Where to Find Candidates for Real Estate Teams

Real estate agents typically need help when they are at their busiest, so the idea of initiating a laborious search for a talented hire while drowning in existing business can seem overwhelming. A lot of the frustration associated with identifying qualified candidates can be avoided by looking to these key sources and utilizing the scripts and job advertisements provided. The key to finding top talent for real estate teams is to patiently reach out to people you do not yet know to form a pool of potential candidates. Otherwise, agents tend to justify hastily hiring a friend or relative because they urgently need help now. Top agents know that a good hire comes from a thorough job search, and the following are the best places to start.

1. REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY AFFILIATES & VENDORS

Reaching out and talking to the most influential title representatives, mortgage lenders, home inspectors, home warranty vendors, and other industry affiliates is a very effective means of locating qualified individuals currently looking to make a change. The most successful affiliates know almost everyone in the industry and keep in continuous contact with them. A great telephone script for leaders of real estate teams to use to contact these allied resources is as follows:

“Hi (affiliate name), this is John Smith with ABC Realty. I’m calling because I could use your help with my business. I’ve been getting increasingly busy and I’m now looking to take my business to the next level by expanding and adding a new member to my team. I know that you are continuously in contact with members of our industry, so I thought you might know of some great candidates. I’m looking for someone to (provide brief job description). Do you know anyone who fits this description that I should talk to? Is there anyone else that I should contact that might be a good source of identifying other candidates? Would you mind keeping a look out in the future for me?”

2. SOCIAL MEDIA

An increasing number of top real estate teams are using social media networks like Facebook to quickly reach out to a wide range of people to inquire if they know of anyone looking for employment. This also happens to be a great way to let others know that you have been successful in growing your business to the point you need additional help. An effective “help wanted” post might look like this:

“I’m excited to say that my business is expanding and I need your help to find the perfect real estate administrative assistant to help me increase the services that I can provide to my clients! I’m looking for an organized person with computer skills that would love to communicate with clients in a positive fashion and grow into a leader. Please message me if you know anyone that might fit this description. Thank you!”

3. REAL ESTATE SCHOOLS

Placing advertisements and flyers at real estate schools is a great way to find individuals looking for jobs that provide mentoring before they develop any bad real estate habits. Developing a relationship with the owner or manager of a school is also a great way to develop a mutually beneficial relationship to refer people in each other’s direction.

4. CAREER WEBSITES

Search online for employment websites that service your local area and post your job description on them. Search for these sites by using key words like: job search, career opportunities, employment listings, job postings, etc. Understand that you will likely receive a large number of inquiries from sites like Craig’s List, so it is advisable to screen the responses by sending them an inexpensive behavioral assessment, asking for a resume or sending them an initial questionnaire to complete.

5. REAL ESTATE TEAMS, AGENTS and OFFICE STAFF

Often times other members of real estate teams, agents or office staff with good reputations in your own area are looking for growth opportunities, job stability or a steady form of income. Newer agents are also frequently attracted by the mentoring that a successful and experienced agent provides. Plus, these individuals have already witnessed the relatively low percentage of agents that succeed and are more likely to align with those that have established themselves as industry leaders.