How to win awards - putting yourself forward

Winning an award, or just being nominated or short-listed for one, is a terrific way to promote yourself or your business. It can be a powerful way to boost your professional profile, gain recognition for your hard work, open doors to new opportunities, or generate leads for your business. An award is strong social proof to those viewing your personal or business profile that you are good at what you do.

However, for many people in the UK mortgage market, the idea of putting themselves forward for an award can feel daunting. Cultural norms around modesty, humility, and self-promotion can make this even more challenging, especially if you are from a background where talking about your achievements is not the norm.

This guide will walk you through the process of self-nominating for awards (putting yourself forward for an award), offering practical tips and strategies to help you feel more confident about highlighting your successes. We have also included a handy guide to applying for awards, kindly provided by The Yardstick Agency.

Why Self-Nominate?

Before diving into the how, it is important to understand why self-nomination is not only acceptable but necessary, because it is unlikely someone else will nominate you or your business for you.

Recognition for Your Hard Work: The UK mortgage industry is competitive, and recognition through awards can set you apart from your peers. Self-nominating ensures that your hard work does not go unnoticed. It is a way to highlight your contributions to your company, your clients, and the industry at large.
Career Advancement: Winning or even being shortlisted for an award can significantly enhance your, or your businesses, professional reputation. It can lead to new opportunities, including promotions, speaking engagements, new prospective clients, and the chance to expand your network.
Encouraging Others: By nominating yourself, you can inspire others within your organisation or community to recognise and celebrate their achievements. This is especially important in industries like the mortgage market, where underrepresentation can be an issue. You can do a lot of good by putting yourself or your business forward for an award, you are being seen by others who you may inspire.

Overcoming cultural barriers

For many, particularly those from cultures where modesty is highly valued, self-nomination can feel uncomfortable or even inappropriate. However, there are ways to navigate these cultural challenges without compromising your values.

Recognition for Your Hard Work: The UK mortgage industry is competitive, and recognition through awards can set you apart from your peers. Self-nominating ensures that your hard work does not go unnoticed. It is a way to highlight your contributions to your company, your clients, and the industry at large.
Career Advancement: Winning or even being shortlisted for an award can significantly enhance your, or your businesses, professional reputation. It can lead to new opportunities, including promotions, speaking engagements, new prospective clients, and the chance to expand your network.
Encouraging Others: By nominating yourself, you can inspire others within your organisation or community to recognise and celebrate their achievements. This is especially important in industries like the mortgage market, where underrepresentation can be an issue. You can do a lot of good by putting yourself or your business forward for an award, you are being seen by others who you may inspire.

Choosing the right award

Before diving into the how, it is important to understand why self-nomination is not only acceptable but necessary, because it is unlikely someone else will nominate you or your business for you.

Research the available rewards: Start by researching awards that are relevant to your role and achievements. Look into industry-specific awards, such as the Mortgage Strategy Awards, British Mortgage Awards, or Financial Reporter Awards. Each award has distinct categories, so find one that aligns with your strengths—whether it is innovation, customer service, or leadership. Do not forget to look at all the potential facets of your business; you maybe a mortgage broker but could you look at protection awards, or a marketing award, or maybe a business leadership award?
Consider local and regional awards: Do not overlook local or regional awards. These can be less competitive than national awards and offer a great starting point. Regional recognition can still have a significant impact on your career and might lead to more substantial opportunities down the line.
Review the criteria: Carefully review the eligibility criteria and judging process for each award. Make sure you meet the requirements and understand what the judges are looking for. Tailoring your nomination to these criteria will increase your chances of success. Judges must look at lots of entries, so you will be given short shrift if you have failed to adhere to the criteria set. If there is a maximum word count, stick to it and do not go over.

Crafting your nomination

Once you have chosen an award, the next step is to craft a compelling nomination. This involves clearly articulating your achievements and demonstrating why you deserve to win.

Highlight your achievements: Your nomination should clearly outline your key achievements. Use specific examples to illustrate your successes—whether it is closing a significant deal, implementing an innovative process, or delivering exceptional customer service. Always quantify your achievements where possible. For example, “Increased mortgage completions by 20% over the last year” is more impactful than a vague statement. Concentrate on what you have done, not what you will do: anyone can say they will increase sales by 25%, the judges want to see quantifiable statements of fact, not future promises.
Tell your story: Beyond listing your accomplishments, tell the story of your career. What challenges have you overcome? How have you grown in your role? How have your efforts benefited your clients, your company, or the industry? A compelling narrative can make your nomination stand out to the judges, but balance this with the hard facts of your achievements and do not let your narrative take over the available space or maximum word count.
Be honest and humble: While it is important to display your achievements, be honest and humble in your approach. Avoid exaggeration and be truthful about your contributions. Authenticity resonates well with judges and can set you apart from other nominees. If a judge can fact-check your claims and show you have not been honest in your entry, you will have torpedoed your chances.
Include supporting materials: If the award allows, include supporting materials such as testimonials, case studies, or examples of your work. This evidence can strengthen your nomination and provide judges with concrete proof of your achievements, but make sure that it is relevant to the entry and supports your statements, judges will not thank you for adding lots of irrelevant supporting material that they have to go through.

The submission process

Submitting your nomination is a critical step, and it is essential to get it right.

Follow instructions carefully: Ensure you follow the submission guidelines to the letter. This includes word limits, format requirements, and deadlines. A well-crafted nomination can be undermined by a simple mistake like exceeding the word count or missing the deadline.
Proofread and edit: Before submitting, carefully proofread your nomination. Errors can detract from the professionalism of your submission. Consider asking a colleague or mentor to review it as well—they might catch mistakes you missed or suggest improvements. You can also ask Word to “Read Aloud” your entry, you notice a mistake when listening that you have missed when reading the text.
Submit early: Do not wait until the last minute to submit your nomination. Early submission gives you time to address any issues that might arise and shows that you are organised and prepared.

What happens next?

Once your nomination has been submitted, there are a few things you can do to maximise the benefits of the process, regardless of the outcome.

Share your nomination: If appropriate, share the news of your nomination with your network. This can be a fantastic way to gain recognition, even if you do not win. It also shows that you are proactive and proud of your work.
Prepare for the outcome: Whether you win or not, be ready to respond. If you are shortlisted or win, celebrate the achievement and use it to further your career; just being short-listed for an award is a big achievement, make sure you maximise the benefit it can give you. If you do not ultimately win, take it as a learning experience, it may take a few entries before you see some success. Consider seeking feedback if possible and use it to improve future nominations.
Stay involved: Continue to engage with the awards community. Attend ceremonies, network with other nominees, and keep an eye out for future opportunities. Building relationships in this way can be just as valuable as winning the award itself, Awards are a great networking opportunity whether you are short listed for an award or not.

Self-nominating for awards in the UK mortgage market is not just about seeking recognition—it is about taking control of your career narrative and opening new opportunities for you and for your business. While cultural norms around modesty and self-promotion can make this challenging, it’s important to remember that sharing your successes is a way to highlight the impact you’ve made in your field, which is good for you, good for your business and potentially could inspire others to follow in your footsteps. Download the guide to applying for awards below to help you on your way.