Cetera Financial Group reviews

I am sharing this review to provide an honest overview for anyone considering a role at Cetera. I recently left the company, and it ultimately proved to be the right decision for me. Culture: Company culture is minimal at the organizational level and largely varies by team. While there are occasional efforts such as a holiday event, there is not a consistent or clearly defined company-wide culture initiative. Much of the employee experience depends heavily on the specific team rather than the broader organization. Leadership does not appear to prioritize culture as a strategic focus, with attention primarily directed toward advisor support and business operations. Layoffs: Layoffs occur with enough frequency that they contribute to a general sense of uncertainty among employees. There does not appear to be a consistent or clearly communicated pattern regarding which roles are impacted. Additionally, the way layoffs are communicated and executed has, at times, felt disorganized. Compensation: Compensation is generally below market standards, despite messaging that suggests otherwise. Career Growth: Opportunities for advancement are limited and often unclear. While HR provides role frameworks, there is little actionable guidance on how to progress or obtain promotions. Advancement tends to be rare unless moving to a different team or being specifically selected. Remote employees, in particular, may find upward mobility more limited unless they relocate to a hub location. If you’re looking for a place you can grow with, this isn’t that. Leadership: There are inconsistencies in leadership effectiveness across the organization, with some managers perceived as lacking preparation or alignment with their roles. Communication gaps also exist, with managers sometimes learning about organizational changes at the same time as their teams, limiting their ability to effectively support employees through transitions. HR leaders continue to focus their efforts on anywhere other than employees. Leaders are focused on keeping advisors happy while ignoring their employees. Projects are often created without true strategy behind them. Return-to-Office Policy: The return-to-office structure is organized by department schedules, with assigned in-office days and alternating Fridays. While intended to structure office usage, the setup can make cross-team collaboration difficult when departments operate on different schedules. Desk-sharing arrangements also limit flexibility on non-assigned days. There have also been instances where policy application has appeared inconsistent, including exceptions for certain employees and new hires, which has contributed to confusion. The office environment itself is functional but not particularly engaging, and many teams remain largely distributed or remote. Finally, offices are often felt as though we are under a microscope and often feels too crowded. Organization & Operations: The organization is highly dynamic, with frequent changes to systems, processes, and departmental structures. This contributes to a sense of inconsistency and operational inefficiency. HR is often viewed as reactive rather than proactive, with limited visible initiatives that clearly improve the employee experience or organizational effectiveness. It seems there are challenges with consistency in how policies are applied as well. Overall: This role may be suitable for individuals seeking short-term employment or a stepping stone to another opportunity. However, long-term retention and employee engagement appear to be limited by structural and cultural factors within the organization.

So many. It has been a while since I worked for Cetera so I’ve had a lot of time to reflect. I will say I’ve worked for some horrible companies, but this takes the cake. HR is ran by people who are not smart and that is the nice way of saying it if you are a yes man or a woman then you will probably do well here. They ask you for input and undermine everything that you say. Micromanaging to its fullest. Having to include your manager on every single response am I a baby or your child? Not much room for autonomy. They honestly just go with what the director of talent says to do and she has not a clue how to run the department. They wear smiles on their face during your team calls, act like they care about your concerns, but then go to each other and gossip about you. Always tracking your whereabouts or every move. They want to know everything about you so they can use it against you. And if they noticed that you do not drink the company Kool-Aid or the team Kool-Aid then they shun you and find a way to get you out immediately. I was so unhappy working here, and thankfully, my time came to an end when it did. I have not heard about any improvements since I left. I was hired as a remote employee and they made me come into the office which was crazy considering that they did not even tell me directly that I would need to come into the office until the last minute. If you need a paycheck, this is the job for you, but if you need a paycheck and you value your sanity, I would tread lightly. They definitely have their favorites and have made it known on all team calls. No learning opportunities no room for growth no clear career path. Just sending updates, hiring people and paying them crumbs that they expect to work like dogs I would stay clear.