Traits of an Excellent Mortgage Branch Manager

If you have been considering becoming a mortgage branch manager, there are plenty of reasons to do so. The fulfilling position allows you to further your own career goals as well as gives you the opportunity to help others work toward their own dreams. Before you begin searching for mortgage branch manager opportunities, consider whether you have what it takes to succeed in the industry.

Strong Sales Skills

One of the biggest components of success in mortgage branch manager opportunities is the ability to make a sale. Create your sales goals and make a plan to help you achieve them. This may include email templates, phone sales scripts, presentations that include facts and figures or other methods of showing potential clients what they stand to gain from receiving a loan through you. Analytical skills are a big part of sales success as you must be able to determine how the clients are reacting and tailor your sales pitch on the spot to meet their needs and personalities.

Organization and Attention to Details

Of course, any office environment requires organization to be efficient. Natural organizational skills, as well as attention to detail and time management skills, will suit you well as a mortgage branch manager. Computer skills are a necessity as you will likely manage your clients via a customer management system. There are many software options for this but each one typically provides a dashboard that allows you to access client information such as their contact information, current status as a client, invoices paid and unpaid and other necessities.

A Strong Yet Friendly Personality

Talking with other people, whether clients or co-workers, is a large part of working as a mortgage branch manager. A good candidate will have a strong personality that is assertive and confident without being pretentious or overbearing. Be sure to smile, be friendly and work on your active listening skills so that people know you are taking your job and their needs seriously.

The Ability to Lead Others

The term "manager" implies that you'll manage other lenders and this is true in many cases. Strong leadership skills are a necessity. You will set team sales goals, direct your team on how to meet those goals and create standards for customer service. Leadership also means you'll be responsible for accounting and reporting all pertinent information to higher ups. Leading by example is the best quality you can have when it comes to working with a team.

Education and Qualifications

The education required to be a mortgage branch manager will vary slightly by company, but you will likely need a bachelor's degree in a business-related field. Other qualifications include experience in retail sales management or customer service and a demonstrated knowledge of how the banking industry works. Most companies will require some previous experience in a closely related position.

As you search for mortgage branch manager opportunities such as those available at Nation’s Branch, ensure you work with a reputable lender. The company should be in compliance with all federal and state laws and be serious about remaining so. Working with a company that is lax on laws could lead you to be part of an unwanted federal investigation.