Mortgage Branch Managers and Loan Officers: These Two Statements Will Help You Negotiate a Better Job

Looking for a better career opportunity in the mortgage industry can be exhausting. After you have completed the interview process, done your due diligence on the company(s), and proven you are worth hiring, how do you negotiate the best offer?

Using the following two statements when negotiating a job offer will show you are motivated and serious about the opportunity and help you attain the offer you desire.

1. “I’m very interested in a long-term opportunity with your company. Should you feel that I’d be a good fit for you, then I’m confident that you will make me a fair offer.”

Most companies realize you’re likely considering other offers. Do not get into specific terms that you will accept or other offers on the table at this time. The time to negotiate comes after their offer is extended, not before. If you remain professional throughout the process, you just might get (could receive) a better offer than you would have asked for.

In order to extend you an offer, most mortgage companies will require an employment application authorizing a background check and request income and production numbers for the previous two years, when allowed by state law. After reviewing this information, they may ask you to address a few concerns, pass on the opportunity, or extend a formal offer to you.

Once you review the various offers and determine which one is the best for your career and long-term goals, that is the time to skillfully negotiate with that company. This may be hard for some, especially if the initial offer is really good. However, if done properly, you’re likely to get what you want without jeopardizing the opportunity. In fact, the following statement is exactly what the manager extending the offer wants to hear.

2. “If you can agree to “X”, I’ll accept the offer right away.”

The elements of the offer you would like the company to improve would be reflected in “X”. This expectation needs to be realistic and doesn’t have to be monetary. While asking for a larger transition guarantee, base pay, or higher basis points may be exactly what you want, asking for better benefits (more paid time-off), flexible schedule (ability to work from home at times), a private office, or additional support (loan officer assistant) may be beneficial to your career and goals.

Managers expect you to negotiate; however, there is a right way to do it. The above statement works well because it shows you are serious about the opportunity, confident, decisive, and possess leadership skills. These are qualities they are looking for in a new employee. Additionally, the statement will finalize the negotiation if they meet your “reasonable” request.

On the other hand, there is a wrong way to negotiate a job offer. Many times, the problem commences before you reach the formal offer stage. Any misrepresentations or lack of honesty, failure to maintain appointments/communicate in a timely manner, inability to make a decision, or your extreme focus on personal needs will significantly raise concerns and jeopardize a potential offer. Mortgage sales managers and loan officers who make statements such as, “I need a salary”, “I want leads”, or “I need a guarantee” show a lack of confidence in their abilities and/or passion for the business.

Once the formal offer is made, the wrong thing for mortgage sales professionals to do is to avoid communication with the manager while looking at other offers, go back and forth playing one company against the other, or display the lack of ability to make a decision/commit to the opportunity. This is no different than the problematic mortgage applicants who you’ve spoken to in the past. They are shopping around, won’t tell you why they won’t accept your loan proposal and are continuously looking for the next company to offer a better rate, lower fees, or both. Too often, mortgage “professionals” who are seeking a better career opportunity, act exactly like the mortgage applicants they despise.

You don’t have to make this process difficult. Focus your search so that it results in a win-win scenario for you, your potential manager, and the mortgage company. As long as you communicate professionally, use the above statements, and your negotiation is reasonable, you are likely to land a great career opportunity that comes with a better offer than you originally expected.

Loan Academy is an independent mortgage recruiting and consulting company. We specialize in connecting exceptional managers and loan officers with leading mortgage companies that maintain a culture of excellence, trust, and transparency.

If you would like to confidentially explore a better career opportunity, visit our website at www.loan-academy.com or contact Jeff Flees today at 877-721-4822 or jflees@loan-academy.com.

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