Below is an interview taken with a past learner a year after attending the CeMAP Training with Futuretrend finding out why she chose her current career path and how the progression has been since completion of the training to try and provide support and guidance for anyone looking at taking the same career choice in becoming a Mortgage Adviser.
What’s your career background and what motivated you to become a mortgage advisor/ go for the CeMAP qualification?
I had successful career as a restaurant manager but once having children wanted a job with more sociable hours. I knew one family member that had been a mortgage advisor. But mostly I like the idea of using my customer service and people skills to help people make an important change in their life and fulfil the dream of a new home and help them protect that future.
How did you find out about Futuretrend CeMAP Training?
I did a search through Google. I focused on futuretrend because I liked the idea of an intense course and when I enquired the customer service was helpful and supportive.
Did you make contact with us before booking your training, and if so, how did you find the guidance received and your reason for choosing Futuretrend
I phoned one evening and got a response when I was not expecting one as it was out of hours. Martin was very helpful in explain how the course would work and how to arrange my exams. Based on the Good reviews, Good service, Good materials, and being well priced it was a easy decision to sign up with FutureTrend
How did you find the Cemap training?
AL: The training was excellent. The structure and the materials from the made easy guide to the ebooks made it easy to process. And David that ran the course was particularly good at keeping everyone engaged despite it being over zoom. We still had a laugh but his real life examples from his own experiences really helped make things memorable. Martin was always on hand too if you had any technical problems
Did you have a study plan and did you keep to it? Please elaborate on your own style of study.
I did the course each day. Did the home work and exams that were set. I listened to the audio materials in the evenings. Any exam questions I failed I read up on or asked David about the next day. I also took a run on some of the lunch breaks just to wake myself up.
Were you part of a study peer group?
No
How long after the training did you take your exam?
After the first 5 days I took CeMAP 1 on the next day, Saturday. And then after the second 5 days I took CeMAP 2 in the evening on the 5th day and CeMAP 3 in the afternoon on the 6th day (Saturday)
How did you feel on exam day? (where did you do it: online or test centre? How did you feel before, during, after)
I did it online in the same place I had been studying. I felt great as I had been building my knowledge each day with the course and in the evenings after it was all fresh in my head.
As you have now sat your exams and passed!…How are future opportunities looking? (How are you finding the industry?)
I took my exam in October. I them made contact with some of the leads provided at end of the training course. There were all helpful in giving advice, even the ones that didn’t have vacancy’s. One lead almost led to a job with an offer before I was offered a job for an independent mortgage brokers closer to home in November through a recruitment site that I started in December. I am now working towards my CAS status that have done my last chase to be checked and already have my own clients and started selling mortgages and protection.
Any advice for people intending to venture into this career path?
I would highly recommend FutureTrend for your CeMAP. The made easy guide and the way they go through it really helps. As for the career, it doesn’t instantly look like there are many opportunities for people without experience but make some calls and apply anyway and you can find a company willing to invest in you and train you up. As for the long term, I’m still learning so let’s see!
Matt Purdue. CeMAP.