Hiring the right people is crucial to business success. However, recruitment can be a struggle for real estate agencies and brokerages. There are a lot of challenges that can get in the way of hiring the best people, particularly differentiation and agent discovery.

Nevertheless, recruiting top talent is not impossible. Here are a few tips to ensure that you hire the cream of the crop, who can then help you achieve your business goals:

Use the Right Technology

Modern recruitment has technology on its side. The key is to find the right applications to help you find and hire the right people. For real estate recruiters, one useful tool is Brokerkit. It’s a recruiting platform specially designed for real estate brokers, which keeps track of your leads and also manages your follow-ups. You can also use Brokerkit to coordinate with other recruiters and even on-board your new hires.

Some other software you might want to consider are CRM and transaction management apps. You should also pick an email campaign automation tool. Luckily, there are recruitment platforms that already incorporate these features.

Be As Detailed With the Job Description

As a real estate recruiter, you have to know what you want. This means going beyond the qualifications and qualities of the candidate. You also have to be as specific and detailed as you can in creating the job description. Communicate these responsibilities as clearly as you can in the job postings, as well as during the interviews.

Being specific can also help you with pre-screening candidates. If they feel that they can’t meet your requirements, then they won’t bother submitting their CVs in the first place. This makes your job easier, since there will be fewer but more high-quality applicants in the roster.

Don’t Base Everything on the CV Alone

One of the ways you can gauge the suitability of an applicant for a job is to check their CV. However, this shouldn’t be your only basis. There have been many instances when a candidate is good on paper but isn’t actually a great fit within the company.

When you get to the interview phase, make sure to ask questions about their personal and professional goals. If a candidate’s dream is to work for a big brokerage, then they might not be suited to a smaller, more tight-knit company. It’s also a good idea to check how much they know about the neighborhood. Real estate agents need to be knowledgeable about a specific area to be able to do their jobs well.

Finally, ask candidates about their hobbies and passions. You want someone who works hard but also has interests outside of the workplace.

Let Candidates Ask Questions

An interview is a form of conversation, and a conversation is a two-way street. Thus, you need to let the candidates speak up. Let them ask thoughtful questions throughout the interview. Good candidates will do so naturally as the interview progresses; if not, then give them an opening or directly encourage them to ask.

Pay careful attention to the questions that the candidates ask, since these can help you determine if both parties are aligned. Some things to look out for include their interest in the nuances of the position, as well as work expectations. A good candidate will also ask about the feedback process, learning opportunities, and specific goals.

Interview Somewhere Beyond the Desk

The usual scene of an interview is inside an office, with a desk separating you and the applicant. However, this can be a little restrictive in terms of gauging a potential hire’s behavior. Take them out of the office instead so you can get a better read on their personality.

The simplest way to do this is to have a walking tour of your brokerage. Show them around and introduce them to their colleagues-to-be. See if the candidate is curious and if they treat people with respect. If you want, you can also take the applicant to lunch or dinner. Dining in a restaurant can clue you in on how they will potentially interact with their supervisors, subordinates, and fellow agents.

Don’t Rush

One of the keys to hiring talented real estate professionals is to take your time. The more you rush it, the more likely it is that you’ll pick someone who isn’t a good fit. There may be times when the need is urgent and you feel that it’s necessary to hire someone as soon as possible. However, the opposite is true. You actually need to be more careful and patient if you have a high-priority post you need to fill.

Taking your time with the selection process is also a great way to show your current team that you care about them. By being more selective, you can impress upon your employees that you care about team dynamics and how well they will be meshing with their colleagues or even their future managers.

Hiring the right people for your brokerage requires a lot of instinct. However, you should also support your gut feel with objectiveness. Hopefully, these tips can help you make the right decisions. Good luck!