Sustained elevated originations at the nation’s biggest residential lender mean hundreds of job opportunities in mortgage production out West.
Wells Fargo & Co. reported $139 billion in third-quarter 2012 originations, the fifth consecutive quarter-over-quarter increase and more production than at any other lender.
For all of 2011, the San Francisco-based firm originated $357 billion — the most of any U.S. lender.
Wells Fargo is adding production employees to handle its rising business.
On Wednesday, a job fair is being held in Tempe, Ariz. Interviews and hirings will be conducted at the event.
Roughly 900 new employees are being recruited, according to Jacqueline Hill, executive vice president, fulfillment services and home mortgage.
“Our business continues to be very strong, we have a lot of customers coming to us for our assistance, and we want to prepared to be able to serve those customers and serve them well,” she said in a telephone interview.
Jobs are available in underwriting, processing and “tele-sales,” according to Hill. The positions are full-time and permanent.
Tempe, home to Arizona State University, has been a popular destination for mortgage recruiters.
Last month, Specialized Loan Servicing LLC opened a facility in Tempe with plans to create more than 250 jobs. In May 2012, BBVA announced plans to recruit 140 mortgage professionals in Tempe, while JPMorgan Chase & Co. said in November 2011 that it was filling more than 300 mortgage positions in Tempe.
Wells Fargo’s Hill explained that the talent pool is rich in the area.
“We’ve been extraordinarily happy with the caliber of team members that we’ve been able to find here,” she said. “They are people with really good mortgage experience. They care about the work that they do. And they care about our customers.”
The new hires will work at two existing Wells Fargo offices in Tempe, and a third Tempe facility that is being opened next month.
While they hope to immediately complete as many hires as possible, all jobs are expected to be filled by the end of the first quarter.
“If somebody is interested in building a career in the mortgage business, they absolutely should come and talk with Wells Fargo tomorrow,” Hill said. “We have, because of some of the growth that we are experiencing, there’s also a great opportunity for people to advance and continue to grow their careers.
“It’s not just a job.”
Hill said that Wells Fargo hopes to attract the “highest-caliber talent” with extremely competitive wages and benefits.
