Proving there’s power in longevity, for more than 30 years Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans has worked to provide affordable mortgages as one of the largest mortgage providers in the country. With award-winning services that have helped thousands of home buyers and seasoned sellers alike, Rocket Mortgage remains a leader in the mortgage industry. 

Since joining the organization nearly five years ago, Rachel Tate has risen the ranks just by putting in the work, eventually earning a promotion as Team Leader of Engineering where she currently supervises a team of 25 individuals. 

A Detroit native, Tate took an unconventional journey into tech after initially earning a degree in Political Science. Taking a leap of faith, after shadowing other tech professionals, eventually, Tate was able to get her foot in the door. 

“I graduated from Michigan State in 2015 with a political science degree, so it had nothing to do with technology. I usually tell people that I got started in technology because I’m a nosy little sister. My brother was already on the technology team at Quicken Loans, and from there it was just me kind of falling down the rabbit hole of shadowing different leaders in technology” she says.

Figuring the worst they could tell her was no, after taking a leap of faith Tate was eventually hired at Quicken Loans where she hit the ground running as a business analyst before transitioning into other roles – a long road that Tate says requires “speaking life into yourself.” 

“I know a lot of us always face imposter syndrome when we’re in areas and environments that are often new to us, but if you find yourself in a place where you’re being challenged and doing something that you haven’t done before, you’re there for a reason,” she encourages. 

Motivated by her nontraditional journey, Tate volunteers as a mentor to high school girls through Prim & Prosper. It is her personal mission to ensure that black girls understand the diversity of career options that are available to them, including technology.  

Get to know Rachel Tate, her journey to Rocket Mortgage by Quicken Loans and more by watching this insightful interview here.