Pros
I’m going to give you an honest review of this company as someone who worked in this role for almost 2 years. In that time I received multiple internal awards, managed and trained incoming brokerage professionals, and worked on a variety of projects. - The amount of PTO is generous and given to you upfront and can be used at your own pace as long as you get it scheduled early enough. - Bonus is also fairly generous, just make sure you get hired at the right time or you’ll have to wait over a year to get your first one. It’s paid out in the middle of summer and is based on the prior years time spent with company. Usually a mass exodus (employees quitting) occurs after bonuses are paid out. - After getting some seniority in the role you’ll be able to move to an early schedule. - If you are a minority or female you will be given preferential treatment as Vanguard is trying to create a #inclusive environment. It won’t be stated out loud but it is a clear objective when it comes to promotions. - Job security is incredible and this company will be around for the long run. Vanguard has done an incredible job of changing the investment world for the small investor. - The onboarding team does a great job preparing you for the brokerage exams. Do not take studying lightly and you will pass no problem. - Food will usually be provided during tax season and end of year time.
Cons
- This role is customer service in a call center. - Management in this role can be very hit or miss. Some are passionate while others are looking for there next promotion so they can get out of the least desired department in the company. You do not get to pick your team, you will be assigned. - Expect your raise to be 3%, even with showing good numbers and metrics. - Internal promotions can be incredibly competitive. Expect about 20-30 people to be applying for the same job and the internal interview process for a promotion to take up to 3 months, with as many as 3 rounds of interviews. - Customers/clients will abuse you on the phones. Both verbally and emotionally. You will need a thick skin to endure this role, so be ready. - Some awards that are handed out come with a small spot bonus. Ranging between $25-$250. However, the way management awards you the bonus is kind of irritating. They will give you 3 envelopes and you get to pick which one you want without knowing the contents. Best of luck in drawing the bigger of the 3 amounts. - Expect roughly half your class to quit before the 1 year mark. It gets hard watching the people around you leave. - When you start you will be on the late shift. Be prepared to tell clients the majority of the company is closed and you will only be able to help with basic tasks as a majority of the company has gone home and that particular department they are asking for is closed. - If you want a promotion be ready to put on a happy face and drink as much coolade as you can. - I was hired in March and my raise for the end of the year was less then 0.5%. Reasoning was raises are decided in October and I was not there long enough to compare my metrics to others. - A lot of managers are burned out and do not like taking elevated calls. Usually they will defer to other managers, claim they do not have time, or are rarely present at their desk (as was my case) and can be found wondering the floor socializing with other managers or distracting other teams. - Be prepared to take phone calls non stop all day. It can be very hard to take time away from the phones when you want to explore other departments for promotions. - If you are not a social butterfly, be ready to be left behind. This company loves to promote those who can network, not so much those who are good at their job. If you do your job well but keep your head down and stay at your desk, do not expect a promotion. - People love to sit in the break room and complain about the clients and work. If you want to do that everyday or be around that everyday that is your own choice.