INTERVIEW
WOMEN IN THE SECTOR
Has the mortgage industry finally become appealing to women? The once male-dominated mortgage sector is undergoing a shakeup as a greater number of women apply for broker training, Just Mortgages’ recruitment boss Linsey Davies tells Simon Meadows
“T
he mortgage world used to be a bit of a boys’ club,” acknowledged Linsey Davies, head of talent acquisition and business support at national brokerage Just Mortgages. “But I don’t think that was unique to mortgages; I think it reflected the attitude of women working in society in general, and as that has changed, so has the mortgage world.” And so it would seem, according to figures from Just Mortgages, which show that for the first time there were more female than male applicants for its own broker academy – 60 per cent were women and 40 per cent, men. Just Mortgages, which has brokers operating nationwide, reports that its five-times-a-year training academy is often oversubscribed, typically with more than 1,000 applicants competing for 20 available places. Until recently the majority of them were male, but the Colchester-based company has identified a change in the profile of its applicants, following a recruitment strategy that targeted
44
those outside of the industry, sharing images on social media of a more inclusive working environment. It seems to have struck a chord with women looking to start a new career in financial services. The number of successful female candidates increased by 180 per cent in 2021 and is on course to more than double again by the end of 2022. “This is real change and, more importantly, it’s the new normal,” said Davies. “Women throughout our society are successful business leaders, homeowners, and professionals, and so why not mortgage and protection advisers as well? Women contribute different skills, experience, and attitudes, and I’m in no doubt that our equal inclusion going forward means that the whole mortgage market is far greater than its individual parts.” She explained, “We’ve worked really hard to move the image of a mortgage broker away from [it being] ‘just a man’s job,’ like so many roles in financial services have been perceived to be. Five years
MORTGAGE INTRODUCER NOVEMBER 2022
ago, men made up 60 per cent of all Just Mortgages brokers, but it’s now closer to 50-50.” In bygone days, a trip to see a mortgage broker likely involved meeting a man, quite possibly white and suited in pinstripe. It’s a clichéd image, of course, but then clichés often have some basis in truth. Today, eight of the top 20 performing brokers employed by Just Mortgages are women. Davies, while welcoming a greater female intake, also pointed to a team that’s racially diverse, too. “Some of our most successful brokers simply do not fit what you might have imagined the profile of a mortgage broker to be 20 years ago,” she reasoned. “Mortgage borrowers represent a massive cross-section of society, and it is fitting that so do those they go to for advice.” Davies said there had been a conscious effort to foster an inclusive work culture. “We work hard to create an environment within Just Mortgages where anyone can thrive and www.mortgageintroducer.com
