Ed Jones isn't the place for someone new to the business. Stick to the big guys and work in a group setting until you get the hang of things.
You need to ask yourself do you really want to cold call and prospect. Or do you want to learn the trading end of the business. If you really don't want to do this. Get into operations at a Online firm, or work at a local Scottrade Office, base salary, and you will learn the trading end of the business. Most full service brokers don't know what a Buy Stop is.
I have held a series 7 (worked for a bank - WAMU/Murphey Favre called back then) and later a series 3 Refco... All I have to say this...the big, tier 1 firms are very picky... If you want to be a broker work for some bank, build up some decent book and look for other venues maybe later. Merrill and Goldman are hard to get into but trying is free
referrals only go so far...you will eat them up in a day. they have seminars...sending invitations. churches are good. they still should cold call like mad, there are lots of people that are not on "do not call" lists. Also, call on businesses is a GREAT way. Business are not on do not call lists. if you want doctors...buy a hospital directory, and call them at work. same thing with lawyers or accountants. Business people get sales calls all the time....just part of doing business. Call on the business for their 401k business, then hit up the top exects for their personal business. If you work for edward jones.......you walk house to house and knock on doors. There will always be reatil brokers...just as there will always be insurance sales poeple or any type of sales. you can still make a TON of money if you are aggressive. ...I am still a broker, just in government bonds for institutional clients.