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Elle

Good luck in your career, I hope it goes well. Comm only work is always hard and this is no different. Elle you may ask good questions but they know how to give you very good answers believe me, they have done this many thousand of times before and most have tried the work and failed or it has been short lived.

I have had to support (financially) and lend money to colleagues and co-ordinators to actually survive whilst their finances tumbled in to a total mess and they get bailed out by parents, return home with debts or larger than they had student loans.

Be wise and careful just because you are told something doen't make it true, or I might be lying...... but I don't think so I have no reason to!

my son has just been offered a position at Dervere as co ordinator in Dubai basic salary of £1200 a month accomadation paid for first 2 months and then 50% thereafter also he has to pay for his return flight but will be reinbersed 50% after 6 weeks, he has also been told that he will get 20% commission on whatever his consultant makes, after reading all the other messages alarm bells are ringing big time, he is from a sales/recruitment background comig to the end of a contract which due to economy in UK is not going to be renewed ? should he go for it

What is said is actually true. Dubai was always a very busy and apparently well set up operation for DVP, but obviously times are not so good now. Most of the people that I am aware of personally that went to Dubai, Doha etc. it did not work out. Certainly I believe that they will pay salary, fees etc. so that will not be an issue. Commissions if or after he leaves is another matter or they will say there is clawback for 2 years, that is a real problem in that it is true it can exist but also means that he could end up loosing out.

He can earn good money but it will depend on his appointed consultant and that can take time to come through.

The way it works is that all his activity will stimulate sales or prospects and if it doesn't work out the next guy will pick up or benefit from his activity.

Most co-ordinators do not last long and blow most of their cash on living and partying. Even the very earning consultants do not seem to last more than a few years and then it catches up with them, there is always a story!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope that helps.

@ oldbloke

Hi! Just been to presentation last week for role of consultant given by Andy Chalkin, was advised very hard work but lots of money to be earnt in Dubai (where i have friends living) was told average earning is £150,000!!??

have been invited to interview on Tuesday afternoon with a guy called Liam Boylan? do you know what interview consists of as i was told two tests *inteligence and pshycometric?

Thanks

also if you dont mindme asking what role was it you had at devere and again sorry for being forward but if you dont mind me asking how much commision was you earning?

Thanks

Gaz

Yes I know Liam, the tests are just basic really and don't have a great impact on the outcome. Dubai yes I would say that was fair as an average but there are some high earners. From the guys that I know that went there most struggled as Dubai has lots of other adviser firms so I think that would be a very big shout, maybe after two years.

There is a 95% failure rate.

Google Devere Russell Morgan you will find that of interest!

Remember regular business i.e on the drip carries a two year clawback so the money you earn is not clear for two years so a good life may not be had or it can come back to haunt you.

I think you need to be balanced people in DVP can make a load of money but most can't make it work, the pitch is old hat now so you may not get a super reception when you call and a lot of clients have been badly managed or advised from my experience but it is worth a go if you are up for it.

I worked in Europe for a short time after giving it great consideration. My time was cut short due to some "issues" with the senior partner at the office at that time! The matter was dealt with by DVP and Nigel Green so I do have a lot of respect for him. I believe that the operation is now run much better.

I worked for another adviser after I left for about 18 months but came to the conclusion that the overall formula was not in my favour and that I was getting no value for their input. I now have my own niche operation that is doing well. So I really have seen it from all sides.

My background before was extensive and successful and financial and remains very much so.

I think at DVP on there basis I would have earned about £200K first year and did about the same in my second and third years on a similar split basis elsewhere.

Now I earn bout £350K per annum but all under my control so no more [***]. I always specialised in  larger lump sum transactions so no claw back risk and better longer term profits so not really the DVP model. I also manage the clients money in a very thorough way so have managed excellent returns.

Prior to "having a go" at this I had been in sales and finance for about 27 years including running my own business since 1996 so it was pretty easy for me I guess.

If you are looking at a UK opportunity, take a look at www.driverplan.co.uk I have seen from some forums that they are looking at direct sales agents!

Thanks very much for your reply! I have read through all six pages today regrding devere and your the one whose opinion I want! This is a very big decision for me and I telly want to try and mke this work!

I'm 25 years of age and currently work for Barclays bank in outbound sales. I hve worked in sales since my first job and have always exceeded every single one of my targets given to me! I'm sick of smashing my targets and not recieving a good enough commision! I WANT to earn money and a sales job should be rewarded with something worthwhile otherwise you loose your drive to sell!

Would you say go for it in my position??

Thanks again!

Gaz.

Gaz

Thank you for valuing my opinion. I have found this forum interesting with both the negative and positive comments and as an "Old Bloke" well 48 year old I am trying to actually give people a balanced overview.

A point I would make is that at 25 you will be full of energy and drive but may appear a bit young to potential clients, I know that sounds wrong but a colleague of mine at DVP and then elsewhere same age as you found that to be a real issue.

