Interview

Interviewing Real Estate Recruits - Who's Interviewing Who?

by Steven Morris

Interviewing real estate agent recruits is an important part of the recruiting process that is overlooked by many brokers and managers. Many times brokers or managers act as if they're the ones being interviewed rather than being the interviewer. The interview process is important in your selection to be certain that the real estate agent is a good fit for your company culture.

As the story goes, a broker had a potential recruit tell him that they had reviewed all of the company information and decided that it was the broker’s company they wanted to work for. While his personality seemed to fit the broker’s company well during the interview, the broker felt that the agent wasn't telling him enough about the agent's personally. So to find out more about the way the agent thought the broker asked a very common question. “If you had the opportunity to have a conversation with someone in history either dead or alive who would it be? The agent thought the question over briefly and then quickly answered, "The living one, who would you pick?” Funny answer? Yes. Stupid answer? On the contrary. The broker hired the agent on the spot. Why? The answer demonstrates to me that the agent could listen to what was being asked and said and then deliver something different from reading between the lines. It shows me that he had the ability to listen. Most people, when asked a question about themselves, will go on at great length about their opinions and feelings. A good salesperson will listen closely, answer the question quickly, precisely, and immediately ask a question themselves. That is true sales. That is sales leadership. That is closing.

Too many times real estate brokers and managers spend their interview time selling their company rather than interviewing the real estate agent. Obviously if you are interested in hiring the real estate agent there must be some salesmanship involved on your part. But like any closing situation, that should be in the form of asking questions and listening to the answer. Then you can make decisions to lead the questions in the conversation in the direction that you would wish. This is what the broker's recruit did in that interview.

One of the important tools that you need in recruiting is an extensive list of interview he questions. I personally provide all of my broker/owner and sales manager clients with a list of 100 interview questions just to start with. During the interview process you don't need to ask 100 questions. Your arsenal of questions should be varied and numerous so that you have the appropriate question to ask depending on the recruit’s answer to your previous question. It is important for you to have a very detailed idea of who the agent is. In recruiting, selection is a very important aspect. A bad hire into your culture and can do more damage to it and your profitability than no hire at all. A bad decision in your hiring diminishes your leadership image to your existing sales staff. While I believe that you should recruit as many real estate agents as possible I also recommend that you only hire the agents that you are certain are good fit to your company. There are many brokers and sales managers that have the "body shop" mentality. The more agents I hire the more money I make. This is true in its simplicity however, hiring unproductive agents or productive agents whose personality does not fit your culture is a big mistake.

You must question them about the things that make a successful real estate person such as, their work ethic, the perception of rejection, their general loyalty, their motivation towards customer service, their reasons for wanting success and a number of others.

Take the time to be thorough. Interview the personality as well as the person. Remember, you don't need to hire every agent you try to recruit and that you are the interviewer not the interviewee.

To help solve problems like these and to gain more knowledge of growing your real estate company in recruiting, agent production and retention consider purchasing Steven’s CD sets and having him personally work with you.

Steven Morris is a real estate broker, sales management consultant and coach with 30 years of experience and can be reached at 888-326-3949 or SMorris@MorrisWilliams.net