Meet Mortgage Team Leader, Katie

As a Mortgage Team Leader, Katie’s passion for supporting the people in her team is just as strong as it is for helping our customers. Keep reading her blog, where she talks about her journey, and the opportunities she’s been given to develop her career at Barclays.

Gain a valuable qualification and have life-changing impact

I started at Barclays 18 years ago as a cashier and soon moved into the role of Personal Banker. During that time, I gained a massive interest in mortgages because it’s so varied and it was clear that we could make a real impact on people’s lives. So when the opportunity came up, I applied for the Mortgage Advisor (MA) role.

When you become an MA, Barclays pays for you to gain a Certification in Mortgage Advice and Practice (CeMAP) qualification. To set you up for success, you’re provided with classroom training, consolidation sessions and study leave so you’re full prepared to take your exams. CeMAP 1 is very textbook heavy, and you get to know everything there is about mortgages, and levels 2 and 3 are more focused on fulfilling the role.

You cover key learning and role play activities with a trainer and use the time with them to go over anything you’re struggling with. Of course, there’s an element of self-led learning, but the level of support and encouragement you’re given is amazing.

I don’t plan to leave Barclays – they’re such a fantastic employer and my career keeps progressing here – but if I ever did, it’s amazing to know that those qualifications will stay with me for life.

Supporting customers and colleagues

I progressed to a Mortgage Team Leader six months ago, at a time where the current economy is having a huge impact on homeowners and people who want to buy a house. I’m proud to say I’ve hit the ground running, and I’m really enjoying it, even during these demanding economic times. It feels great that I can use my experience to support my team, whether that be to prepare for and pass their CeMAP exams or to be as efficient and effective as possible when talking to customers.

I recently received a full-page email from a customer with some wonderful feedback about one of my team members who supported them to consolidate debts into their mortgage. She had three separate hours-long calls with the customer, and they were touched by how patient, empathetic and non-judgemental she was. They said she had literally changed their life. It’s emails like this that inspire me to develop my team further.

Making a difference virtually

In the Virtual Mortgages team, we’re responsible for managing every aspect of the mortgage process. We need to ensure we’re delivering the same level of service to our customers as we would in a branch, but the biggest difference is, we only communicate with them over the phone, so we have to build relationships in a different way.

Virtual working is something I’m aware of when it comes to the culture and support of my team too. When I started, I set up a call for us to put faces to names and then we came together in the office to get to know each other in person. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my team, their individual personalities and how they like to work. And it’s clear that what we all have in common is a passion for providing the best outcomes for our customers.

I see that my responsibility for my team’s wellbeing is just as important as my role in ensuring we meet our objectives. And I’m extremely passionate about it.

Not only is it important to connect as a team so we can support each other to deliver the best service possible, it’s also important that working remotely doesn’t impact a person’s mental wellbeing. I always help support my colleagues find the right solution to ensure they’re maintaining a healthy work-life balance and that they’re happy at work.

A passion for helping people

To be successful in the Mortgages team, you need to be adaptable and relatable, and you must have great interpersonal skills. It’s challenging work, but when you get a resolution and make a difference in people’s lives, it’s so satisfying. My advice to anyone who’s considering joining us would be – do it for the passion. It sounds cheesy, but you need to have a strong interest in mortgages and a passion for helping people. That’s what I love about it and that’s what my team love about it.

If you think that’s you, then definitely apply. You’ll be given everything you need to succeed in the role, while doing rewarding work every day. And you won’t look back.

Katie, Mortgage Team Leader