones guys with the certainty and blind faith of radical religious believers lecturing to the rest of us heretics who have lost the faith and fail to see the error of our ways.  I don't like extremists and fanatics of any kind.

[quote=goforbroke]Mirror Fog?  Saw that on the ameriprisesucks site - that means full of “hot air”.[/quote]

Not quite.  But keep trying.

You’re a bright one, aren’t you?

Bab, very good post. I couldn't state it any better.

 I realized shortly after KYC the kool-aid analogy and it truly gave me the jitters. You knew who were the disciples. When the rumble of the big fines were on the horizon they would defend it without question.  It still amazes me.

[quote=goforbroke] Mirror Fog? Saw that on the ameriprisesucks site -

that means full of “hot air”.[/quote]



“Fog a mirror” was, at one time, the battlefield test for alive or dead. A small

shaving mirror would be held close to the nose of a casualty. If the mirror

didn’t fog, bury 'em.

[quote=Philo Kvetch] [quote=goforbroke] Mirror Fog?  Saw that on the ameriprisesucks site -

that means full of “hot air”.[/quote]



“Fog a mirror” was, at one time, the battlefield test for alive or dead. A small

shaving mirror would be held close to the nose of a casualty. If the mirror

didn’t fog, bury 'em.[/quote]

PK your signature line really hits home with me on this thread…

[quote=joedabrkr] [quote=guru]How is kool-aid and EJ linked? I see this a ton in the posts, but the only conclusion that I have reached is that EJ is being compared to a cult.

I am still trying to figure out what fogging a mirror means. I know the literal translation, but you are throwing something figuratively at me. Maybe I am too young to know. Heck maybe I don't want to know. Forget I asked.
[/quote]

Dude if you can't figure out the mirror fogging reference you might want to consider other employment....

"Thanks and would you like some fries or an apple pie with that?"
[/quote]

And Joe brings out the Mickey D comment.....BA-ZING!!!!!

On a completely unrelated comment about the general lack of common sense, I sometimes grab a quick burger at the McDonalds down the street cause it's within walking distance, and it never fails that at least 5 people when I walk into the office ask me "where's mine" doesn't really matter that 90% of these people wouldnt touch a Big Mac if they were starving, however I digress.  Striving to be the world's greatest smart-aleck I decided the other day to have some fun and get lunch for EVERYONE.  Before I go further let me tell you I am about 5'9 and 145lbs, keep that in mind.

So i walk up to the counter and the lady says "Can I help you?", "I'd like 40 double cheeseburgers please", I reply. She then asks "for here or to go?", I repeat my order to her slowly hoping she'll catch on.  Then she says "I got the order, for here or to go?"  very irritatingly, like I'm the idiot.

If you don't get it read it again, if you still dont get it IM me, I'll 'splain it.

Babbling -

Thank you for the insight in your post.  Much appreciated!

Mandoman

[quote=ExPropTrader]

So i walk up to the counter and the lady says
"Can I help you?", “I’d like 40 double cheeseburgers please”, I
reply. She then asks “for here or to go?”, I repeat my order to
her slowly hoping she’ll catch on.  Then she says “I got the
order, for here or to go?”  very irritatingly, like I’m the idiot.

If you don't get it read it again, if you still dont get it IM me, I'll 'splain it.