A real estate brokerage is only as good as its real estate agents. Thus, whether you’re an in-house or a third-party recruiter, you need to continuously improve your process to ensure that you can hire only the best people. The question is, how do you do it?
The most important thing is to evaluate. Once you get a good hold of what you currently have going, then you can make adjustments on how you recruit real estate agents and other members of your team. To get you started, here are some important questions to ask that can help fine-tune your recruiting process:
Do I Have the Right Tools?
Technology has changed the world for the better in various ways and that includes real estate recruitment. There are so many tools available that can help streamline and optimize the process; you’re missing out on a lot if you aren’t using them.
One key technological tool that can make a huge difference in the way you recruit is a CRM. Pick one that comes with a host of features such as campaign templates, email automation, and lead management. Another important consideration when choosing a CRM is data integration. This website can explain the finer points better, but the gist is that it will allow you to more effectively engage candidates.
Other tools that come in handy for real estate recruiting include accounting solutions, real estate document management software, and video marketing tools. All of these can help you handle the different facets of recruitment. Even better, real estate agents can also make use of these tools once they’re on-board.
Can I Meet the Needs of Agents?
Different real estate agents have different needs. For example, those who are new to the industry and only recently acquired their license may prefer a brokerage that can provide mentorship. Meanwhile, more seasoned agents may want a bigger compensation package or opportunity to further their careers. You should also consider that real estate agent, whether newbies or long-time ones, usually prefer companies that provide them with tools that can help them accomplish their jobs well.
In short, you need to consider how these needs can be met. If you can’t directly provide them, consider suitable alternatives. You should also develop real estate recruiting scripts that are customized to discuss the needs of candidates. Finally, be open to dialogue. Many agents are willing to compromise if you can’t provide exactly what they need.
Am I Sourcing the Right Way?
Sometimes, your recruitment process becomes encumbered by sourcing. This can be because you’re also taking on both the responsibilities of a source and a recruiter. For a smoother process, relegate the task of finding qualified candidates to sources. Then, you can focus more on evaluating the candidates and handling the end-to-end steps of hiring.
If you have a small recruitment team, however, having separate sources and recruiters may not be possible. In this case, make sure to have very clear definitions of both jobs and their processes. Be clear about the timelines as well.
As for looking for a good source of qualified candidates, consider looking at social media sites. You should also review the CVs of previous candidates and even consider internal promotions or lateral movements. Finally, real estate networking events are always a good source of candidates.
Am I Being Proactive?
Recruitment, particularly in real estate, is a non-stop activity. You should always be in an “always recruiting” mode to ensure that you always have a list of qualified agents. This way, in case one of your agents leaves (for any reason), you won’t be left short-handed for long. You also won’t be rushing the recruitment process, which helps minimize the risk of bad hires.
To help with proactive recruitment, focus on relationship building. Connect with candidates and real estate professionals, whether or not you’re actively looking for new hires. Let people know that your lines are open to encourage communication; better yet, initiate the communication from time to time.
Do I Have a Strong, Organized Digital Presence?
While you’re looking for qualified candidates, real estate agents are also actively looking for opportunities. As such, you need to ensure that your name appears when applicants start typing their queries online. This won’t happen if you haven’t organized and optimized your online presence.
The first thing you have to do is to ensure that your website is well-built. It should be optimized for search engines so that your website always appears in relevant searches. You should also create quality content for your audience, including blogs and even videos. Finally, make sure that your website is also easy to use and navigate to ensure a hassle-free experience.
In terms of social media, curation is the key. Establish which platform serves what purpose and create content based on that purpose. Consider launching social media ads as well, but only after careful planning since social media ads involve a lot of trial and error.
By answering these questions, you can devise a new real estate agent recruitment plan or fine-tune your existing one. Ultimately, it will result in a better process as well as better results.
