Ups and Downs Over the Course of a 14 Year Career - Financial Consultant TIAA Employee Review

3.0
Oct 17, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very good benefits including generous vacation days, company pays 50% of fitness center membership, base salary is good. They offer competitive investments that are not difficult to sell as they generally have good performance and low expenses. In my role I conducted client meetings at colleges/universities and I enjoyed meeting many interesting people and traveling to various parts of the state. I will miss visiting the colleges and meeting with interesting academics.

Cons

Metrics for Financial Consultants are difficult to attain. Sales and service goals are unrealistic and so one always feels that they are behind or not measuring up. The company boasts that consultants don't work on commission but the sales goals are set very high and not achieving them results in little or no bonus or salary increase. After dealing with this year after year one becomes jaded. Management is constantly holding conference call meetings to justify their existence. If you meet certain goals they will just raise them by 10% the next year. Unfortunately, in my office, I had to deal with a Director (not a direct report) who was an arrogant bully who, for whatever reason, did not like me and plotted to make me look bad by accusing me of various compliance violations which were either untrue or exaggerated.

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5.0
Jun 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great work life balance, good benefits, decent pay, ease of running your own practice as an “advisor”, and healthy work environment

Cons

Management styles can vary and affect your experience, upper management doesn’t seem to be well equipped to ensure the organization’s success but it is resilient nonetheless.

2.0
Jul 4, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good starting salary and benefits package.

Cons

The longer you’re there, the more of an expectation that you work more for the same or less income. Producers find it hard to justify staying when leadership keeps moving the goal posts on how to increase income. No rhyme or reason as to how they decide “promotions.” One advisor might have one good year and get promoted over an advisor that produces year in and year out. They fail to share revenue because they’d have a hard time justifying the income level compared to outside advisors with a fraction of the book size. They claim and depend on brand recognition to justify a capped income but fail, or just won’t admit that is why they keep losing their top talent. Operations is a nightmare that I can’t even begin to describe. When I share the processes that have been in place for over a decade, colleagues in the industry shake their head and laugh. They can’t believe we earn and keep business. The saying while I was there was “the biggest threat we face is that TIAA clients start to explore their options outside of TIAA.”

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