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References
NAR Library & Archives has already done the research for you. References (formerly Field Guides) offer links to articles, eBooks, websites, statistics, and more to provide a comprehensive overview of perspectives. EBSCO articles (E) are available only to NAR members and require a password.
Tenure of REALTORS® at Their Present Firm
Source: NAR Member Profile (National Association of REALTORS®, 2023)
Recruiting Basics
Attract and Retain Agents Through Education and Structure (REALTOR® Magazine, Sep. 19, 2023)
Want to scale? Make sure agents feel like they can grow their business in a place that can accommodate their needs and grow with them. Learn about Anthony Lamacchia’s experience growing his brokerage by offering education and engaging resources to retain top talent.
The Ultimate Guide to Recruiting Agents for Your Team or Brokerage (+ Scripts) (The Close, Sep. 15, 2023)
“Over time, all teams and brokerages will lose agents. Attrition in this industry is inevitable…But fewer agents in your brokerage means lower potential revenue, and reduced revenue means fewer services available to your remaining agents. Even if you only want to add two or three agents a year, you need a viable recruitment plan. Recruiting the right way means building relationships. Creating trust and showing your recruiting prospects that you care ensures that you attract the right agents. It also increases your chances of retaining agents after you have invested a lot of time and money in onboarding and training them.”
Retention Series: Create a Culture Your Agents Won’t Want to Leave (REALTOR® Magazine, Jun. 15, 2023)
“Agents who leave usually do so because of the culture—not the money. After all, net profits are not so different from brokerage to brokerage, explains Natalie Davis, founder of The Evolution Group powered by Keller Williams. That’s why it’s essential to create the best culture you can, she says. “It’s the culture that makes agents stay,” agrees Cole Slate, broker-owner at Slate Real Estate in Jacksonville, Fla…Here are some tips from Davis and Cole on how to make your brokerage a place agents won’t want to leave.”
Recruit Better Agents with This 15-Step Plan for Vetting Top Talent (Inman, Nov. 18, 2022)
“You have generated a great recruiting lead for your office or team. Whether you’re a broker-owner, manager, or team leader, your ability to conduct a successful recruiting interview will determine the ultimate success of your office or team.
A successful recruiting interview depends on how well you have prepared along with your ability to ask the right questions, assess whether the agent is a good fit for your company and to close the agent on moving to your office or team.”
Does Recruiting REALLY Solve Everything? (Chicago Agent Magazine, Oct. 3, 2022)
“If you are great at bringing talent in BUT not great at keeping them, then there’s an issue. The time and effort it takes to acquire new talent are extensive. New talent energizes (if they are the right choice) and helps with growth. Attrition, on the other hand, must be kept under control, or you are wasting your time.”
Recruiting Millennial and Gen Z Agents
How Millenial and Gen Z REALTORS® are Reshaping the Real Estate Landscape (RISMedia, Nov. 13, 2023)
“The real estate industry is in a perpetual state of transformation, shaped by the unique perspectives and contributions of each generation of real estate professionals. Gen Z and Millennial groups are a formidable force in the real estate landscape, introducing new approaches and evolving the field in unprecedented ways. What can more seasoned professionals learn from these younger generations? The greatest lesson we can glean from both groups is the importance of being true to oneself and embracing individual talents and preferences. It’s about finding your unique niche and excelling in it. If you feel your strengths align with more traditional home selling and buying tactics, embrace that. If your forte lies in word-of-mouth referrals over tech-driven advertising, find ways to tap into that.”
Unlocking the Potential of Gen Z in Real Estate: The Zoomers Are Here (RISMedia, Oct. 6, 2023)
“The world is changing and so is the face of the real estate industry. As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of business, it’s essential to adapt and prepare for the next generation of real estate professionals. Enter Generation Z, often referred to as Zoomers. Born from the mid to late 1990s through the early 2010s, these dynamic individuals are poised to reshape the real estate sector in profound ways.”
