Leggo my Ego

I stared this here blog to talk about my life other than working girl Jeris.  However, lately, my work is directly affecting my mood, actions and general sanity. I preface this post with the fact that I do love what I do for my clients. Do I love my current work environment? Who knows?


When I started looking at careers for a historically savey, type-a, feminist people person, several options came about. Marketing, legal, non-profit work, but the financial sector fit me best. I love meeting, cooresponding with, and helping all types of people. In the first two years, the culture at our office was youthful and hardworking. We were all fairly young and were learning and trying to "make it" in the business. Some of us have come out the other side, others didnt. However, as most large organizations do, the culture at our office has changed over time. Since the financial crisis of 08, the lay of the land in our industry is drastically different. If you had spoken with an advisor from Merrill Lynch two years ago about moving to Ameriprise, they might have laughed at you. Mostly because we were a company struggling to spin off from American Express, and they had a long rich history with a very familiar and well established name. Now they are Bank of America and all has changed.

They are not the only financial institution affected by this crisis. Morgan Stanley is MS-Smith Barney.  Wachovia is now Wachovia-Wells Fargo. We have aquired HR Block FAs, Threadneedle, Seligman, and recently a large portion of Columbia fund's assets. Change brings uncertaintly, and now advisors from each of those firms, that two years ago scoffed at the idea of working for a planning firm and not an investment bank, are scurrying in our doors by the masses. We have four new advisors this year alone. (We had 5 all of last year). They are currently adding more offices onto ours.  Suddenly Ameriprise looks fantastic.

This, as you can imagine, drastically changes the office enviroment. All of these new advisors are men and over the age of 45. There is a saying in our industry that you work very hard for little pay at the beginning of your career and work very little for much more later. I'm not saying these "newbies" arnt hard workers, because at one point they were starting out too, but they are def no longer in the struggling stage of this business. This brings with it attitudes of entitlement, and dare I saw it....Egos.

Now, I think having somewhat of an ego is actually alright. It, combined with brass confidence, has helped me as a female in this business. However, at some point, it gets out of control, and has to be checked. I'm afraid my office is about to become so engulfed in a variety of swirling egos and testosterone, that it might become difficult to function. Luckily, the two guys I work with are very down to earth, so i'm less concerned for our business, but more worried about office moral as a whole. For me, especially as a female, I have to keep my head down, keep working hard, and try to ignore these annoying outside influences. Luckily I have a blog to vent, and an internet full of very relavant ego cartoons to explore and share.

In other news. Jbg heard back from Regions, and didnt get the job he was going after. We really though this one would happen. Keep thinking of us as he pretty much starts the search over tomorrow. This is such an awful time to have graduated from law school, but I am confident he will find something, even if it isnt in law or exactly what he wants right now. Sometimes I wish some of the Egos I work with could be humbled by unemployment. Not that I wish it on anyone, bc it is not just difficult financially, but also psychologically. However, I think to empathize with it would would be the ego check that some people desperately need.

In a TOTALLY unrelated topic. Tonight on Biggest Loser they featured my new favorite snack: Yoplait Smoothies! Bob said they were a great snack. BOOYA!