| Tell us about your job and what’s involved on a typical day?Carrying out initial and application appointments. Doing pre-call preparation. Responding to client calls and e-mails.
What previous roles and experiences led you to your present position?
I worked as tied adviser for CIS (in the top 200 out of 3,500), Pearl and Park Row (IFA). Prior to that, I spent 20 years in oil and gas industry.
What do you like most about this company?
The ability to speak to management, there is definitely no “us and them” mentality. Of late, the rate of change is quite exciting.
What do you consider the key challenges for the mortgage industry this year?
Lenders being able to efficiently cope with increases in business levels. MMR has not presented major changes for us, as we were already working in MMR mode.
What are the most important personal satisfactions and dissatisfactions connected with your job?
I genuinely enjoy helping people achieve their goal of home ownership, more so for those who need a helping hand. I get frustrated by clients who expect you to react within 5 minutes of them leaving a message/e -mail – they call in 30 minutes later chasing you up. Also clients who continually fail to bring in required documents. And lender’s staff that do do not know their own criteria.
Another gripe is inconsistencies in processing, where two near identical cases are handled differently when the criteria has not changed. I get annoyed when despite all the bollocks they promise, the usual suspects take 3 years to process a case…
What would you do for a career if you weren’t doing this?
Mmmm. Assisting in the measuring department of a lingerie store would be a bind.
A guide working for a destination fishing holiday company would be quite bearable. Say a season in Norway or Iceland, bone fishing in the Caribbean and so on.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Fly fishing for salmon and Balvenie, Glenfarclas and Dalmore, in large measures mind.
Where is your favourite place to be?
In bed with my wife! Seriously, up to my knickey knacks in waders in a falling, clearing water after a wee rise with fresh fish in the pool. Bliss.
What has been the best innovation you have witnessed in your lifetime?
The web and neoprene waders. The latter ensures my knickey knacks still function.
What music are you listening to/and or book reading these days?
Ry Cooder/Steely Dan/Little Feat
Currently reading “I Partridge We Need To Talk About Alan” by Alan Partridge. Ahaaaaaaa ! Shplendid and tremendous. Back of the net. Cashback. Dan Dan Dan Dan Dan.
What has been your career highlight so far?
Surviving 10 years !
Who is your current mortgage with?
Mortgage Express
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