I applied through a recruiter. I interviewed at Northwestern Mutual (New York, NY) in Jul 2015
Interview
I had a phone interview with the HR Manager, which was more him selling the position rather than a question and answer session. We exchanged emails to set up an in-person interview but after reading reviews on Glassdoor, I sent a follow-up email asking whether this was 100% commission-based. He said, "We put a lot of money into training the candidates and in about a year, they will know what their base will look like. We can discuss further when you come in. If this isn't the right position, we can talk about other opportunities." When I went in for the in-person interview, the receptionist gave me a sheet to fill out. The second page was "List the names and phone numbers of friends and family members you think would be a good choice to discuss financial planning" or something along those lines. Not a good sign. The HR Manager was friendly and laid back but you could tell he was still selling the position. He kept asking if I grew up in the area and what my network looked like. He said to think about it like LinkedIn and how networks/referrals are their biggest source of new customers...
I was annoyed that I specifically asked him if this was a commission-only position, prior to meeting, to prevent wasting either of our time. Not only did he waste hours of my time but the "other opportunities" discussion never happened either. He sent me a follow-up email for next steps but I declined to move forward.
Very professional and provide a deep background and understanding of the company. The recruiters are very friendly and help guide you through the interview process. Is a multi-step interview process including surveys and questionaries.
I applied online. I interviewed at Northwestern Mutual (San Diego, CA) in Jun 2026
Interview
The interview process is smooth, they get back to you relatively quickly. I completed the first 3 rounds within a week but they did reschedule my 4th interview after confirming. Nothing bad to say yet honestly.
I went through three rounds. You have an initial screening, a one hour interview with an advisor, then meet with a partner in-person if possible. Very detailed, and they bring up cultural test results and financial projections.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
Who is someone in your current network that could benefit from this?