Worst career move of my life - Agent New York Life Employee Review

3.0
Jul 11, 2014
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Very strong company with the strongest financial ratings, one of the best at what they do, they've been in the business for 168 years, good training and compensation (if you are actually managing to get appointments and sell life insurance or other financial products), benefits.

Cons

100% commission. This type of business is not for everyone. A lot of agents are starving, broke, or close to losing a lot of their assets which is quite ironic considering that agents give financial advice for a living. Your life is consumed by hunting ALL THE TIME everywhere you go (family parties, social gatherings, etc). EVERYONE is a suspect/prospect for business. Everywhere you go, you are thinking about networking to get those people to become your clients. It can become overwhelming and you reach a point where you're not always being genuine, but just in it to build your business (and help others in the process - because you are really helping others with your services IF you truly know what you're doing). Once you lose momentum in this business, you better work twice (or triple) as hard or prepare to be faced with one hell of a challenge to get back on your feet. This business is brutal. You truly have to go hard in this business. No slacking of any kind. They essentially own you for the first 3 years of your contract with them. If you have a creative side and dabble in any type of outside business activity, they will decide if you are "hire-able". If you are, you must sign a form that lists what you can and cannot do in your hours outside of work. They dictate how much time you can devote to other activities that could potentially lead to outside business. You CANNOT work another job while you work here as an agent. So if you decide to work here, you MUST have enough money saved up to carry you through stormy weather, because YOU WILL go through it. EVERYONE does. If you don't have money saved up, make sure you have another form of supporting yourself.

Explore other reviews about New York Life

5.0
Jun 3, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great brand with high levels of training and support. Good work-life balance and supportive managers who don't micromanage. Benefits include good pay, decent PTO, tuition reimbursement, bonuses. Agents enjoy full autonomy over their schedule, the ability to work with clients they choose, and untapped commission potential. Training is strong, with clear advancement paths toward financial advisor and management roles.

Cons

Commission-only structure. Agents must generate their own leads with no real structure to daily activities.

5.0
Oct 9, 2015
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Right out of college, I had an opportunity with the New York Life. Being young I felt that I was at a disadvantage but I worked hard, I was relentless, and ambitious. My first full year, I was able to make a six-figure income. It wasn't easy but is medical school easy? Is law school easy? The training and development at New York Life was unmatched. I knew nothing about the Insurance and Financial Services industry until I was given an opportunity at New York Life and the training was exceptional and has led me to the success I have today.

Cons

You have to work hard, be relentless, entrepreneurial, invest a lot of time and effort into the business and above all, expect a higher standard of living and strive towards that goal every single day.

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New York Life Response
9y
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback – we appreciate it. As you say, a successful career as an agent requires dedication and commitment. For many, including you, the professional rewards are worth it. But we do understand that starting out in this career is not always easy. That’s why we offer new agents continuous training and support, to give them the advantages they need to succeed.
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