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Underwriting Associate - Commercial Real Estate

Fifth Third Bank · Chicago, IL · Full time

Posted Sep 2, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about an underwriting memo you wrote. What did the credit committee focus on?

What they are checking: Whether they have real experience presenting risk and learned from tough questions.

Tell me about a time you worked on a team on a tight deadline. What was your role?

What they are checking: Whether they contribute reliably on fast-moving deal teams.

What would you do

On a diligence call, the sponsor gives vague answers about a big tenant's renewal. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they press politely for specifics and reflect the uncertainty in the underwriting.

The deal team wants to close fast and you've found an issue in the rent roll. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they raise problems early and hold the line on diligence under time pressure.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd underwrite a loan on a stabilized retail center.

What they are checking: Whether they consider tenant quality, lease rollover, NOI, DSCR, and market rents.

How would you build a projection model for a value-add multifamily deal and stress it?

What they are checking: Whether they can model renovation timing, rent growth, and exit cap rates realistically.

What terms in a credit agreement matter most to protect the bank on a CRE loan?

What they are checking: Whether they understand covenants, guaranties, cash management, and reporting requirements.

How do you evaluate a sponsor's track record and financial strength?

What they are checking: Whether they look at experience, liquidity, net worth, and contingent liabilities.

How do you research a property's local market when you're unfamiliar with the area?

What they are checking: Whether they have practical methods to verify market rents, vacancy, and supply.

What risks do you see in commercial real estate lending right now?

What they are checking: Whether they follow current market conditions and can reason about them.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Fifth Third Bank from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Fifth Third Bank.

Make banking a Fifth Third better® We connect great people to great opportunities. Are you ready to take the next step? Discover a career in banking at Fifth Third Bank. GENERAL FUNCTION: The ideal candidate will have a solid credit agreement and underwriting skills, and the ability to identify key credit risks. This position is client-facing, requiring the individual to assist in diligence calls in support of deal teams and support the negotiation of credit agreements. Responsible and accountable for risk by openly exchanging ideas and opinions, elevating concerns, and personally following policies and procedures as defined. Accountable for always doing the right thing for customers and colleagues and ensures that actions and behaviors drive a positive customer experience. While operating within the Bank ’ s risk appetite, achieves results by consistently identifying , assessing, managing, monitoring, and reporting risks of all types. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: • Perform detailed due diligence on companies, industries, management teams, and other relevant information. • Build detailed financial projection models to analyze capital structures, performance trends, and credit metrics. • Prepare succinct underwriting memorandums, including company and industry descriptions, key credit risks, historical analysis, base and downside case projection assumptions/rationale and terms and conditions. • Establish strong working partnerships and routines with key internal partners including other Underwriters, Debt Capital Markets, and Credit Risk, • Manage multiple transactions/projects • C ommunicate effectively with deal team members on status and prioritization under the direction of senior underwriters . • Demonstrate knowledge of relevant credit policies and procedures and accurately identify policy exceptions. • Excel in both team and self-directed settings. • Train and develop Credit Analysts, including r eview ing the i r work produ c t and offer ing feedback and coaching on credit memos and financial modeling. • Maintain thorough knowledge of credit policies, procedures, and terminology. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED: • Bachelor ’ s degree in Finance , Business Administration or a related field. • Minimum of 3 years of experience in CRE underwriting or credit . • Demonstrate solid credit agreement and underwriting skills. • Attention to detail and excellent verbal and written communication skills. • Analytical c apability, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. • Strong work ethic; comfortable working in a fast-paced environment. • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel; strong working knowledge of Word, Outlook, and related applications. Underwriting Associate - Commercial Real Estate Total Base Pay Range 82,100.00 - 172,500.00 USD Annual At Fifth Third, we understand the importance of recognizing our employees for the role they play in improving the lives of our customers, communities and each other. Our Total Rewards include comprehensive benefits and differentiated compensation offerings to give each employee the opportunity to be their best every day. The base salary for this position is reflective of the range of salary levels for all roles within this pay grade across the U.S. Individual salaries within this range will vary based on factors such as role, relevant skillset, relevant experience, education and geographic location. In addition to the base salary, this role is eligible to participate in an incentive compensation plan, with any such payment based upon company, line of business and/or individual performance. Our extensive benefits programs are designed to support the individual needs of our employees and their families, encompassing physical, financial, emotional and social well-being. You can learn more about those programs on our 53.com Careers page at: https://www.53.com/content/fifth-third/en/careers/benefits.html or by consulting with your talent acquisition partner. LOCATION -- Charlotte, North Carolina 28202 Attention search firms and staffing agencies: do not submit unsolicited resumes for this posting. Fifth Third does not accept resumes from any agency that does not have an active agreement with Fifth Third. Any unsolicited resumes – no matter how they are submitted – will be considered the property of Fifth Third and Fifth Third will not be responsible for any associated fee. Fifth Third Bank, National Association is proud to have an engaged and inclusive culture and to promote and ensure equal employment opportunity in all employment decisions regardless of race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, veteran status or any other legally protected status.

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