The great news I have to report today is that more and more of my mortgage coaching clients are being given the opportunity from their companies to hire Loan Officer Assistants a whole lot sooner and with a lot less volume than what has been the industry norm. Hip-Hip-Hurray for this positive change!
But here’s the rub, not every mortgage professional who’s ready to hire their first assistant has had the experience of managing another human being, holding someone else accountable and engaged, not to mention, actually motivated to excel on the job.
So I wanted to cover one very critical component in successfully on-boarding your new Loan Officer Assistant, that is largely overlooked by those with little to no management experience.
Starting off on the right foot with your new hire means setting the tone, the pace and proper expectations on the very first day. How do we achieve this?…Come prepared with a 30-Day Training Schedule!
The 30-Day Training Schedule that you prepare should include, at the minimum, blocks of time in which to cover the following items:
Expectations: Job roles, tasks and responsibilities, turn-around times, Professionalism, Attitude, Work hours, Breaks, Time off, Sick time, Vacation requests, Team meetings, Employee reviews;
Systems: CRM, Database, Marketing portholes, LOS, Loan flow/Work flow, Office equipment, Proper phone etiquette, Communication channels, Calendar, Website addresses, Passwords, Other online tools regularly used in their position;
Shadow Work: Allow your LOA to listen to you on sales calls, accompany you at sales appointments, referral partner meetings, networking & during presentations. Schedule time for you LOA to shadow other key team members, too;
Goals: Mission or vision statement, Business Goals, Business Plan, Brand, Marketing plan, Team dynamics, Incentives, Bonuses, Morale boosters; Additional training opportunities;
One final tip: Keep track of what has been covered with your new employee each week, and then on Friday meet with him/her for 30-minutes to review the week’s lessons, answer their questions, ask questions to ensure comprehension and reset the tone for the next week.
Remember, nothing is a bigger turn-off to a great, new employee than to see their boss scrambling, frustrated, disorganized and short on time. By providing your new Assistant with a daily training plan during their first 30-days of employment, not only will you be better able to deal with your own competing responsibilities, but you’ll set a tone for success and more quickly gain the value from investing in a Loan Officer Assistant.
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