Career Paths

Career development depends upon a number of factors including personal drive, commitment, capabilities, skills, and experience. The Northwestern Mutual Financial Network supports our financial representatives’ progress by offering areas of specialization and opportunities for leadership training. Our financial representatives are responsible for the path their careers take, and we are responsible for providing them with ample opportunities for growth.

Specialization - The opportunity to specialize in market niches such as disability income, long-term care, annuities and investments. Representatives may also choose to become financial advisors of Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC or wealth management advisors of Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company®.

Leadership - The opportunity for career advancement through the recruitment, development and retention of fellow representatives by opening new offices, strengthening existing ones, and supplying the overall structure and support to maintain and grow the Network. A representative can maintain his/her own practice while helping other representatives build new ones. Leadership opportunities include, but are not limited to:

• Leadership through Education, Achievement & Development Program (L.E.A.D.): Provides access to an exclusive training curriculum that will help representatives develop the skills needed to take on a leadership role within their network office.
• College Unit Director (CUD): Leads a group of energized college interns. Read more about our top-rated internship program.
• Field Director (FD): Assists in the recruitment and selection process in order to build a cohesive unit of productive full-time financial representatives.
• Managing Director (MD): Takes on the unique challenge of balancing personal production and managing a district network office.
• Managing Partner (MP): Creates a vision and is responsible for the overall success of a network office.