Prudential – “Good company, bad job for someone with a family and expenses.”

Pros

Some of the best things that come with working at Prudential include some of the better products in the industry and each agent was given a new Lenovo Think Pad T61 to use for work. The office was small but it allowed for new agents to work closely with vereran agents who were willing to help new agents understand the industry. During the first year new agents were given sales leads that would cost other agents $25 a piece so there was some value in that program. Managers were accessable and helpful for the first few months. The fact that Prudential has been around for over 125 years helps for name recognition.

Cons

The downsides are many. Pay is full commission and no salary. Unless you earn over $2400 in a 2 week period you will never earn over $600 per week. The money is put into an account for weeks that an agent earns no money. While this might be nice if you are struggling, it is frustrating for those who are doing well and not receiving compensation that is rewarding. Management is unrealistic in their expectations without giving the agents the tools and training that is required to meet expectations. The hours required to make a decent living are too much for anyone with a family and expenses such as a car or house payment. 50-60 hours are the minimum to get an average pay and that is just not enough in today's economy.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior management is oblivious to the struggles of new agents. They are willing to hire anyone since there is no salary involved. My advice is to pay new agents a salary and allow them to build a book of business that can provide for them for the years after the salary expires. I have seen many new agents come in and work very hard only to give up soon after since the hours worked were not always rewarded with proportionate pay. I also think that giving new agents a mentor would help the agent grow into the position with the right skills and expectations.