If you read my last column about the first position you should hire for, you already know that you need to develop systems and then hire an assistant to run those systems. The next question many ask is, “Should I hire someone with a real estate license?” 

This question usually gets asked because they know an agent in their office who is struggling and wants to work as an assistant, or they know someone who is getting their license and wants to learn the ropes by being an assistant.  

Both of these scenarios are red flags that we will deal with in a future column. But for now, let’s address whether your assistant needs to have a license.

Write a very clear job description

The best way to determine whether you need a “licensed” assistant is to write a clear job description. Suppose you have an immediate need for someone to show properties when you’re away, cover open houses and give clients advice in your absence. In that case, you probably need to have a licensed assistant (I would argue those tasks are not ideal for an assistant and probably shouldn’t be in your job description or hiring criteria).    

However, if you are looking for someone to run your systems, deal with the office and regulator compliance and manage bookings of service providers (photos, floorplans, Facebook ads, etc.), then they probably don’t need a license. 

Allow me to ask a rhetorical question: Are there more people in the world with or without a real estate license?

I hope you realize the answer is there are more people without. 

By only looking for someone with a real estate license, you drastically reduce your talent pool for a single qualification you probably don’t need. And, if you do need someone with a license, you could probably train for it and even ask the best candidate to pursue a license at your expense.  

“The best odds for finding the right candidate to be your assistant are to look for anyone, whether they have a license or not.”

Another thing to note is that the type of person who is entrepreneurial enough to go and obtain a real estate license on their own accord and at their own expense probably isn’t the same type of person who would do well running systems and following directions from someone else. 

This is not always the case, but over my 17 years of watching realtors hire, fire and recycle assistants, it’s rare to find an already licensed person who fits the ideal criteria for a typical assistant. It’s not impossible, but again this is about the odds. And the best odds for finding the right candidate to be your assistant are to look for anyone, whether they have a license or not.

In next week’s column, we will discuss how to write a job description so you can make sure you know what you need the ideal candidate to do and then hire the right person for the job, rather than just hiring the person you heard wanted to be a realtor.

Keith Roy

Keith Roy is a REALTOR and Team Leader with Remax in Vancouver, BC.  He has been selling real estate since 2006.  Keith is a certified RRi trainer  who has helped agents and team leaders on five continents.  He lives near Kitsilano beach in Vancouver with his soulmate Stephanie and their toddler son, Kai.  Keith is available for one-on-one agent consulting for team leaders and aspiring team leaders, and Vancouver real estate referrals.