Mortgage Bankers

Three to five years of mortgage experience in lower-level positions is required to work as a mortgage banker.

At its Web site, Quicken Loans describes the ideal mortgage banker as:

• sales-oriented
• able to thrive in an independent work environment
• forward thinking
• competitive
• empathetic
• adaptable
• coachable
• self-starter and self-motivated
• believes their personal efforts should be rewarded
• always challenging themselves to grow, learn, and advance throughout their career.

Other important traits for mortgage bankers include outstanding communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills, an analytical personality, honesty and strong ethics, and good problem-solving ability. They also need a fundamental understanding and knowledge of the mortgage lending and underwriting process and applicable regulatory requirements; an understanding of the credit and lending process; and skill at using customer relationship management software, Microsoft Office, and their employer’s loan origination system and other applicable mortgage software applications.