5 Tips for Assessing a Real Estate Agent’s Personality
Go Back To Previous PageThe personality of a real estate agent is critical. What are the key character traits of real estate agents? When recruiting real estate agents, it can be argued that soft skills are more important than technical skills. After all, it’s easier to teach someone how
to use a piece of software than to expect them to change their character overnight. This presents a problem since soft skills aren’t measurable through tests. Assessing the character and personality of real estate agents is easier when hiring new agents with Brokerkit. Not only does this software in the real estate industry come with various functions, including email automation and CRM features, but it also gives you access to tools like Wizehire. This online recruiting service provides interview guidance, among many other resources, and helps analyze Real Estate agents’ character.
There are as many personality types as there are agents. Speaking of interview guidance, here are some ways you can gauge a person’s character during an interview and determine if they’re a good fit for your brokerage:
Character traits of a real estate agent: Watch Out for Formulaic Answers
During interviews for a career in real estate, there’s only one goal in every job applicant’s mind: they must impress the interviewer to land a job. Thus, you can
expect them to come prepared for interview questions. Those that go the extra mile might even have practiced in front of a mirror. They have also likely visited a website for tips on handling commonly asked questions during job interviews.
It’s essential to watch out for these “canned” responses that sound too generic. Ask them to elaborate on their answers; for example, ask how they would use their so-called “greatest strength” outside of work. If they have difficulty providing a solution, they may be overselling their skills (or they don’t possess them).
See How They Respond to Stress to Discover Real Estate Agent’s Character.
Being an agent dealing with real estate transactions can be stressful. From scheduling multiple client meetings and house showings to dealing with demanding clients, it’s safe to say that being a real estate agent isn’t for the faint of heart. Thus, knowing whether a candidate can handle the stress and perform under pressure is good.
Ask the candidate to give an example of a stressful situation and how they dealt with it. As with the above example, watch out for
any formulaic response. Ask them for concrete examples if they say they thrive in a stressful situation. They’ll likely focus on their success, so pay attention to how they describe the “stressful situation.”
You can also make some unexpected changes in the interview. For example, tell them you’ll interview them in a hotel lobby instead of the usual office meeting. Or, if your office has a conference room with glass walls, try holding the interview there. See if they feel comfortable there and how they react.
It provides enough privacy but creates a unique situation where the interviewee is exposed. How they handle it can indicate how they will deal with stress later.
Let Them Rate Themselves and Others
“On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your performance in your previous job?” The play-safe answer here ranges from 6 to 7 or maybe an 8. A candidate wants to impress, but giving themselves a ten would mean you’ll expect quite a lot from them. A low score, on the other hand, can put their hiring chances at risk.
Top real estate agents and professionals would likely give themselves a high rating based on specific skills. They can play up their strengths and admit they still have room to grow without sounding self-deprecating.
Another good test is asking them to describe another co-worker they think is better than them. Here, you’re looking at someone’s capability to see other people’s best qualities. In addition, a candidate’s answer can show their level of self-awareness, and this can be a good measure of their willingness to grow.
Ask Them About Their Hobbies
It’s good if a person works hard, but it’s another story if working is all they do. Being a workaholic doesn’t automatically mean being the best. Ask about a person’s hobby sometime during the interview. Their leisure activities reveal much more about their personality traits than expected; they may even have valuable skills at work and for their hobbies.
For example, a person who’s into knitting or crocheting can be patient and pays careful attention to detail. Meanwhile, someone who hosts tabletop gaming sessions is likely a good speaker and can think quickly on their feet.
Be Open-Minded and Patient to find out about Real Estate agents’ character.
Do note that interviews, mainly those geared towards personality and character, are about finding someone who can fit OR add to the company culture. It’s not always about finding the perfect match; sometimes, it’s also about finding someone who brings something new and refreshing.
It would help if you remembered that not everyone is good at interviews, even those who have been in the industry for a long time. Take the time to establish rapport to get the candidate to open up. By exhibiting patience, you’ll better gauge the person’s character at the end of the interview.
The saying goes, “Hire for attitude, train for skill.” Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should disregard skill requirements. Instead, you should find a real estate agent with solid skills, high ethical standards, strong drive, and great character.
They can be the best additions to your growing brokerage and real estate business. Lastly, the personality of real estate agents is critical. Good news: successful real estate agents have a high work ethic that helps sell homes or deal with potential buyers and sellers.
Georges has been working in Wall Street for the last 16 years trading derivatives with hedge funds. He has been an active real estate investor for over a decade. Georges graduated from HEC Business School in Paris and holds a master in Finance from ESADE Barcelona.
