Northwestern Mutual hiring for Chicago finance jobs

Posted on February 20, 2012

Northwestern Mutual, a financial planning firm, announced its plans to hire thousands of people, including those for Chicago finance jobs.

The company said it plans to add more than 2,000 financial representatives and 3,000 financial representative interns.

A poll conducted by Harris Interactive last year found that Americans overwhelmingly prefer choices that deliver higher quality, long-term growth and guarantees, versus financial options that are cheaper and faster in the short term, but may be higher risk or deliver less return over the long term. This trend is underscored by the fact that in 2011, Northwestern Mutual added more than 350,000 new policies, the largest annual total in almost 20 years.

“People want off the rollercoaster ride of short term economic and market uncertainty. They’re stopping the ride and stepping off because they’re shifting their focus to variables they can control and seeking trusted advice in the process,” says Steven C. Mannebach, vice president – field growth and development.

In 2011, Northwestern Mutual recruited more than 2,200 financial representatives, which represents a 55 percent increase over its results five years prior. Mannebach says the growth of Northwestern Mutual’s network of financial representatives is also attributed to the firm’s financial strength and its industry-leading dividends, which will total nearly $5 billion in 2012, the second-highest amount of policyowner dividends in the company’s history.

“Working with an industry leader is beneficial on several fronts,” adds Mannebach. “It benefits the financial representative and the client—both of whom need and want a partnership that endures for decades to come.”