MetLife Reviews

Former Employee – worked at MetLife

Pros – The job provides complete automony as a financial advisor. If you hate hierarchy this is a good organizational structure. Additionally, the company finances your overhead expenses the first few years and provides a base salary for the first 19 weeks, although it isn't enough.

Cons – The compensation system is designed to make you fail if you hit a rough patch. There are "red" numbers and "black" numbers. The red numbers represent the amount of premium you have sold. This means nothing until the business is approved by the multiple layers of bureaucracy, otherwise known as compliance and underwriting. The black number represent the actual premium you place. But beware, MetLife pays you an upfront annualized commission. If the policy lapses later, they take the money back. Because business can be inconsistent at times, a take-back can substantially ruin your personal financial situation. Additionally, many of the Agency Sales Directors have very little experience, and are usually better producers than managers. Don't expect a lot of useful help and don't believe everything they tell you.

Advice to Senior Management – Take a good look at what type of company you want MetLife to be (Financial Services) and then take a look at how it is perceived (Life Insurance Company).

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – Best reasons to work for MetLife are the vacation time, benefits offered and the annual bonus.

Cons – Not much room for growth and recognition is hard to come by for a job well done.

Advice to Senior Management – Take more time to recognize the 'worker bees', they are just as important as the sales team.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – As far as sales go the company has came a long way. you are able almost all products as an independent broker with the support of a big company.

Cons – Again I have been in sales for 13 years and love it. It's not for everyone, if you are good at being accountable to yourself sky is the limit as far as income. the only downside I can think of is that from time to time they change the compensation plan. Sometimes better sometimes worse, but i believe every company is like that.

Advice to Senior Management – Like I read in another review the office you work at means everything. So make sure the management team at the office you choose supports your work style.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – Knowledge, networking, compensation potential, and flexibility

Cons – Long hours, very high expenses, downtime, all commission

Advice to Senior Management – It would help employees if there were certain reimbursements for business expenses.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – They provide a decent benefits package including health, pension, and 401k. They also encourage self development within your current position. In addition, they do allow carrer advancement but sometimes its based on politics rather than qualifications.

Cons – In my current position there is ALOT of micro management. Sometimes they are so worried about the smallest details that they crucify individuals for even the smallest mistakes. Therefore, they loose sight of the big picture. They are also very indecisive on ALOT of issues. Something that we should be empowered to handle ourselves they would rather CYA and pass the decision up the management chain.

Advice to Senior Management – My current management appears to be so busy with meeting after meeting that they have no time for the "actual work" that needs to be done. When the work doesn't get done they would rather expect their employees to put in a little extra "effort" (ie: unpaid overtime) as opposed to assisting the employees in getting the work done.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – Quality of life, and plenty of opportunity to learn. Commute is much better than NYC. Relaxed work environment.
Human Resources is really great.

Cons – Low pay against peers and Wall Street, low incentives to exploit technology. Long hours for most, and little actual down time after that. Everything is outsourced.

Advice to Senior Management – More aggressively automate. Don't think we can sit on our stack of money.....someone will take it from us

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – Good company to work for. Good place to learn, decisions are supported.
Support for working mothers/flexible work time. Telecommuting allowed when necessary. Can work evening/weekends from home to make up work schedules.
Work looked at objectively for reviews. Reviews are frequent. Development plans are made and employees encouraged to grow.
Management can make good (even tough) decision when necessary.

Cons – Outsourcing continuing. Layoffs, cost cutting in progress.
Low ratings can be given even to good workers if everyone in the team is doing well as a certain percentage of people must be given low ratings.
While development plans can be made, ability to grow in direction wanted by employee is sometimes difficult.

Advice to Senior Management – Continue objective reviews, decrease outsourcing. Encourage work from people.

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – Flexible with alternate work arrangements such as telecommuting. Willing to invest in needed training where applicable to job responsibilities.

Cons – Middle management overly political in the way decisions are based in terms of job promotions. Need to better 'walk the walk' in terms of pay for performance. True risk takers and those going the extra mile in speaking out when something is not working as it should are more often shunned than rewarded while others who coast through their jobs aren't pushed enough to contribute. In sum, the people who are not the 'check your brains at the door' contributors who readily accept the more complex, difficult work, often end up getting piled on while others float in the background.

Advice to Senior Management – You pay for performance push is well intended and something definitely needed, particularly when moving to a publicly owned company, but it is NOT working. Middle management is not giving you the true, unfiltered story as to the issues and who the real people are that are working to solve those issues.

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – Good benefits. Used to be that you were proud of what you did - provided people with insurance and the support around it. Then I started to see thwe cracks in the facad -- they started outsourcing jobs to India, cutting customer service and promoting useless, unqualified people who played the political game (there is always some of this but Met takes the cake!) Time to move on before my job goes to India.

Cons – So political. East-coast focused. White Men need only apply. Pay is below average. Jobs going to India -- and yes, if your job goes, you have to train your replacement! OPEX - on its face, efficency is a great goal but there is a reason for the nic-name Op Axe. Their conittment to people as their greatest asset is a joke. Only good thing is the severance packages aren't terrible.

Advice to Senior Management – Rediculous to say on investor call that everything is great we are strong ... but we will have layoffs, more outsourcing to India and need to issue stock to get cash ... but we are in a strong position. BS.

No, I would not recommend this company to a friend

Current Employee – been working at MetLife

Pros – Great chance for feedback from managament, 360 reviews are done as well. Working from home is generally speaking, fine for all groups , but some groups allow a very flexible work from home arrangement. My group allows approximately once or twice a month. My personal experience is that there are opportunities within your own department for career advancement but just like anywhere else, it all depends on how you play the game.

Cons – Departmental head not supportive of the group. Pay could be better. I've received raises for the past two years consistently but it all depends on how well you are rated. Employee morale is currently low as a result of the recent financial situation eveywhere and everyone knowing that there will be a round of layoffs in the end of October.

Advice to Senior Management – Operational Excellence is confusing and needs clarification

Yes, I would recommend this company to a friend