3 Tips for Brokers That 'Inspire to Hire' Pt. 1

An oft-overlooked aspect of the real estate brokerage is the new agent hiring process. While not so much different from any other business’ hiring process, there are several nuances that brokers must take into account when screening the new blood. The important thing to remember is that you, the broker, are a different type of boss than what one would encounter in, say, an In-N-Out burger. True, the questions asked and best practices followed during an interview may not be too terribly different between the RE Broker and Burger Bob, but the role played by both parties couldn’t be more dissimilar.

Real estate agents by nature are independent. This trait is what attracted most of them to the biz in the first place; sort of the same inherent longing for the unknown that drove most trappers West in the 1800s. They (agents) thrive on their own, take pleasure in their Lone Ranger status, even revel in the solitude provided by their home office. For these reasons, brokers need to be less of a hand-holding, micro-managing boss and more of an always-available mentor. Micro-managing, nitpicky brokers are a turn-off to independent, self-empowering, and self-critical agents; and practicing these sorts of management techniques will only help to hurt your brokerage.

So what, then, truly helps your brokerage? How does one go about becoming ‘all the broker they can be’? First off, it’s all about the hiring process. Knowing who, how, and when to recruit new bodies into the fold is a lengthy process that should most definitely be handled by more than one set of hands, regardless of who makes the final decision. Of course, the first step in the agent hiring process is to identify Who You Want to Recruit.

This usually means deciding whether to set your crosshairs on either wet-eared greenhorns or battle-hardened mountain men. But I say, why not both? Is there a downside to having a healthy mix (experience-wise) of agents on your team? Those that have outrun tribes of angry natives a time or two will be better equipped to teach the new breed how to hunt, and in return will be schooled in modern technology by the younger generation. Hmmm, perhaps the frontier analogy ‘galloped’ away from me there. Kinda like how a ravenous pack of bloodthirsty wolves runs off a herd of buffalo…

Anyway...try to avoid the tell-tale signs of a sub-par agent. Experienced brokers know that splits and benefits don’t attract experienced agents; your value offering takes care of that. With this in mind, beware of young bloods that step up the plate and instantly start asking about pay, commission-splits, desk fees, benefits, vacation time, etc. Sure, these things are all integral to the hiring process, but they can also be broached at a better time than the initial interview. When an agent leads with these sorts of questions, it is pretty apparent that they are money-grubbing and probably not so much interested in the well-being of your company beyond its ability to output a paycheck on a set schedule. YOU DON’T NEED THIS KIND OF AGENT! Remember, you don’t have to ‘buy’ prospects when your value offering blows their socks off.

Which brings me to step number deux: How To Recruit. Headhunters will hold firm that advertising in the existing job-search mediums will net you nothing more than run-of-the-mill, unethical, and lazy agents who are going to produce about as much value as a hole-less strainer. In case some of you have as much trouble with on-the-fly math as I do, that would be a big ZERO. They maintain that the only way to populate your brokerage with valuable bodies is to retain a personnel ‘headhunter’. This is like me telling you the only way to sell a property is to use Realty Connect. Good for me, yes, but a falsehood nonetheless. 4 ways to recruit agents: Monster.com, Word-of-mouth, advertising, and trade show presence. There are countless job-search sites on the net, and a select few have risen above the rest to provide the bestest job search information; I would advise using one of the top dogs to ensure your not wasting your time. Experts have suggested setting apart a section of your website for ‘Help Wanted’ ads. This is definitely an option, and also something that could be implemented in any sort of periodical produced by your office. As far as trade shows are concerned, it’s no mystery that the ‘who’s who’ of the industry can be spotted at the popular conferences like Inman Connect and NAR’s Mid-Year. But among the real estate bigwigs are thousands of individual agents looking to break the mold and hop on the innovation train. They are in attendance because they don’t mind making that extra effort. You know, then, that they are susceptible to recruitment because you know that they are looking for that next big ‘thing’ that will work wonders for their career. That ‘thing’ could be your brokerage.

Unfortunately, getting your name in front of the eyes of a new agent is only half the battle. Once they know of your office, they are going to seek out some sort of job description or requirement. True, the role of real estate agent does not vary too drastically, but every office has its tics, its unique requirements and its interesting rules. The job description should be transcribed in great detail and presented to a prospect as they are deemed interview-worthy. This document should contain a bullet-point rundown of ALL relevant office characteristics including fees, requirements, dues, benefits, parking procedures, coat-rack policies, and everything from the coffee maker best practices to which duties can be passed off onto the receptionist. While it may seem like a lot of unnecessary work during the hiring procedure to put together these materials, it will aid you in achieving a sort of continuity throughout the process. Continuity and standardization are key to ensuring that agents are hired on a completely objective basis.

More on the ‘Art of the Interview’ when we re-convene next week…