How to hire successful originators

I talk with a lot of Credit Unions that are in the process of bulking up their originations staff to go after purchase money mortgages. They realize that waiting for mortgage business to walk into the branch isn’t going to get them much volume now that the refinance boom is over. But hiring originators is a bit of a crap shoot. Sometime you get it right and sometimes you get it wrong. You will probably spend an hour or two with a potential candidate in order to make a decision, and let them loose with your members. Not the best scenario in my mind. So how do you increase the odds that you get it right more often than not?

I recently heard a presentation by Patricia Sherlock from QFS Sales Solutions. She has built a successful consulting business helping lenders hire the right folks as originators. Patricia has identified 9 personality traits the generate above average originators. Personality traits are formed early in life and are difficult to learn. She argues that originators either have them or they don’t. So if you can find out during the interview process if they possess these traits, you can be more successful with hiring.

So here are the 9 personality traits of above average originators:

1. They exhibit high energy.

2. They have strong follow through.

3. They are optimistic.

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