This broker brought in 11 trainees in nine months, and he’s very clear on what to look for to ensure success follows.
Iconic Home Loans’ James Pibworth brought in 11 new brokers in the space of nine months, and currently has 13 trainee brokers on his books. Bringing in such a large amount of fresh talent in a small space of time may sound like a herculean task, but Pibworth knows what he’s looking for.
“I’m not really after reams of finance industry experience for our trainee guys,” he says.
“Obviously I’m after the usual intelligent, presentable, attention to detail professional but also I need something different: Passion oozing from them, enthusiasm, drive, determination, hard work and, more importantly, someone who really really wants it. Someone that won’t take no for an answer, that doesn’t give up, that picks themselves up after a knock – someone with a point of difference.”
When it comes to finding these driven individuals, he does benefit from a close family connection who can help to make the talent drive a lot easier.
“We are lucky in the main as we use a specific recruiter Pathways Recruitment who only specialise in finance brokers and the finance industry,” he explains.
“Carla Pibworth, who is my wife, recruits trainees for us and for many other brokerages. Carla organises the trainee’s registration for their diploma plus works with them with a checklist so that they obtain MFAA membership, sit the exams etc. In doing this the candidates are well on their way when we on-board them.”
Another pipeline that Pibworth targets are bank staff and finance and insurance industry employees who have experienced a working environment that bears similarities to mortgage broking.
That said, he notes that some of his more senior brokers who were trainees four to five years ago came from various backgrounds including gardening, electrical engineering, pizza delivery and cleaning.
For Pibworth, what’s more important than the trainee’s background is that they have a personality that fits in with the company’s culture.
“Due to the way Iconic is, young, energetic, forward thinking and passionate, we need these guys to have explosive personalities – guys that woo and captivate you,” he says. “If they have all of these things, I, along with our systems, processes and fantastic mentors/senior brokers, can teach them the rest.”
What’s important, he says, is that the trainees have a point of difference that they can present to clients who are shopping around for brokers.
“They have to woo them and captivate them and impress them with their personality, intelligence and skills,” he says.
He adds that, with one eye on their career progression, he also aims to bring in individuals that show an aptitude for networking – as ultimately they’ll be on the hunt for referral partners.
“I spend 25% of my time networking talking to potential new referral partners both large and small – but you need to have that personality about you and that character,” he says. “It’s definitely about the character that sums all of the above.”
What do you look for in new brokers? Join the conversation below.
“I’m not really after reams of finance industry experience for our trainee guys,” he says.
“Obviously I’m after the usual intelligent, presentable, attention to detail professional but also I need something different: Passion oozing from them, enthusiasm, drive, determination, hard work and, more importantly, someone who really really wants it. Someone that won’t take no for an answer, that doesn’t give up, that picks themselves up after a knock – someone with a point of difference.”
When it comes to finding these driven individuals, he does benefit from a close family connection who can help to make the talent drive a lot easier.
“We are lucky in the main as we use a specific recruiter Pathways Recruitment who only specialise in finance brokers and the finance industry,” he explains.
“Carla Pibworth, who is my wife, recruits trainees for us and for many other brokerages. Carla organises the trainee’s registration for their diploma plus works with them with a checklist so that they obtain MFAA membership, sit the exams etc. In doing this the candidates are well on their way when we on-board them.”
Another pipeline that Pibworth targets are bank staff and finance and insurance industry employees who have experienced a working environment that bears similarities to mortgage broking.
That said, he notes that some of his more senior brokers who were trainees four to five years ago came from various backgrounds including gardening, electrical engineering, pizza delivery and cleaning.
For Pibworth, what’s more important than the trainee’s background is that they have a personality that fits in with the company’s culture.
“Due to the way Iconic is, young, energetic, forward thinking and passionate, we need these guys to have explosive personalities – guys that woo and captivate you,” he says. “If they have all of these things, I, along with our systems, processes and fantastic mentors/senior brokers, can teach them the rest.”
What’s important, he says, is that the trainees have a point of difference that they can present to clients who are shopping around for brokers.
“They have to woo them and captivate them and impress them with their personality, intelligence and skills,” he says.
He adds that, with one eye on their career progression, he also aims to bring in individuals that show an aptitude for networking – as ultimately they’ll be on the hunt for referral partners.
“I spend 25% of my time networking talking to potential new referral partners both large and small – but you need to have that personality about you and that character,” he says. “It’s definitely about the character that sums all of the above.”
What do you look for in new brokers? Join the conversation below.
