Vantaggi
There are a lot of training modules available, and you are assigned a mentor. Home office associates are helpful.
Svantaggi
Each FA can run their offices however they like, to an extent. So there is no consistency across branches for many procedures. This makes it difficult when you ask for help from your mentor, and they do things completely differently than how your FA wants it done. There are no advancement opportunities for BOAs. While you're trying to juggle all of your daily tasks, you also have hours and hours of mandatory training courses to complete. There are typically only 2 people working each office, so if you and the FA don't get along, you're out of luck. The Financial Advisor knows next to NOTHING about your job, so be prepared to spend a TON of time on the phone with Home Office for all of your questions. Some Financial Advisors seem to rely MUCH too heavily on the BOA. It's supposed to be a branch office "team", but it sure feels like a hierarchy. BOAs are not paid what they're worth. This is not just an admin job. You wear a lot of hats as a BOA. BOAs are like office managers/secretaries/business planners/client relation specialists/researchers/event coordinators/meeting facilitators (I'm sure I'm missing some) all in one. Yet, you get paid AND treated like you're a secretary and that's it. Some Financial Advisors expect you to babysit them. Not only do you have to ensure your work is done, but you have to ensure that they're doing their work as well. Not seen as a co-worker by the FA, but more like a subordinate. Not sure how Edward Jones is consistently on the Fortune 100 best places to work. I enjoyed working in fast food more than being in this position. I have gone home and cried on numerous occasions. On Sundays, I always feel extremely negative, anxious, and depressed, because I knew that in less than 24 hours, I'd be back in that branch office. Your work experience here ultimately comes down to the FA you're paired with, so if you're in the application process now, may the odds be ever in your favor.