First Command Financial Services in Sumter/Columbia
Pros
First Command's Victory Starts Here District, servicing the greater Columbia (Fort Jackson) and Sumter (Shaw AFB) areas is an outstanding place to work, with unlimited opportunity to help families achieve financial success. The teams in both Sumter and Columbia are fantastic to work and interact with. Working in this district is very much a team sport, with experienced senior advisors routinely giving up their time to help new folks get started on their careers. The environment is very supportive and positive for men and women alike. The support from very real people back at the Home Office in Fort Worth is phenomenal. There are specialists in all fields of technical support, financial planning, product services, investments, information systems, compliance, licensing, etc., who are very eager to help advisors to succeed in the field - it really is an amazing system to work in! Senior leadership (all the way up to and including the CEO) is easily accessible for inputs and questions. The compensation system is one of the best, if not THE best, in the industry! Importantly, there is no shortage of available work within our target markets, so there is little risk of being bored if you do the work!
Cons
While there is tremendous support and help available, especially in the first year, don't expect to come in, sit down, and have business come to you. If you work hard at it, the business can be very lucrative, but if you come in and "play office," things will likely go badly for you, despite the strong support environment.