Become a Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor
Merrill Lynch was founded in 1914 by Charles Merrill and Edmund Lynch as an investment company on Wall Street. It became a prominent company with offices all over the world, and was well known for its financial, insurance and investment strategies. Individuals and other businesses used Merrill Lynch for help navigating the markets and investment opportunities in global economies. During the financial crisis of 2008, Merrill Lynch was purchased by Bank of America and is now a subsidiary of that company. Its name recognition is still powerful, however, and business students are anxious to join the Merrill Lynch team as they begin or further their careers as financial advisors. Become a Merrill Lynch financial advisor by obtaining an excellent business education, establishing relationships in the finance and investment fields and applying for the company's financial advisor training program.
Steps
- Research Merrill Lynch. To become a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch, you will need to understand the company's history and current position in the business world.
- Learn about the financial crisis and how it affected Merrill Lynch. Read about the Bank of America acquisition in 2008.
- Make sure your values align with those of Merrill Lynch. Merrill Lynch wants their financial advisors to be customer-driven and entrepreneurial. Talk to current and former employees and clients to make sure you are a good fit.
- Keep up with Merrill Lynch's clients and developments. Check their website frequently and look for them on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Read financial business reports that cover Bank of America and Merrill Lynch.
- Get the best education you can. Jobs with Merrill Lynch are competitive, and they often recruit right out of top business schools.
- Earn a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from an accredited school. Recruiters for Merrill Lynch look for MBA graduates who are creative, innovative and analytical.
- Demonstrate experience in financial services. If you do not have an MBA, get as much experience as you can in the financial industry. Merrill Lynch will be more likely to hire you if you have worked in other places and developed your skills and talents.
- Establish relationships. Get to know people at Merrill Lynch who can help you get hired. Introduce yourself to recruiters and join professional organizations that will put you in contact with other financial advisors.
- Apply for Merrill Lynch's Practice Management Development Program. If you are not recruited to join Merrill Lynch right out of school, apply to their training program for financial advisors.
- Learn about the program on their website. Go to Totalmerrill.com. You can learn about the application process and read success stories.
- Fill out the application on the website. Click on "apply online" to begin.
- Attend a career event. Merrill Lynch sponsors career events in cities and towns all over the world. Click on "find an event near you" to determine the dates and locations.
- Contact a career advisor. If you would like to become a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch and you need help applying, or have questions, click on "email us" to get in touch with a professional who can help you.
- Contact Merrill Lynch if you are already a financial advisor and would like to join their team. If you already have the training, education and experience you need, tell Merrill Lynch you are interested in moving to their firm. They will put you in touch with an advisor in your area.
Tips
- Work with a career consultant or job coach to increase your chances of getting hired by Merrill Lynch. Professionals in these fields can help you make your resume and interviewing techniques more appealing to recruiters.
Warnings
- Remember that the economy is still recovering. Positions with firms such as Merrill Lynch do not pay as highly as they once did. You can still be successful as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch, just keep in mind that the business climate has changed.
