Career Help!!

mgulzar

Hi All,

I have just registered after lengthy reading through the Q&A's which are very interesting.

I am 20 yrs old fully CeMap qualified and currently seeking employment.

I thought completing the CeMap would have been the difficult part, however, now qualified i am finding difficult to even get any interviews!!

Does anyone have any suggestions?

dunstonh

Warning: Cruel to be kind style post about to follow

I thought completing the CeMap would have been the difficult part

Thats a doddle. Getting someone to take you on is much harder and getting in front of clients to earn money is the hardest.

now qualified i am finding difficult to even get any interviews!!

What business models have you been approaching? Banks, local IFAs, mortgage clubs/networks, estate agents, salesforces?

You have a problem that to an existing firm, you bring nothing to the party. Firms are ideally looking for a track record of earnings and ability. Many will be looking for you to have a client bank. The salesforces will be more interested in your sales ability than anything else.

A few of us here own our companies so, hypthetically, what would you be offering to us that would want us to recruit you?

JoeK_3

Many congratulations in having achieved a pass in your CeMAP qualifications.

Someone of your age needs to learn the art of giving mortgage advice and in my opinion, you should concentrate your efforts in getting an employed position with a bank or a building society.

In your position, I would employ the services of a top CV writer to hone your Curriculum Vitae and then send it out to all the major and minor players. At your age you have plenty of time to learn the arts of both commerce and the financial world and the whole world is your oyster.

Don't yield, don't give up, persevere and you will succeed.

All the best

JoeK

mgulzar

I have got 3 years of experience and about 2 years off selling exp.

I used to sell mobile phone contracts!

Currently i have applied to Brokers, Estate Agents & Banks and have not had any joy, as 'Dunstonh' said i would not appeal to employer.

Is there anything else i can do to make my chances/appeal greater? i.e further qualifications .....FCP?TCP?

Well i did complete the qualification within 5 months whilst working two jobs!!
would it be acceptable to include this in ones CV?

'JOEK' thanks, I believe you own 'Money Marketing Ltd' am i right?
I believe i did meet you at the CeMap course i attended in Feb.

I believe my age & inexperience will play a deciding factor.

homer_j_3

I think that its not your age that is against you, its lack of experience in working in a regulated environment thats the issue. Any potential employer wants someone who is going to be productive and profitable asap. They will also want to have the confidence that you will be an asset and not a liability.

You need to understand that Cemap is the easy part of the job. Application of knowledge and ability to do things in the correct manner are a lot harder to do because it only comes with time. It is the same catch 22 situation that everyone has who comes into the industry at this level with no prior background or experience.

Selling skills are transferable and it could be just that fact that you are not selling yourself in the right light to your perspective employers.

Selling mobile phones - Without thinking about it too hard, my initial perception of people that sell mobile phones is similar to people who sell cars.

People who buy these products often have an idea of what they want from their product. The decision is often down to 2 things

1 ,do you have the product they want with the right features attached to it (3 door in blue with leather seats or Nokia 95 with 10000 free texts on 3 network for example) and

2, do they trust and like you (are you explaining things so they see the benefit and understand - not using Jargon etc for example?

If I have this initial perception, could your potential employer?

Put some thought into the actual job of a mobile phone seller or car seller and I could view it in such a way where there are similarities in skills required to do either job.

1 - You will often have to qualify why somebody wants the product that they do? Does the Nokia N95's features really hit the spot with the requirements I need?

or

Assessing your clients needs

2 - Do you have to ask people what they want from their phone and then select a products whose features that most closest match. Do you need to understand and keep yourself up to speed with the different ways in which each network operates by?

or

Assessing your clients needs and keeping up to speed with product knowledge

3 - Do you not have to input client data to get them set up on the contract and deal with paperwork?

or

processing applications and administration skills

4 - Do you sell phone cases, bundles, insurances on top of the phones and contracts? Do you fully explain the benefits of these?

or

Ability to promote products that will often protect or enhance the clients chosen core product

You will see from the above that the above 4 points are easily transferable into the mortgage world.

A big difference to our world is that we carry the burden of our advice. You have to back up what we are saying and confirm why you personally have selected the products you have and why they are appropriate for your customer. In the mobile phone world you do not.

Whilst I am not saying you do this, I often walk out of mobile phone shops and put the phone down on people trying to get me to buy from them because they are lazy sales people and they do not even try to understand what I want.

I wonder if other people perceive people in the mobile phone industry the same way?

What I am saying really is that you need to focus your CV and covering letters on how you feel your current skills will easily transfer over. Make sure that you do not leave it to chance that the wrong impression can be made.

Hope that helps?

JoeK_3

homer_j wrote: »

£5k for Competent Adviser Status :eek: I hope they earn money whilst going through that to cover the cost.

A good opportunity maybe for those who are trying to get into the field though if they are struggling to get someone to invest in them.

Hi homer_j, yes they do earn whilst they are training.

We like to think that they receive the best mortgage training that money can buy and they have their hands held by dedicated industry trainers.

There is a massive need in the mortgage industry for this type of training but its not free.

It's for those individuals that want to invest in their future.

JoeK

mgulzar

Yes i agree 'Homer_j'

Not having the relevant exp would mean i need to highlight the exp i have had selling, especially the points you have pointed out.

I would like to attend the course 'JoeK' offers however i do not have the funds.

Being in the industry and have plenty of exp, which markets are best to approach? ie Brokers,Banks

Is the industry suffering due to the Base Rate increases?

Thanks

JoeK_3

mgulzar wrote: »

Yes i agree 'Homer_j'

Not having the relevant exp would mean i need to highlight the exp i have had selling, especially the points you have pointed out.

I would like to attend the course 'JoeK' offers however i do not have the funds.

Being in the industry and have plenty of exp, which markets are best to approach? ie Brokers,Banks

Is the industry suffering due to the Base Rate increases?

Thanks

Taken from my previous post

" Someone of your age needs to learn the art of giving mortgage advice and in my opinion, you should concentrate your efforts in getting an employed position with a bank or a building society."

All the very best in the future.

JoeK

homer_j_3

I would agree with Joe here. You need a controlled environment where support can be given to develop your skills.

mgulzar

homer_j wrote: »

I would agree with Joe here. You need a controlled environment where support can be given to develop your skills.

" Someone of your age needs to learn the art of giving mortgage advice and in my opinion, you should concentrate your efforts in getting an employed position with a bank or a building society."

I see!!

Would i be right to say it would be alot more difficult to sell with a bank environment due to the reduced variety of products available?

Do banks provide the high level commission i wish to earn?

homer_j_3

Banks will give you plenty of customers to see and perfect your skills.

You will not earn mega bucks in a bank and only have 1 set of products you can talk about. You will however, given 1-2 years, have experience to move on to a world of better income potential and more scope of products to talk about.