Part of a loan officer’s job is to meet with clients in order to aid them with their loan needs and to educate them on products. An originator must also have active knowledge of company and industry updates.

So, there are a handful of really important soft-skills that regularly help loan officers excel – below we take a look at some of the most vital. Soft skills – if you were wondering – are personal attributes and personality traits that characterize how a person interacts with others.

Time Management

It’s always important to be on time for one thing. For example, when meeting a client or customer for the first time, first impressions count dividends – it’s a fact. But time management also includes prioritizing and scheduling your work.

Setting goals, managing expectations and allocating tasks are all great skills that a loan officer should have in order to really excel in their chosen profession. Multitasking and being proactive lead to being a more efficient professional and excelling in time management skills eliminates waste when it comes to being organized.

Communication

Unprofessional loan officers – these guys do not excel – often don’t reply to client emails and calls – this leads to a lot of problems and is a negative trait to have. A loan officer should be proficient with all areas of the sales process. They should be able to follow up and assist their clients in any way that they can.

This is an important soft skill and comes to many of us naturally. Speaking clearly and concisely for example will give your customer more confidence in your abilities. They can rely on you to help them with their finances when you are approachable and can confidently communicate with them in a professional manner.

Creative Thinking

An open-minded loan officer, one that thinks of things that no one else has considered before is sure to excel in their role. Being analytical and a good problem solver will put you ahead of the competition and allow you to face professional challenges with confidence.

Loan officers that are creative have the ability to devise new ways to carry out tasks. They solve issues with a unique or sometimes unorthodox perspective. Clients, customers and colleagues will admire someone who possesses a creative mind – this type of professional is often integral to a company’s success.

Networking

Being good at all the skills above will give you a head start in obtaining your ‘networking skill badge’. People skills, like being a good listener, or having an approachable and friendly manner makes it much easier to successfully network.

Having the initiative and confidence to enter a room, approach a group of people and pitch your idea in an articulate way will give you every chance in making a sale or creating new opportunities. During job interviews, these types of soft skills should be highlighted. Mention examples of times you have displayed some of these skills in your career – if you really do possess them they will naturally shine through.

Do you make the most of your soft skills on a daily basis? What are the most important soft skills that you believe a loan officer should possess in order to really excel in their job?