Secondly you can work so hard and then leave ALL you work behind you for no benefit. The other members of the team will swoop like vultures to pick up leads and clients. In effect you are doing the spade work for them.

The work that you have done for Barclays will not prepare you in all respects, you have a captive audience and big well respected (ish) name.

The market that you are attacking will be a very well paid sophisicated one that will have heard it all before, google the expat sites in Dubai etc. and read some comments put in "complaints".

You will be a very poorly paid person in a bloody expensive city so when looking for flats etc. nobody will take you seriously and you can end up living in some [***] place or constantly having to move.

I think it would be difficult to build a long term career as such, but yes you can build a long term business out of DVP experience, it is the seeding ground for loads of other advisers, in a way such as myself although all DVP gave me was the motivation to drive a business forward in that country and arena, in terms of experience, support and knowledge very little. Make sure that you have at least 6 months money behind you, they say a month but loads of guys have had to leave as they could not cover their costs

Make you own decission and go with it but go open eyed. I will be interested to know the outcome either way and if you go your success. Good luck.

Thanks again for your advice , will let you know what happens!

P.s. If I decide not to take it can I have a job with you?? ;-)

Thanks again.

Gaz

Happy to give advice mate, to be well informed always a good thing. I think it is a shame that people can't say it how it is, in that; "this is a massive opportunity, but most will fail, ones that don't, it can set you up for life but along the way it will be hard work and very difficult in ways you will not appreciate"

Not looking for guys on the "IFA" side at all, but happy to talk you through how that business works. In the UK we are looking for guys not IFA (you would not want to go there in the UK, no really!), but that is not the reason that I am on this forum before anybody says that. The reason is that this is an open forum the best I have seen about this subject and therefore I feel valid to add real comments, observations and real direct long term experience.

Hi all,

I consider myself a bright young man but fell for devere's initial pitch hook, line and sinker (it was a job offer in a horrific market a few years ago) and still regret it today. For those thinking of joining, the bottom line is:

- you need 6 months salary in your pocket before considering working for them
- any financial qualifications you have mean nothing to them - you are there to sell, sell, sell
- you will spend the first 6 weeks relentlessly hammering the phone to make appointments
- if you don't close a deal in the first 6 weeks you will be fired
- devere is a tainted brand within the expat community, they are despised worldwide
- your potential clients will also come across this website and others similar to it.
- your manager will be a bully, most likely with a military background (a common tactic by devere)
- you will be stiffing people out of their savings no matter what anyone else says on here - nobody needs a 25 year savings plan
- it takes 4-6 weeks to get paid on any deals (not 2 like they tell you on the training course)
- future employers will also have access to this website and others like it - I regret having Devere on my CV
- you have to pay office costs each month
- that coordinator you were promised on the training course will not arrive
- everyone passes the interview, and the psychometric tests are simply there to make you think that you are suited for the job (the results play no part in the recruitment process)
- Less than 1% of recruits stay more than a year (I have seen the stats)
- Devere and its subsidiaries are under investigation by several financial authorities around the world
- Devere employees are personally liable for their actions, so if a client sues because he has been missold a product, you're on your own
- The £100k minimum you are going to make? Ha!

I stayed for 8 months, broke even on my initial outlay (flight, flat etc) and then called it a day with absolutely nothing gained and my dignity lost.

Devere does not offer you a career, it offers you a (very slim) chance to make a quick buck.

Good luck

I think that is a firm but fair answer and to all you would be's that more likely than not be you, but you maybe the 1% ( I think 5%) that makes it.

Good Luck!

i ws called yesterday and have to go to london for the conference,but reading all this i am sceptical,

Standard drill, make your own mind up from the posts here and also do a few google searches across the expat forums.

It is a scam offer. Read some of the past employees reports about their experiences with de Vere Group scam for employment:

http://de-vere-financial-planners.pissedconsumer.com/de-vere-partners-financial-planners-3a-warning-20100415178426.html

They send you to defunct jurisdictions where you have no legal rights and then don't seem to pay many of their employees. On the contrary, people claim they have had to put out their own funds.
Its a pity that so many people, most probably very genuine in wanting to learn a real trade, is put through something like this.

I don't know if this Louise Murphy is a real person, but what terrible impression whoever you are gives: you don't know how to spell, you don't know grammar, and you have horrible troll instincts.

It gives de Vere Group even worse reputation than it already has. How would any company hire such an illiterate and uneducated runt?

Brian

Yes lots of bad press from clients and ex employees and yes they do appear to sail very close to the wind a lot of the time, but it does seem from stuff I see in the technical press including setting up an FSA regulated business in the UK that things may be changing.

My own experience was crap but there were some reasons behind that and it does not work out for many people but it is still a real if not entirely genuine (from what they promise) opportunity that in some circumstances might be worth a go.

If you have no job offer in the UK (or elsewhere) have some money behind you it might be worth considering, just eyes wide open.

Not too convinced she is a real person, or at least it may be two people responding as you can add anybodys name as you can see if this.