Pros
Pros include freedom to set your schedule and command and control your day. If the system works and you are partnered with agents that want to succeed, this job could be the best you've ever had. The "system" ostensibly partners five agents with one Financial Specialist; however, in this territory only one of many Specialists has actually been partnered to that many agents.
Cons
On the other hand, the system doesn't work. There are advantages to being an independent contractor, almost all of which accrue to Allstate and not to you. All support from home office is put in place to protect home office, not you the producer. Need advice on getting licensed in a new state? Have a question about a client's risk tolerance for a securities trade? Guess for yourself, or send an email to an anonymous address and hope for a reply. My biggest concern is inconsistent application of performance standards from region to region. In this region, if one of the Specialist's "partner" agents does not produce leads, the agent suffers no consequence but the specialist starves. This is a good job to have if you like filling out your own tax returns, because the level of paperwork is impressive. There is also little coordination between the "good idea" people in Northbrook and the producers in the field. For example, much capital was spent on an electronic application system to reduce processing time in home office, but nobody considered assuring that all state-required forms were included in the system! As a result, the producer has to chase down the customer 2, 3, 4 extra times for more signatures on incomprehensible forms. It is unlikely you'll be offered a written copy of your contract before signing that you've received it. I'd strongly suggest you read it. Many rules will raise an eyebrow. For example, you are not to hold yourself out as a "financial advisor." You are a mutual fund salesman; don't you forget it.
