Jackson National Life Distributors Reviews

Pros

Great community within the company with an emphasis on personal and professional growth as well as community involvement.

Cons

Although personal growth is greatly encouraged it can be hard to advance due to a competitive environment.

Pros

Solid benefits, great 401(k) match, profit sharing, vacation.

Cons

Dysfunctional management, don't care to make a change and address issues. Personal agendas get in the way of what's best for the company and team.

Pros

Excellent Leadership, Proven track record

Cons

Proud of staffing only 1 to 3 compared to other major competitors

Pros

Decent pay, good benefits, decent training program to make you ready for external wholesaler roles.

Cons

1 person is doing 2-3 peoples jobs. The compensation is not in line with other competitiors in the industry. Management has an idea that average compensation should be a motivating factor to reach the outside/external wholesaler quicker. The annuity industry is taking a bath except for two or three companies who have over 50% market share in the VA space. Very strong consolidation in the VA and FA market space, very little room for promotion within the industry. Used to promote from within the company, that no longer stands. Very political environment.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't lie to employees, be open and honest about career advancement and opportuinties. Must ride itself of being such a political environment.

Pros

great opportunity for growth, as long as you are interested in sales. All things stem from sales operations with limit on moving up. Focus on external wholesalers. lean company provides easier access to decision makers. very good training program

Cons

all things stem from sales so if you're not willing to pick up your family and move to any location in the United States, this may not be a good fit. Very lean company provides little internal growth opportunities.

Advice to Senior Management

Increase communication with non-decision makers even when it doesn't matter what they know. Very good work life balance is appreciated, until you're ready to move to outside.

Pros

Great place to start if you want to be an Internal Wholesaler. Good benefits, good product line, good name in the market place.

Cons

100% Jackson all the time. Can't think outside the box to get things done. Externals have way to much say in who gets promoted. Have to drink the company kool aid or you will not advance with this company. Once you leave, even on good terms getting back in is almost impossible.

Advice to Senior Management

Realize that a good External Wholesaler doesn't always make a good manager. Increase pay for Internals so they feel like they are actually contributing to the company.

Pros

Competitive rate of pay, although they don't advertise that your initial pay will likely remain constant and your variable rate may decrease in following years due to (much) higher sales goals. If you are interested in becoming an External Wholesaler (and that and only that) this is a good place to work, although keep in mind you must drink the kool-aid 100% and continue talking the talk for a good couple years.

Cons

Senior management has one and only goal, with everything directed towards that: increased sales. From a business perspective this is, of course, a good idea. The only downfall, and what I mean, is that they will walk over any employee at the drop of a hat to accomplish this.

Do not try to think outside the box; this company is 100% drinking the Kool-Aid, 100% of the time. The cheesier you are able to sound, along the corporate line, the better you will do.

Senior management is bred from within on a "friends" basis. This means little opportunity for promotion and that the management in place only knows the way they've done it at Jackson; no ability to consider other thoughts.

Advice to Senior Management

Diversify your workforce from other companies not in the insurance industry. Offer ability for promotion other than External Wholesaler. Treat Internal Wholesalers like you at least pretend to slightly respect what they do.

Pros

Great environment, fine tune presentation skills on phone and in person, good market education mechanisms.

Cons

No upside unless you want to be an external wholesaler

Advice to Senior Management

Discuss lack of upward mobility for those who would like to stay in Denver

Pros

Ample learning opportunities, decent benefits, and career advancement for the young and attractive.

Cons

More rewards for style than substance, poor management and interdepartmental communications, penny wise and pound foolish tendencies create excessive stress and compromise quality of work.

Advice to Senior Management

Trust your employees with the information and resources they need to do the job right.

Pros

Great place to start your career. They will hire people with no direct experience, and sponsor you for all your licenses. Get good training and experience.

Cons

Not an employee focused company. They knowing pay less then the competitors as it's all about the bottom line.

Advice to Senior Management

Senior Management is skilled and preaches open door policy, but it's not always the case and the middle mgmt can get very upset if you actually use the open door policy. They can be rather disconnected from the day to day and tend to have a "No Excuses" mentality.