Edward Jones: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Edward Jones was founded in 1922 by Edward D. Jones Sr. in a single room in downtown St. Louis, Missouri, with a founding philosophy centered on treating associates as partners and clients fairly by offering appropriate, quality investments. The firm remained relatively small for decades, not opening its first branch office outside its home base until 1957, in Mexico, Missouri. In 1968, Edward D. "Ted" Jones Jr., the founder's son, became the firm's second managing partner and championed a distinctive branch office model, bringing personalized financial services to smaller towns across the country, a notable departure from typical industry practice at the time.

Under subsequent managing partners, including John Bachmann (who took over in 1980), Edward Jones grew its branch network dramatically, reaching 1,000 offices by 1986 and expanding into Canada beginning in 1990. Penny Pennington became the firm's sixth managing partner in 2019, making her the only woman running a major U.S. brokerage at the time, and has continued to lead the firm's growth. Edward Jones remains a privately held partnership, operating as the principal subsidiary of The Jones Financial Companies, and is headquartered in the St. Louis, Missouri area (Des Peres, Missouri).

Today, Edward Jones serves more than 9 million clients and manages more than $2.2 trillion in client assets through a network exceeding 15,000 branch offices and more than 20,000 financial advisors across the U.S. and Canada, employing approximately 55,000 people overall. The firm's workforce includes financial advisors (who often work in one- or two-person branch offices), branch office administrators, and home-office associates supporting technology, training, and operations from its St. Louis headquarters.

Company culture and employee programs: Edward Jones emphasizes a partnership ownership model, giving associates a personal stake in the firm's success, alongside a client-first philosophy focused on long-term, individual investor relationships rather than short-term transactional business. The firm draws financial advisors from diverse professional backgrounds, including engineering, banking, and education. Benefits, training, and advancement opportunities can vary by role, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the financial services and investment industry, including Edward Jones, are legally required to conduct thorough background checks on financial advisor candidates, given extensive securities industry regulatory requirements administered by FINRA in addition to standard employment screening. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

Edward Jones is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is both standard practice and regulatory requirement for financial advisor and other securities-licensed roles, given access to client financial information and the fiduciary nature of the work.

The hiring process for financial advisor roles at Edward Jones typically includes an application, multiple interviews, completion of required securities licensing exams (such as Series 7 and Series 66), and a background check prior to a final offer, given FINRA's regulatory requirements for registered representatives.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified, and FINRA registration background checks for financial advisor roles can take longer than a standard employment background check. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a financial services role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though FINRA registration requirements for financial advisors typically involve a more extensive review of an applicant's full background, including regulatory and disciplinary history.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, but FINRA registration rules impose strict standards for individuals with certain criminal convictions, particularly those involving financial crimes, fraud, or dishonesty, which can disqualify a candidate from securities industry registration. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that may apply differently in heavily regulated financial industry contexts.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements, in addition to FINRA fingerprinting and registration requirements for licensed roles.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Edward Jones may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Edward Jones or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.