As a Mortgage Broker or Loan Processor, standing out from the crowd is essential when going for your dream job. This doesn’t just mean having a superbly crafted resume, or a top notch LinkedIn profile, but going one step further and even bypassing the application process altogether and reaching out to managers directly. This may sound a little crazy, but hear us out.
Learn all you need to know about securing your ideal job with our top job seeking tips for mortgage brokers and loan processors.
1. Know what you want
At Platinum People Group, we find that there’s nothing more frustrating than when we’ve met a great mortgage broker or loan processor who would be ideal in the workplace, but they can’t articulate what it is they want! The reality is, we can’t help you find your dream job if you don’t have a clear view of what it is you want.
Perhaps you’ve never really thought about this before, but it’s important to be clear about what you want from a job and career to ensure you can find a good fit with a future employer. Think about what’s important to you when it comes to the type of position, career development opportunities, future aspirations, work life balance and income. What gets you out of bed and excited for work? Really think about all this. Once you know what you want, then you can be targeted and strategic in your approach, only speaking with relevant people about the best opportunities, not wasting your time applying for jobs that may make you miserable.
2. Go and get it
Once you know what you want, it’s natural to have a quick look at Seek. But, most successful mortgage businesses don’t necessarily advertise on Seek as they have other methods for locating good performers in the market. They’ll also often partner with a specialised mortgage broker recruitment agency. These successful mortgage broking businesses will always create new positions for the right people, so check out what businesses are being talked about in broker news. Look at who the top 100 writers are. Then, pick up the phone and call them. Be prepared, with a solid idea of what you want, and go in with a targeted and strategic approach that makes them want to meet with you to learn more. Be ready to show them what you can offer. Be real, genuine and confident (even if you have to pretend a little). Get them excited to work with you and demonstrate what value you can offer.
3. Work with a specialist
Partnering with a specialist mortgage broker recruitment agency can make all the difference for your chances of securing that dream job. The experts in this space are very networked and know what is happening in the market when it comes to opportunities in the mortgage broking space. Make sure you do your homework before investing into the relationship, as many recruiters can unfortunately be driven by sales and commission. Check out their LinkedIn profile and try to speak to someone they’ve worked with to get an unbiased reference. Keep in mind the longer they have been specialising in mortgage broking recruitment, the more contacts, opportunities and ideas they should have to share with you. If you can clearly articulate what you want, they’ll be able to help you expand your reach. The true specialist recruitment agencies should help you uncover exciting opportunities that you may not have known existed, or have ideas for people you could approach.
As we mentioned above, successful mortgage broking businesses often partner with these specialised recruitment agencies, so you’ll be directly connected to them through the agency. At Platinum People Group, for example, we have many clients that don’t bother advertising themselves and only engage us to find the best talent for them.
4. Get tailored
It’s time to get out your CV (and cover letter if required) and make some changes. As tempting as it is to use a generic template and just change the company name for each application, it’s advantageous to tailor your resume each time towards the position you are applying for. This extra effort goes a long way. It shows the level of interest and effort you’re willing to go to, and also helps companies understand what you want from the position and why your experience is suited to it. We often advise our candidates not to write a cover letter, but to include a ‘career objective’ in their CV. This career objective sums up what you want from your next position in a sentence or two and is not an opportunity to sell yourself.
5. Pay attention to the details
When attending an interview, the small things can make all the difference:
Look sharp
Put on a beautiful, dry cleaned suit, a freshly ironed shirt and a Windsor knotted tie to create the perception of success. Ensuring you’re well groomed shows that you’re serious about your career and can make an effort.
Be professional and friendly
When communicating with the interviewer, be genuine, enthusiastic, confident and respectful. And, make sure you smile.
Arrive early
Being late is not a good look. Arriving on-time is okay, but we advise that you arrive about 10 minutes early.
Be prepared
Bring along a pen and notepad to take notes. Do your homework. Learn as much as you can about the business prior and come prepared with questions to ask.
Connect
Add the person you’re meeting with on LinkedIn.
All of the above add up to create an overall impression of the kind of person you are. What kind of perception do you want to have? This is your chance to create a really positive and impressive impact – so go the extra mile!
When looking for a job, it’s important to be prepared – so it’s great that you’re here reading this. Platinum People Group posts regular job seeking tips and information for mortgage brokers and loan processors, so keep an eye on our Advice Centre. You can also access some great downloadable resources on our website to help in the job seeking process. If you’d like to meet in person and discuss your career ambitions, we’d love to chat with you! Give us a call on 03 9913 9642 or enquire online.
