Guitar - my understanding of the internal position is that it’s 50 - 60% admin, 30% sales & 10 - 20% online solitaire. I imagine they’ll want to know if you’re organized, and have a good personality. You’ve already shown that you’re smart enough to pass the exams.



Just play them a few songs, and you should be fine. One of my favorites has always been, "She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes.’

What is the deal with a five year internship? You’d be almost totally vested in most 401(k) plans if you were a full time employee.  As for Jackson National, they are a second tier annuity company in my firm. You’d have to have a gameplan for taking the relationships you built as an internal to the external side.

Thanks for the advice guys… I really appreciate it.

As for my 5 year internship, I started working for the same wealth management team way back in high school.  It was only a few hours a week and it was mostly grunt work… copies, faxing, getting coffee for clients, stuffing envelopes, etc.  Once I started college I worked over summer and winter breaks and helped build trading models, organized seminars, and developed performance reports.

I would ask what firms Jackson National even has selling agreements with.  Why not look around at some other firms while you are at it?

I think they have an excellent annuity and I’m very intrigued with their new line of mutual funds.

[quote=wlooney]

I would ask what firms Jackson National even has selling agreements with.  Why not look around at some other firms while you are at it?

Just a quick update from my side of things:

The first interview went great… I centered it around a Vitae I prepared in order to take the pressure off of me as well as the hiring scout who was interviewing me. 

She then invited me upstairs to meet one of the most successful internals with whom I was able to field a few phone calls with.

All in all, I think it went great.  I don’t graduate till spring of next year, but they invited me back for a second interview after the new year.

In other news, I’ve been setting up interviews with Merrill, Wachovia, and Goldman Sachs. Still not sure what route I want to persue… but I figure I can see what’s out there.

Congratz on the interview & thanks for the update:



If I may offer another route:



A personal banker. Yeah, don’t laugh! The job pays about $35K / yr(about what you make the 1st yr as a rep), but you see what money people have. In many places you can keep your licenses. You get to talk to people about money in general & in most places can be moved from a pb to a advisor role with success. The folks who did this & were successful enough to be moved to the advisor role w/n the bank channel were doing $400 - $500K production w/n 3 - 5 yrs of starting.



It doesn’t do much for the ego, but it’s sweet on your lifestyle and your pocketbook in the longer term. It also gives you a floor underneath your feet.



Let us know which way you’re leaning after your next round of interviews!

Hey guys, I got the job at Jackson and I begin my training August 4th!  Until then, I’m continuing to work at my internship with Wachovia. 

It sounds like a good opportunity for you.  Don’t make a career decision based upon a couple of months.  In other words, the training benefits and salary shouldn’t matter.   “excited by scared shitless” is exactly how you are supposed to feel.

Thanks Anon, I probably should have moved back home with the parents after graduation, but this seems to be a good start for me.  At least the girlfriend will be happy I’m living in her neck of the woods for awhile longer

If all goes well you will be making $100,000 as a fixed wholesaler within 2 years.  Who cares what the trainee salary is?

Thanks!  I actually just signed up for Cobra with my dad’s company, so hopefully it will be fine until I get the full benefit package at Jackson.