Vantaggi
I've been with Smith Barney for less than a year now as a Financial Advisor Associate, Smith Barney has a good reputation, technology, and talented employees within the wealth management industry.
Svantaggi
The firm only care about how much assets you bring in as a financial advisor. Therefore, the firm train you well on how to prospect relentlessly but you have to basically self-learn about products, how to use technology, and how to do administrative paperworks. You are really independent from day one, and it is quite overwhelming. I was so disappointed by the firm's lack of support in terms of product or financial planning education for new FAAs. You have to bring in about a million dollar a month to be a very successful FA and it is very very difficult unless you have rich family background or established book of business.