I’m at the MBA’s Secondary Conference in New York City this week, enjoying seeing a lot of familiar faces. And one thing I’m noticing more of: smiles. I think everyone is still cognizant of the headwinds that our industry is dealing with right now – higher rates, low inventory, and compressed margins (amongst others as we all know). But, I also think many companies have stabilized, adapted, and are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
As such, we’ve started to see a shift in hiring demands. Companies certainly aren’t hiring at the same clip as they may have been in 2020 and 2021, but we have seen a quiet uptick in mortgage-specific job postings. One company may be looking to add an Underwriter in anticipation of growing volumes while another is looking to add a few Processors to support a portfolio retention initiative. There are pockets of jobs out there as some companies prepare for better days. This may be the beginning of the tides shifting toward normalized staffing levels.
If you were affected by a layoff, unable to find your next role, or even unhappy in your current position; the time is now. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by, waiting for the perfect time. You should be prepared now. Clean up your resume. Update your references. Continue to network. Tie up any other loose ends. While the openings are starting to increase, the competition for these roles initially will still be fierce until the volumes actually pickup. But those roles are there and they will likely continue to increase. What are you doing to set yourself apart if you want to land one?
Mo Oursler, CMB
Executive Vice President, Mortgage Career Exchange
Mo Oursler is an established mortgage leader who has served in wide range of executive roles in operations, originations, credit risk, capital markets, university training, and leadership development.
For more, visit Mortgage Career Exchange: mortgagecareerexchange.com