Who is Erica Lim?
Originally from Malaysia, I immigrated to Perth at the age of 14 with my family, and Perth has been home since then. After graduating from Lynwood Senior High School, I commenced a Bachelor of Commerce at UWA and then began working in the mortgage industry. I’ve built my career over the past 5 years and it has certainly been a steep learning curve. But in saying this, it has also been incredibly rewarding to be a young female broker in this male-dominated industry. The future is filled with so many unknowns in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic so each day brings new challenges as lending policies are constantly changing, and the property market has been constantly evolving. When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with friends and families. My Dad has just recently retired and purchased a campervan, so as a family we have loved embarking on road trips and going camping! Our next trip will be to Exmouth, and I am super excited about swimming with those beautiful whale sharks!
What is your passion?
I am a finance and mortgage broker, and I am truly passionate about my daily work as I help my clients achieve their homeownership and financial goals. I love how my career allows me to engage with people from all walks of life and help them make sound financial decisions to maximise their opportunities. I really look forward to the day where banking workspace goes 100% digital, and I'll be able to travel the world and work from wherever I want!
What is the most interesting part of you career?
I have worked in the mortgage industry for almost five years now, and I have assisted many clients with some huge life decisions. Some of my daily achievements include helping my clients purchase their first home, upgrade to a bigger home, build their investment portfolio, downsize due to retirement and restructure their finances due to separation or divorces. I acted as my client’s personal and trusted mortgage advisor through all these transactions and I feel as though I have simultaneously experienced the wide array of emotions that accompany such huge life decisions alongside my clients., I always take pride in having my clients entrust me with their finances and confidential life details. Over the years, many of my clients have become great friends, and I am grateful to have them in my circle.
Reflecting on your UWA experiences, what aspects were the most important for your professional development?
I graduated from UWA with a Bachelor of Commerce with a double major in Business Law and Marketing. I later returned to UWA to study full-time Master in Translation Studies in Chinese and English) while still working in the mortgage world part-time. My background knowledge of Business Law has been so valuable in my current line of work particularly during the times when the mortgage industry was heavily scrutinised and regulated. UWA has also helped build my career network as most of my university friends have now graduated and have successful careers in various fields such as legal, engineering, accounting, and real estate.
How has your UWA degree helped you in the work you do now?
I operate as a self-employed sole trader mortgage broker. Unlike a salaried career, I have to find my clients and build and manage my own business. Having a Marketing degree certainly helps me to better understand my target market. Aside from my undergrad degree in business, my Master in Translation Studies has also been useful in helping me communicate more effectively with clients in broader markets in both Mandarin and Cantonese. This degree has been instrumental in allowing me to expand my clientele to broader demographics and opportunities.