Now that you have a clear picture of what job you want to hire for, you can start recruiting candidates. But first, you will need to write a job description.

 

What to post

 

A good job posting should have the following:

• your company values
• overall company mission
• a general description of the work environment (location, co-workers, leadership vs support)
• a non-exhaustive task list
• whether it is full-time or part-time
• salary or hourly wage range

 

As a realtor, the biggest question you face when writing a job description is whether to include that the posting is for a “real estate” job. In this scenario, we are talking specifically about hiring someone for an administrative support role in the real estate industry.

As soon as you put the words “real estate” into a job posting, you immediately triple the number of applications while simultaneously destroying the quality. Everyone wants to be a realtor, and you aren’t hiring one.

In my experience, I have attracted candidates better suited to the administrative support job by leaving the term “real estate” out of the post. But, if you are worried about missing out, I suggest you create two job posts (one with “real estate” and one without) to see for yourself. Some of the resumes will give you a good laugh.

The post should be concise, compelling, and easy for potential candidates to say, “This is a job I could do, and I would enjoy.”

 

Where to post

 

Much like real estate advertising, finding a great lead for a position with your company is a pay-to-play game.

Sites like Craigslist and Kijiji are relatively inexpensive but tend to attract lower-quality candidates. 

Serious job hunters seem to spend most of their time on major job sites like LinkedIn and Indeed.com.

Additionally, your local newspaper (online edition) may have an active classified section that is hyper-focused on your community.  

 

Ask for a referral

 

The incredibly effective but often overlooked strategy of asking your database for a referral to a potential assistant candidate has been my most effective recruitment tool. In fact, my longest-serving team member (13 years and counting) is the daughter of a realtor who I used to sit next to in the bullpen of my office. My current team manager is a past client and was in my social circle for almost a decade before joining the team. They are some of the best hires I have made in my entire career.  

Sending an announcement of the job posting to your database can have multiple positive impacts:

• It could just produce a great candidate. There might be a past client who already knows, likes and trusts you and fits into your culture and is looking for a job.

• Referrals. People in your database have their own network, and you can ask them to share the post with their network or ask them who they think would be a good candidate. By asking your database for help, you not only increase your talent pool but also get the added benefit of training your database to send you referrals.

• Increased credibility. Professionals have assistants. Doctors, dentists, lawyers. They all have assistants. By asking your database for help with this position, you are telling them that you are a professional who is running a successful business. This will further reinforce your position in their mind as a trusted agent.

• It gives you a reason to talk to people. Send a video or an email to your database asking them for help hiring an administrative assistant. And then follow up. Get on the phone and talk to them. As an agent, you have probably convinced yourself that you don’t have anything to talk about. But, now you do. Call through your database and ask for help. This conversation will naturally lead to a general conversation about the real estate market, and their home value and keep you top of mind with your largest referral source.

 

Hiring a recruiter

 

If your assistant’s office has been a revolving door of candidates or you are hiring for a larger position (like team manager or COO), you might want to hire a recruiter. 

There are some real estate-specific recruiters, or you could look in your local community for a recruiter who works in the administrative space. This is typically found inside a larger recruitment company specializing in lawyers, corporate executives, and other C-suite jobs. Expect to pay three to four months’ salary for a good recruiter.

 

Trial and error

 

Job postings and interviews are a bit of trial and error. Try different job descriptions, websites and referral sources. Cast your net wide, but keep your focus narrow for the right person for the job you created.   

Next week we will discuss how to conduct the interview process and what questions you should ask.