Like the headline suggests, your experience as a coordinator or associate will vary widely based on the advisors you are paired up with and the office - it is my understanding that offices outside of NYC have a much less toxic culture (I can only speak to the experience in Private Wealth, unsure for other roles). You can get lucky and get paired with a wonderful advisor who will care deeply about your development, or you can get paired with advisors who will work you like a dog with little to no thanks or reward, and actively create a toxic work environment through confrontations with you (people will cry in this role). Management is aware of who the problem advisors are and will not do anything about it as they bring in the money, leading to a high level of turnover as coordinators/associates leave for better firms. Multiple times I saw associates get transferred off the more toxic teams and immediately flourish when paired with a more sympathetic advisor. Management will give you coping strategies rather than actually confront the advisors. There is a complete lack of transparency in the promotion process. If you are being hired as a coordinator with the intention of being promoted to associate, do not believe the timeline they give you. It is completely arbitrary. I saw coordinators be promoted after 4 months and at 20 months, regardless of their actual performance. Pay is also subpar for what is demanded of you and the hours worked (many associates are putting in 60+ hour weeks, and pay doesn’t necessarily line up for industry standards for that amount of effort). If you’re just looking to get your licenses and leave, then the role isn’t a horrible idea. AB gives good training and looks good on a resume.
