The recruiting myth in this episode is that mortgage leaders can wait for a particular season to begin building relationships. The “January lie” is treating a visible reporting spike as a reliable picture of when people decided to change companies. Cohosts Abdel Khawatmi of PRMG Got Mortgages and Eric Levin, cofounder of Model Match, argue for continuous business development while recognizing that an individual’s actual transition may require careful timing.
Episode originally published July 18, 2026. Archive recap added October 24, 2026.
Watch Settling Scores Episode 10, “Recruiting Myth & January Lie,” on YouTube.
Key takeaways: separate the relationship from the start date
- Beginning a conversation and completing a transition are different events.
- A reported January change does not necessarily identify a new employer or the date trust developed.
- Evaluate operational fit through specific people and workflows, not broad promises.
- Research can make outreach more relevant, but it does not replace a relationship.
- Review current activity against goals instead of waiting for a new calendar year.
- Respect a candidate’s pipeline while continuing useful, agreed follow-up.
What Eric means by the “January lie”
The conversation begins with Eric responding to a recruiting-season observation he heard from Kevin Peranio. Eric does not frame the disagreement as a personal criticism. His objection is to the question itself: if leaders associate recruiting with the months when someone joins, they may postpone the relationship-building that made the move possible.
He describes a two-year snapshot involving several large nonbank mortgage companies, assembled using Model Match information and an AI-assisted workflow. Looking at a January spike, he argues that many entries represent administrative renewals involving loan officers who remain at the same company, rather than fresh employment decisions.
That is Eric’s interpretation of the episode’s limited example, not an industrywide finding. He qualifies the sample and is uncertain about its exact company count. The useful lesson is therefore methodological: ask what a chart actually counts before using it to set a recruiting calendar.
A later graphic, as Eric describes it, also shows meaningful movement in summer months. The discussion challenges a blanket assumption that summer is inactive. It does not establish a universally best month to recruit, nor does it mean every reported change represents the same kind of event.
Four different dates can hide inside one recruiting result
The episode becomes more practical when Eric separates outreach from conversion. A manager might meet an originator in July, develop a substantive relationship in August and welcome that person in February. The February start is visible; the preceding conversations are easier to overlook.
For a suggested review, distinguish first contact, meaningful exploration, the decision to proceed and the actual start. Add the reporting date separately if your records include one. These dates answer different questions: whether outreach is happening, whether the opportunity fits and when a transition becomes operationally workable.
Abdel also raises the possibility of reporting lag around sponsorship transfers. He presents that as an explanation to consider, not a verified account of every record. Together, the examples show why a start-date report is an incomplete measure of the work that created a relationship.
A delayed start need not mean the earlier conversations failed. Equally, an encouraging conversation is not a completed hire. Keeping those distinctions visible helps managers follow up thoughtfully without counting interest as a commitment.
The midyear assessment: turn ambition into a process
Abdel describes reviewing the first six months of activity through credit, clients and conversations. His example contrasts an originator’s stated income ambition with limited year-to-date earnings and a thin prospective pipeline. The purpose is to ask where future business will come from, rather than assume a goal will produce its own momentum.
He also describes candid team-fit conversations after that review. These are management anecdotes about his experience, not judgments about named individuals or evidence that one production threshold defines a good employee. The relevant question is whether expectations, behaviors and support align.
Eric then removes the income target from the center of the discussion and asks about the process behind it. If an originator has only a few referral partners and a limited past-customer base, increasing opportunity requires relationship development. Nobody would reasonably tell that originator to stop meeting partners until November simply because it is summer.
The same reasoning applies to hiring. A leader seeking a stronger team needs a repeatable way to identify potential fit and build trust. Waiting for a preferred conversion month leaves less time to understand whether the relationship should progress at all.
The Friday networking example exposes the inconsistency
Abdel describes attending a Friday business networking meeting at seven in the morning, roughly forty-five minutes from home. He calls it business development: showing up consistently to build relationships with other professionals.
Eric interrupts to highlight the language. Abdel does not stop those meetings in summer, yet leaders sometimes treat recruiting as a separate seasonal activity. Eric sees the underlying motion as similar: identify relevant people, understand their needs, demonstrate value and earn another conversation.
The outcomes differ. An agent relationship may lead to the first loan closed together; an originator relationship may lead to joining a company. Neither outcome can be scheduled merely by choosing a month. This is the episode’s strongest reason to replace seasonal thinking with a dependable relationship-building habit.
Test the recruiting promise through an operational conversation
One detailed example concerns Abdel’s third conversation with an originator whose priorities were operations and systems. The originator described spending time pursuing borrower documents. Abdel explained his preference for an operational support structure that lets the originator concentrate on revenue-generating work, with personal nudges when support staff need help.
This is a description of Abdel’s operating philosophy, not a guarantee that every document request disappears or that every team assigns responsibilities identically. Its value is specificity. “We have great support” is difficult to evaluate; “who requests the bank statements, who follows up and when does the originator step in?” can be demonstrated.
