Interviewing? Don’t show up unprepared.

My advice from thousands of interviews….

For several decades, I interviewed thousands of would-be real estate agents. I created start-up programs and coaching to coach them to six-figure careers their first year in the business. From this experience, I learned their questions–and I learned their disillusionment after being hired.

Now, because I create start-up business plans and programs for new agents, I’m contacted constantly by new agents wanting advice. The most discouraging thing they tell me (more discouraging to me than them at the beginning) is that they have no one to train or coach them to success.

Making Assumptions from What You Heard in the Interview

During the interview these new agents (and experienced) were told they would have training and coaching. So, they just assumed it would be terrific–providing them all the skills and information they needed to sell a home–fast.

From talking to these agents, I think they’re making assumptions and vastly underestimating what it takes to get started and be successful. They’ve been sold by a nice and well-meaning manager on the thought that joining them and buying a book or going to an easy-in training program will do the trick. And then, when it doesn’t, the agent is out of time and money—and it’s too late for a re-start.

Don’t Take What You Hear at Face Value…

My best advice to the would-be and new agent interviewing is to be very, very tough when talking about training expectations. Never accept the phrase  ‘we have training’. I have yet to talk to a manager who says they don’t have training. Yet, when the agents talk to me after being hired, they say there is no or little training….

Advice to that new agent: Be sure the manager (or in-house coach) is going to train and coach you with a precise, proven business start-up plan, so you know exactly what to do, how to do it, and how to measure it. Without that specific plan, you’re essentially wasting time trying this and that. Just because you’re an adult who has lived life doesn’t mean you know the priorities of launching a real estate business. You don’t know the pitfalls. You don’t know the habits agents get into to ‘protect themselves’–while they fail.

Seeing is Believing

Ask to see it the training, coaching and business planning training and processes. Don’t just hear about it. And, most importantly, see the programs in writing, so you know they’re real. Be discriminating when looking at those programs. Too many of them are cobbled together lovingly (but not professionally) by well-meaning people who aren’t trained as trainers or coaches. They put together conflicting philosophies and guidelines that are best, confusing, and at worst, non-sensical.

Ask to See Results–not Just Bragging about their ‘Top Producer’

Find out the results of the program. Good programs measure results to assure you that the program works. Just because the company has a ‘top producer’–doesn’t mean you’ll automatically become one!

Questions You Should Ask

Here are some questions potential agents should ask
1. Describe your training program. Is it foundationed in a business start-up plan that you’re going to coach me to?

2. Show me your start-up business plan—the training, the coaching, and the start-up plan. What are the results?

best book for potential real estate agents

Gain the Knowledge You Need

There are over 70 questions you can ask to get the information to make the best decision for you. When you join our Carla Cross Community, and register for pre-license throug us, you get access to all these questions–and what to look for in the answers. You’ll get my Launching Right in Real Estate book–compliments from Carla.