Pros

-401k benefits (when the market recovers i suppose)
-vacation days 25+ per year
-my customers, yeah super cheese i know but i genuinely like helping people
-somewhat job security if you can make sales goals

Cons

-inconsistent business practices from branch to branch even though they say we are one wells fargo
-sales goals that are completely out of touch with the current economy
-improperly trained coworkers that are not always looking out for the customers best interest
-the constant threat of losing your job due to sales performance not actual job performance

Advice to Senior Management

In this current economy we need to understand as a whole company that many times doing what is right for the customer does not necessarily constitute a sale

Pros

Great 401k, they match the first 6%. The benefits are pretty generous. You get a fair amount of time off to start and you get an additional week of Paid Time Off (PTO) after three years of service. My office is in nice building downtown and the equipment in my cubicle is new.

Cons

The pay is poor and the annual raises bairly keep up with inflation. Also the cash balance (pension) plan was killed off when Wells merged with Wachovia.

Advice to Senior Management

I know that you guys are busy with the merger but how about bring back the cash balance plan. Thanks

Pros

Relatively strong bank among many weaker competitors
Attractive platform to sell
Growth from Wachovia merger will create opportunities
Huge company (if you like that environment)

Cons

Production oriented sales management (i.e. what have you done for me lately)
Huge company (300K employees). You are a number.
Integration with Wachovia will take several years

Advice to Senior Management

Management should include employees in the change management that is going on as part of the merger to increase employee engagement.

Pros

My manager had a great respect for my creativity and let me develop programs as I saw fit.
Clear instruction about work expectations.
Talented and intelligent staff were approachable and supportive.

Cons

Eighteen-month max continuous work for contractors means that company can get maximum benefit and get away with not paying benefits.
Neglible attempts to help me find more work with other branches after very successful completion of contract.

Advice to Senior Management

Make better use of talent pool gleaned from successful contract jobs. Make friendlier paths to advancement for those who have proved their muster.

Pros

The insurance benefits are wonderful, they offer health, dental and eye. Paid vacation time is very good, at 25 years you get 35 days plus holidays.

Cons

Being micro-managed on sales is very stressful. Nothing else you do is important. I think it's very sad to feel such sales pressure that you lose track of what's right or wrong for the customer.

Advice to Senior Management

Bring back some good old fashioned customer service. Good service makes customers return and in turn brings sales. We're losing many customers due to high pressure sales goals. There was a time when customer retention was important!

Pros

It isnt a very difficult job. You are praised when you do a good job. You have great benefits and a lot of opportunity to get promoted

Cons

You call people all day everyday. Every single day the goals and what is expected out of you changes. The commission is difficult to get because you have to sell a certain amount of products and over a certain amount of money in volume before recieving anything which is extremely difficult to do.

Advice to Senior Management

More commission opportunities and get money for the work that is done. Stand by the goals that you make the first time. Dont micro manage

Pros

The benefits are very good, 19 days of paid time off are given right away which can be used for vacation, illness, or personal reasons. Medical, dental, and vision benefits are available after one month of work. On the retail end, the teller and lead teller job paid more than smaller banks. They offer tuition reimbursement up to $5,000/year for full time employees and offer up to a 6% match on the 401K after working a year.

Cons

The retail jobs are mainly sales-focused and you cannot get promoted unless you make the sales goals, which are hard to achieve for some who do not like to be pushy. The company policy is to not tolerate gaming but it is hard to prevent when the performance of teller and bankers make managers look good to their management.

Advice to Senior Management

Remember to stay focused on customer service and 11WTW. Don't play favorite with employees, it is very noticeable and discouraging!

Pros

Wells Fargo is a great place to start your career, I was promoted very quickly. If you enjoy a fast paced work environment, dealing with people, and meeting challenging goals then Wells Fargo is great. The management team is competent and so are the training programs.

Cons

The sales goals can be difficult to meet and if you aren't meeting them be prepared to be hounded. Sometimes they are so high, they are unrealistic to meet. Other than that Wells is a great company if you like sales.

Advice to Senior Management

no advice

Pros

Great benefits, opportunity for advancement, they value education, and good ethics. Also, management is most often good. Not a bad place to work.

Cons

Some of the downsides of working for Wells Fargo include being the amount of pressure that is placed on you to sell products. Phone Banker hours can be really tough as well, especially if you have a family. With every promotion comes a new schedule.

Advice to Senior Management

My advice would to management would be to get rid of the minimum "lenght of employment" requirement to get a promotion.

Pros

Great Work/Life Balance
Immediate benefits--Paid maternity leave, vacation time

Cons

Opportunity for advancement is low.

Advice to Senior Management

I was told in my interview and training classes that there is lots of room for advancement. But after I started my job I was told that I was hired as a collector and that's it. That doesn't give me much motivation.