Abdel recommends exposing a prospective teammate to the departments most important to that person during the conversation process. Someone focused on operations should meet the people who handle operations. Someone seeking better systems should see how those systems support a real task.
As a suggested evaluation, ask the prospective team to walk through one ordinary handoff and one stalled-file escalation. Compare the demonstration with your current frustration. A change is more meaningful when it addresses an identified constraint rather than simply sounding different.
A narrower list can create a better opening
Abdel contrasts broad calling with more focused research in the Model Match interface discussed in this July episode. In his real estate agent example, he initially considered production volume and units, then explored buyer-side activity and available contact channels. Those additional distinctions helped him narrow a large prospect pool and prepare more purposeful conversations.
These are the capabilities described at the time, not a statement about later product versions. Nor does an agent’s production profile establish personal compatibility. Research supplies context; a conversation still has to establish needs, working style and mutual interest.
Abdel’s broader point is that indiscriminate outreach can overlook relevance. A listing-focused agent may need a different opening from a buyer-focused agent. Likewise, an originator asking for operational help deserves a different discussion from someone primarily looking for coaching.
Use business-relevant criteria to prepare a useful question, not to presume you know the person. The goal is a smaller set of better-informed conversations, followed by enough listening to discover whether your initial assumptions were right.
Respect transition timing without disappearing
The hosts acknowledge a legitimate constraint: someone may have active files and prefer not to move immediately. Eric distinguishes that individual timing issue from a rule that nobody should begin recruiting conversations during busy months.
Abdel emphasizes remaining top of mind because motivation and circumstances evolve. The constructive application is agreed, relevant follow-up—not treating every difficult day at another company as proof that a person should leave. Ask what remains unresolved, what information would help and when another conversation would be useful.
For New Jersey originators serving places such as Toms River and Eatontown, this means evaluating a career opportunity alongside current borrower and referral-partner responsibilities. A manager can discuss support and team fit now while allowing room for a considered transition plan. No county-specific hiring season is needed to make that conversation worthwhile.
A suggested checklist for year-round recruiting
- Define the need. Identify the business problem a new teammate would help solve.
- Choose relevant prospects. Use business focus and stated needs to prepare, then verify fit in conversation.
- Track separate stages. Record outreach, exploration, decisions and starts without merging them.
- Demonstrate support. Introduce the people responsible for the candidate’s priority workflow.
- Discuss timing directly. Ask about existing commitments without assuming an immediate move.
- Agree on follow-up. Make the next conversation useful and specific.
- Review the evidence. Check what your reporting measures before calling a month successful or inactive.
Professionals exploring team fit can begin with the Got Mortgages careers page. The practical question is not simply when to move; it is what should improve, how that improvement would work and whether both sides have enough information to proceed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main recruiting myth in this episode?
It is the belief that relationship-building should wait for a recruiting season. Eric distinguishes continuous business development from the date someone ultimately joins a company.
What does the “January lie” refer to?
Eric argues that a January spike in the example includes administrative renewals, not just employer changes. His point is to understand the records before interpreting them as recruiting decisions.
Does the episode prove which month is best for hiring?
No. The hosts discuss a limited snapshot and their experiences. Their actionable conclusion is to avoid using a calendar assumption as a reason to suspend outreach.
Why does Abdel conduct a midyear assessment?
He uses activity and results to discuss the gap between ambitions and the business being developed. That creates an opportunity to address process and fit before another half-year passes.
How is recruiting similar to referral-partner development?
Both require relevant outreach, trust and demonstrated value. The conversion differs: a partner may send a first opportunity, while a prospective teammate may decide to join.
What should an originator ask about operational support?
Ask who requests documents, who follows up and how unresolved issues escalate. A demonstrated handoff reveals more than a general promise of strong support.
What does the episode say about Model Match?
Abdel describes using its then-discussed interface to refine prospect research beyond volume and units. Eric describes using Model Match information in the movement examples discussed on screen.
Should a busy originator change companies immediately?
Not necessarily. The hosts recognize that active pipelines can affect timing. Starting an evaluation and choosing a transition date are separate decisions.
How can I contact Got Mortgages?
Call 973-536-0276 or visit GotMortgages.com. Use the Contact page for a conversation or Build My Mortgage Plan for mortgage planning.
Build the relationship before you need the start date
The episode’s central advice is to stop confusing the visible result with the work behind it. Make outreach relevant, show how support operates and let individual timing inform the next step rather than determine whether a conversation can begin.
To talk with PRMG Got Mortgages, call 973-536-0276, visit GotMortgages.com, contact the team or build your mortgage plan.
Explore more Mortgage Intel and Abdel Khawatmi’s profile. Explore more conversations at the Got Mortgages Podcast website.
Author: Abdel Khawatmi with PRMG Got Mortgages | 973-536-0276
This article is general mortgage information only. It is not a commitment to lend, a rate quote, or legal or tax advice. Loan approval, terms and pricing depend on a full application, credit review and property details, and market conditions change. Talk with a licensed loan officer and your own legal or tax professional about your situation. NMLS #1712023 | PRMG NMLS #75243.