Mummascribbles – 3 pieces of advice for the budding mortgage adviser  – Mummascribbles

This is a collaborative post

You might be unhappy in your job and want to try something new, or maybe you’re keen to return to the world of work after having kids. Whatever your reason for wanting to become a mortgage adviser, you’ll need to think carefully about how best to achieve your goal. The following three pieces of advice should help to put you on the right path. 

1. Make sure it’s right for you 
Being a mortgage adviser can be hugely rewarding, and the earnings can be impressive too. But it takes time and energy to land one of these roles, so before you set off down this path, it’s wise to make sure it’s the right decision for you. As part of this, you should get to grips with what exactly these roles entail. Typically in this field, you will be expected to advise clients about home buying and the financial issues surrounding this. You’ll explain the mortgages available to people and help to guide them through the application process. You will also need to explain other financial products associated with mortgages, like life and buildings insurance. 

Bear in mind that effective communication skills are a must in this line of work, and depending on the role you take, you might find you have to meet sales targets. 

2. Find out what qualifications you need 
If you’re confident that this is the right career choice for you, your next step should be to investigate the qualifications you need. To take up roles in this field, you’ll have to get a Financial Conduct Authority-recognised qualification in mortgage advice. One of the best known and most highly respected courses is the Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP). This course can pave the way for you to work as a mortgage adviser in a bank, building society, estate agency or brokerage, or it can provide you with a basis to become a self-employed adviser. 

You don’t need to have any formal qualifications to enrol on CeMAP training programmes, but it’s important that you have a good level of maths and English. 

3. Decide on the best way to study 
When you’re choosing a course, you’ll need to consider what style of learning suits you best. If you have a flexible enough schedule and are able to commit to attending lessons in person, you might want to sign up to a traditional classroom-based course. This can be great if you like the idea of interacting with tutors and fellow students in person and you want that extra level of support and guidance. 

If you can’t fit classroom-based study sessions around your other commitments at work or at home, online distance courses could be a better fit. This style of learning programme gives you much greater flexibility, allowing you to work through the material at your own pace. Whether you can devote some time in the evenings when the kids have gone to bed or you can find a window in your schedule at the weekends when you’re not in work, you might find it easier to complete a course in this way. 

Once you’ve found the right course and you’ve got the relevant qualifications under your belt, you’ll be able to launch your career as a mortgage adviser.