There’s one popular recruiting mantra that even the biggest companies in the world follow: hire for attitude, train for skill. This is an important consideration when it comes to recruiting real estate agents. After all, an agent’s attitude can mean the difference between a successful sale and a failed one. It can also be an indicator of how well a new hire will work with your current employees.
In short, a lot of things can depend on a real estate agent’s attitude. You should also remember that even the most difficult skills can be taught, but attitude isn’t something that’s so easily trained or developed.
The question now is this: how do you hire for attitude? The answer is simple: conduct an attitudinal assessment. You can do this through a tried and tested way of evaluating job applicants—an interview. To help you get started, here are some tips on how to conduct behavioral interviews to find the best real estate agents.
Use a Hiring Software
Nowadays, there are technological solutions for everything and that includes recruitment. Specifically, there are hiring solutions that incorporate behavioral science to help you assess each candidate. One of them is Wizehire, about which you can Learn More Here. This hiring platform uses an assessment system developed using the latest behavioral science research, allowing you to find the perfect fit both attitude- and skills-wise.
Hiring solutions can also help you develop and ask the right questions to find the ideal candidate. They also incorporate features that assist you in creating optimized job ads and even customized compensation packages.
Use the STAR Model in Making Questions
It can be a little tricky to write behavioral questions that don’t sound corny or too scripted. Luckily, there are guides that help address this concern. The most popular approach is called the STAR model. STAR stands for situation, task, action, and results. Essentially, this model allows you to discover more about a candidate through the way they handled a past event.
To start, ask the interviewee about a specific situation; it could be something personal or work-related. Ask for details about the tasks they needed to do in order to see the situation through, and the actions they did to accomplish those tasks. Finally, ask them about the results of those actions, both direct and indirect.
Structuring your behavioral questions this way can reveal a lot about a person’s character. Pay careful attention not just to their answers, but how they describe themselves as well. Some candidates may paint themselves in a more positive light. Sometimes, those who share situations in which they failed might be the better choice (depending on the way they handled the circumstances).
Observe Applicants in “Normal” Situations
As the old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. This is especially true when conducting behavioral interviews. As previously mentioned, some candidates may invent situations to make themselves look better. Thus, you need to be able to evaluate the things they do and not just the things they say.
Try to observe a candidate’s behaviors in “normal” situations. Ask the receptionist how they were treated by the applicant you’re interviewing. Observe how they interact with fellow applicants and the personnel they encounter. If you’re having a lunch meeting, see how they act towards the waitstaff. These things can give you a clearer picture of a prospective hire’s personality.
Have a List of Characteristics Ready
Before you conduct a behavioral interview in the first place, prepare a list of characteristics you’re looking for. Do you need someone who’s tenacious in selling properties? Are you looking for an adaptable person? Do you need a real estate agent who’s really gung ho for recognition? Do you want someone who’ll blend in with the current culture or add something new to it?
Write all of your desired traits in a candidate to make it easier for you to identify the best ones for the job later on. Doing this will also make it easier for you to develop suitable behavioral questions.
Combine “Traditional” and Behavioral Questions
Along with attitude-focused questions, make sure to include “traditional” ones as well. Things like “What would you say are your greatest strengths?” but framed more creatively. This will give your interview variety and structure, as well as make it easier for you to compare answers from different candidates.
What’s great about traditional or common interview questions is that many job applicants prepare for them. This means that, with a good listening ear, you can easily catch those who script their answers and those who sound more spontaneous.
Obviously, interviewing for a candidate’s attitude doesn’t mean that skills aren’t required. Real estate agents need a lot of hard skills, including the ability to communicate well and negotiate good prices. Still, soft skills are equally important in a sales-driven job.
In addition, focusing on an applicant’s personality can help you preserve your company culture. When a person’s own values are aligned with the organization’s, they’re also more likely to be happier, productive, and engaged. In the end, everybody wins.
