Recruitment is an all-too-important part of any business in any industry, but perhaps especially so for real estate. After all, without recruiters and hiring professionals, it would be difficult to find talented real estate agents who can close deal after deal and thus drive business growth. The real estate industry is also constantly changing, which means you need to be quick in snapping up the cream of the crop.
In short, real estate brokerages should be extra careful when hiring or working with recruiters. There’s a lot hanging in the balance, so you really have to find someone that can bring the best people on board. Here are some qualities that you should definitely include in your criteria when looking for real estate recruiters:
Confidence
Both the real estate industry and the practice of recruitment involve a lot of people-to-people interaction. Thus, you will need someone who’s confident enough in themselves so that they can flawlessly interact and network with candidates and other recruiters.
Aside from being confident in their own skills, a recruiter should also be a firm believer in the brokerage they’re working for. This way, they’ll have more confidence in boasting the benefits that they can offer to potential new hires.
Flexibility and Adaptability
As mentioned earlier, the real estate industry is constantly changing. This is largely influenced by the economy, but there are also several other factors at play. For example, there are now plenty of hiring technologies such as applicant tracking systems and CRM platforms like Brokerkit. A good real estate recruiter must be able to effectively use these technologies in order to do their job more efficiently.
A good real estate recruiter should also be able to adapt to any situation. Not all meetings or interviews can go smoothly, and quick thinking can help them manage all sorts of circumstances. They should also be able to modify their recruiting scripts on the fly when needed.
Foresight
A good recruiter should have a long-term, big-picture mindset. They shouldn’t be focusing too much on hiring agents as fast as possible, but rather hiring agents that can contribute to the brokerage’s growth. Real estate recruiters should be forward-thinking and have a clear vision of the future so that they can make the best hiring decisions.
Approachability
What you have to remember about recruitment is that it’s not a transactional relationship that ends when the candidate gets hired or rejected. Rather, it’s about nurturing connections. This means that a real estate recruiter should be someone likable and approachable. Candidates must not only be willing to talk to them because it’s necessary. Instead, candidates must feel that they can approach the recruiter whether or not they’re actively looking for a job (e.g., perhaps the person is looking to network).
With someone who can easily build good rapport, you can be confident that your brokerage is represented well. Moreover, you can be sure that you’ll always have a pool of qualified candidates whenever you need one.
Being a Good Listener
It’s true that real estate recruiters should be good talkers. After all, they’re trying to woo over agents and convince them that working for your brokerage is a wise career move. Still, good recruiters shouldn’t be all talk! They should also be willing to listen to a candidate’s concerns so that they can be addressed. What’s more, it’s actually easier to recruit talented real estate professionals if the recruiter knows exactly what the candidates need and want—and they can only know these details if they’re good listeners.
Honesty and Integrity
No company is perfect and a recruiter shouldn’t gloss over these imperfections. If the brokerage can’t match the expected compensation package of an applicant, a good recruiter will say so. They can then present something else that the company can offer, such as mentorship, technology, or even top-notch administrative support. Honesty saves everyone from disappointment and frustration.
Integrity is also crucial in real estate recruitment. No matter the candidate’s experience level or age, a good recruiter must behave consistently and maintain moral principles without any prejudice.
Patience
Last but certainly not least, a good recruiter should be patient. It can be challenging to find the best candidate for a job, especially in a highly competitive industry such as real estate. A good recruiter should be able to handle anything in a professional manner, especially in high-stakes situations.
Do note that there are times when you really have to be quick about recruitment. Still, all things considered, it’s a good idea to take some time to really talk to a candidate and evaluate if they’re really the best fit for the job. Patience, as they say, is a virtue and it’s a virtue that can guarantee great results. Better to hire someone a little later than expected than getting a bad hire and end up repeating the process, right?
Final Words
Remember that bad hires can cost a company more time, money, and effort. With a good recruiter in your ranks, you can ensure that you’ll only be hiring the best!
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