Pros
For someone coming in off the street, Wells Fargo has kept up with AG Edwards' old training program. It is a very successful at getting you past the Series 7 and 66 exams. With the training time spent in St. Louis, a new FA Trainee comes to the branch ready to run. Personally, my experiences working with Mgmt were exeptional. My Branch Manager was far from a micro-manager. He trusts his FA's to do what is needed for success. Work life balance was great and each FA is given the utmost respect.
Cons
One of the things I struggled with didn't really have to do with the company but rather their marketing philosophy. Like all broker dealers, Wells wants you so shoot for people with high net worth and investable assets. Personally, I feel that leaves about 90% of all Americans out of the loop. If you market to that group, you can make up the difference in volume quite easily b/c you are working with a segment of the population that is pretty much ignored by traditional investment brokerages.