3 Basic Ways to Recruit Real Estate Agents

dotloop

October 23, 2017 | comments

An opportunity for brokers and team leaders to double down on recruiting

Take a new look at your team and assess their strengths and weaknesses. If it’s time to add additional talent, what are the skill sets and characteristics you’re looking for and where will you find these people?

Expanding your brokerage or team can provide a much-needed chance to breathe and the redistribution of responsibilities. And recruiting agents doesn’t have to be difficult and overwhelming. It’s something that should be approached more like a marathon than a sprint.

Here are three simple tips to help real estate leaders tackle recruitment this year.
 

1. Build your pipeline

 
If you take the time to build a pipeline before you need to hire, you’re setting yourself up for an easier recruitment process when the time comes. This is something that can be done on an ongoing basis, without much time investment. As simple as it sounds, your next hire might already be in your inbox.

Throughout the year, keep a file of potential real estate agents that have reached out to you and referrals from current employees or former colleagues. Once you sift through those emails, reconnecting can be as easy as inviting them for coffee to discuss their interests. The meeting should give you a feel for whether they might be a good fit for your brokerage or if there could be an opportunity to work together in the future.

If it is new, budding talent you seek, career fairs are an excellent place to identify eager and energetic interns or entry-level employees to round out your team.

2. Reconnect with colleagues

 
Real estate agents often keep an eye out for opportunities that pique their interest during the off-season, so it’s a great time to reach out to former colleagues to see what they’re up to and where they stand with their current position. A message on LinkedIn can go a long way. After all, it’s more likely for a colleague to answer a note from someone they know than an anonymous recruiter.

Again, remember that the recruitment process is a marathon. If one connection doesn’t produce an instant result, that doesn’t mean it was wasted effort. These meetings can strengthen relationships and keep you top of mind for a future opportunity.

3. Invest in recruiting tools

 
Recruiting agents requires time. For busy professionals, Glassdoor, Monster or Careerbuilder offer easy-to-use recruitment tools that will help identify new talent for you. Some tools can even manage the entire process, from helping you source candidates and bring them in for interviews, all the way through the end of the hiring process.

LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram also provide advertising opportunities to connect you with potential recruits. Ads can be strategically placed to target certain characteristics or demographics.

Whether you’re looking to hire now, or down the road, it’s important to ensure you’re prepared for business growth. By making agent recruting an ongoing process, you will be able to quickly ramp up with new agents when the busy season starts.