Why Real Estate Agents Love the New 9 to 5 (Real Estate Express, Nov. 8, 2023)
“Millennial workers, the future of the workforce, rate workplace flexibility as a prime reason for choosing a particular job. “Millennials at Work,” a global survey of workers age 31 or under, found that “flexible working hours” is the second most important workplace benefit, behind only “personal learning and development” and ahead of “cash bonuses.””
Hiring the Next Generation of Commercial Real Estate Brokers (Voit Real Estate Services, Sep. 5, 2021)
As Generation Z (born 1995-2015) enters the workforce, understand their needs for successful recruiting and retention. Gen Z workers look to feel fulfilled at work, want jobs that make a positive impact, and prioritize competitive benefits. Your brokerage will benefit from the fresh point of view a younger agent brings to the table.
The Role of DEI in Recruitment & Retention
Global Real Estate DEI Survey, Volume III (Urban Land Institute, Jan. 17, 2024)
“The Global Real Estate DEI Survey is the only corporate study of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) management practices and data benchmarking in the commercial real estate industry. This is a summary report of high-level results providing a view of DEI metrics relating to: DEI program structure, resources and ownership.; Policies focused on recruitment, retention, training and development, inclusivity, tracking and accountability, and pay equity.; Employee demographics by gender, race/ethnicity and nationality, across seniority and job function, as well as DEI hiring, promotion and departure trends year-over-year.”
Representation Does Matter: Pushing the Needle Forward for Black Homeownership and Real Estate Agents (RISMedia, Apr. 10, 2023)
“On the latest episode of RISMedia’s RealEdge Podcast, Julia Lashay Israel discusses improving Black representation in the real estate industry and how that correlates to improvements in service and successfully boosting homeownership in the Black community. Drawing from her work at Keller Williams, she details the strategies that she herself is implementing to improve the overall sense of belonging and inclusion among agents in addition to offering her insight as far as how viewers can do the same in their respective firms by creating a space for different groups to have the tools and resources they need.”
Make DEI a Reality in Your Brokerage Right Now (REALTOR® Magazine, Feb. 9, 2023)
“Ask yourself questions in each of these areas:
- What’s your commitment to DEI in this space?
- What’s the current makeup of your office and does it represent your commitment to DEI?
- Have you committed to working on uncovering unconscious bias?
- What statements are being made during the interview process?”
- “Start with an internal assessment.
- Set the tone at the top.
- Examine your current processes.
- Provide training.
- Expand your network.”
eBooks & Other Resources
eBooks.realtor.org
The following eBooks and digital audiobooks are available to NAR members:
Confessions of a Recruiting Director (eBook)
Cultures of Belonging (eBook & Audiobook)
Hiring for Diversity (eBook & Audiobook)
Hiring Greatness: How to Recruit Your Dream Team and Crush the Competition (Audiobook, eBook)
Mastering the Art of Recruiting (eBook)
The Easy Step by Step Guide to Recruiting the Right Staff (eBook)
Ready-Made Employment Contracts, Letters & Forms (eBook)
Recruit or Die (eBook)
Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting & Orienting New Employees (eBook)
Recruiting, Retaining and Promoting Culturally Different Employees (eBook)
Retaining Top Employees (eBook)
Who: The A Method for Hiring (eBook)
Interview Others: How to Spot the Perfect Candidate (eBook)
Books, Videos, Research Reports & More
As a member benefit, the following resources and more are available for loan through the NAR Library. Items will be mailed directly to you or made available for pickup at the REALTOR® Building in Chicago.
Building a Magnetic Culture: How to Attract and Retain Top Talent to Create an Engaged, Productive Workforce (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2012) HF 5549 S552
Compensating the Sales Force (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2004) HF 5459 7 C53
Real Estate Office Management: a Guide to Success (Mason, OH: South-Western, 2003) HD 1375 H47
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