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First Command Financial Services

Engaged Employer

First Command Financial Services reviews

4.4

87% would recommend to a friend

(576 total reviews)
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Mark Steffe

92% approve of CEO

88% positive business outlook

First Command Financial Services has an employee rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars, based on 576 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The First Command Financial Services employee rating is 22% above average for employers within the Financial Services industry (3.6 stars).

Reviews by job title

576 reviews
3.0
Feb 27, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Many of the district advisors and advisors are awesome people willing to give of their own time to help you succeed. The company also has a great training program to give you the basics of what you need to succeed. The compensation can be generous, especially with their rewards program paying annual payments for 10yrs after each year of high success levels

Cons

First Command has an absolutely appalling lack of ease of use and doesn't embrace technology, both on the client side as well as on the advisor side. The workload on the average advisor has greatly increased the past 3 years (in part due to regulatory changes, but more so because the company hasn't adapted well to automatic more work functions). It's insane how many "workarounds" we have, known issues that aren't fixed, and poor data flow. On the compensation side, not enough is done to prevent people from selling high amount of insurance all at once and then having high chargeback ratios. There is no financial incentivization to do meetings with clients unless you see financial opportunities with that client. It would be nice to see some monetization for doing the "legwork" of regular meetings for clients with high needs but average/lower assets. They have a "senior recognition program" that requires you to have been an advisor for over a decade and provide financial incentivization to do more annual reviews but if you don't meet the experience requirement, you get no financial benefit from doing the reviews (again aside from opportunities). And I'm not saying you SHOULD only care about compensation, but the reality is that you incentivize what you want. If they want QUALITY, they need to find a way to incentivize that financially over quantity. But don't tell me that "we are focusing on quality soon" and then tell me that an advisor that has been doing it for 3yrs and is doing XXX reviews per year does not provide as much value to FC as someone doing it for 15 years. Sure one might be more skilled, but extra compensation should be based on closer to 3 yrs (and yes I have much more than 3 years so I'm not just whining)

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First Command Financial Services Response
3y
Thank you for sharing your perspective. At First Command, we are committed to creating and sustaining a supportive culture and positive work environment. Encouraging feedback and constructive criticism is part of that commitment. We are dedicated to making continuous investments in our processes, systems and technology to enhance our client and Advisor experience. We rely on employee surveys and Glassdoor reviews to gain critical insights and continue to improve, so thank you for taking time to share your experience.
5.0
Feb 27, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Client focused, employee focused, ESOP benefit, strong maternity and paternity leave, promotes from within, culture of care and respect, great work life balance

Cons

I wouldn't really list anything as a con, but I think there are opportunities First Command has by just including to listen to employee voice through feedback and surveys.

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First Command Financial Services Response
3y
Thank you for taking time to share your experience. We maintain our strong culture and mission by attracting and retaining talented people. We focus on providing our employees with opportunities for professional growth and reward them through an attractive compensation and benefits program, including paid parental and military leave and a flexible, hybrid work environment. In addition, as an employee-owned company, First Command offers an Employee Stock Ownership Program to qualified employees. This valuable retirement benefit is funded entirely by company contributions. We value all feedback and rely on employee surveys and Glassdoor reviews to share critical insights with our leadership team and continue to improve, so thank you again for sharing your experience.
5.0
Feb 27, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

First Command is like no place I have ever worked. From the top to the bottom, everyone is committed to helping each other succeed. Board members that will attend events at your personal request, and fellow advisors always willing to share their knowledge. No one dies alone. As a contractor, not an employee, my goals are my own. Income, work load, work hours, I am in control of what I am willing to do. My business can be as large or as small as I am committed to creating. Larger can be better than you bargained for with First Command's deferred compensation programs, annual awards conferences, and other rewards. The personal fulfillment associated with helping our nation's military families create their own financial peace is immeasurable.

Cons

There is little that I can say as a "con" at First Command. Most of the cons come with simply being a contract employee. As a contractor, there are no employee benefits - like health ins, vacation pay, personal assistants. I have to provide all these things for myself. There is no minimum income. There are situations where your pay might be $0 for the month or it could be 5 figures. Feast or famine - you take on the risk - not "The Man". Your income comes from your client's commitment to execute and continue to execute the plans you crafted and defined for them. Some clients don't want a connection with their advisor and others crave it. This is the best and worst all in one. This will make you or break you.

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First Command Financial Services Response
3y
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience as a First Command Financial Advisor. The mission of the company is incredibly important to our Advisors. They tell us that one of the most compelling elements of this career is the opportunity to serve military personnel and their families in a meaningful way. One of our most valuable offerings is the Fast Start program, which provides intense professional development to prepare new people for success as independent Advisors. Some of the benefits of that program include paying new Advisors during the training period and offering a full array of employee benefits. Through the program, our Advisors learn how to build and grow their own business, serve new clients and provide quality, face-to-face financial coaching. Our Advisors are eligible to earn a strong income through competitive industry commissions on sales of financial products, plus additional annual and deferred compensation. The rewards of hard work and dedication are a satisfying career, a company that fully supports you, and the opportunity to help those who serve in their pursuit of lifelong financial security. We appreciate your feedback and thank you for taking the time to share your experience.
Viewing 235 - 237 of 576 Reviews

Glassdoor has 633 First Command Financial Services reviews submitted anonymously by First Command Financial Services employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if First Command Financial Services is right for you.