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For top real estate agent Geraldine Hermens, success is derived from hard work and perseverance in a traditionally male-dominated industry where she was once one of just a few female agents in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Geraldine Hermens, top-selling agent and licensee at LJ Hooker Dunedin, sat down with REB’s managing editor Liam Garman to discuss her three decades of experience in the male-dominated industry and reveal how she overcame barriers to success.
Geraldine began her career 32 years ago with an agency where she was only one of two women in the office, with only two other female agents in the city of Dunedin at the time.
“And so it was a big step for me to, to get into a man’s world,” she said.
At 28, Geraldine was also the youngest female agent and had to work to prove herself in an industry where it can be challenging to gain recognition.
“Being a younger person, I know that today there’s a lot of young people in the industry, but it was very unusual when I started,” she said.
“It was a big learning curve and I do believe there was a lot of people that didn’t really take me seriously, but I took it very seriously and within two years I was number one in that office.”
Having found a mentor in the only other woman in the office, who was a top performer, Geraldine followed her lead and hit the ground running.
“Everything she did, I did. I thought, well, she’s very successful in her own right. She’s one of the top agents in Dunedin and I just followed her lead. Everything she did, I did and I worked. I knew I had to outwork everybody else.”
When it comes to advice for women beginning their career in real estate, Geraldine’s biggest recommendation is to find the right environment.
“I do think that it is just finding the right people around you, having the right office, having the right people, making sure it’s a real strong environment for learning and marketing,” she said.
“Find an office where people like you’re in a group of like-minded people, you’ve all got the same goals, you want to achieve the same things, and you’ve all got that and that’s your, that’s your top of mind.”
Additionally, having goals to stay on track, working hard, and persevering are also key to a successful real estate career.
“Real estate is a tough gig, and it challenges, you get so many no’s before you get a yes. And you have to try and find that inner strength that got you to launch into the industry in the first place.”
Asked about how the industry has changed, Geraldine said there are now increased opportunities for women, and more females in the business to share the experience.
“There’s just no boundaries now. Not that there ever has been, but it’s a lot easier for women. I think it’s a lot more relatable because there’s a lot more people who are in similar situations,” she said.
“I think about myself and a lot of the young women now coming into our office, and there’s a lot of people walking the walk that they are, whereas I didn’t really have anyone else in our city at the same age and stage as me.”
“But in our office and in the city now, in the LJ Hooker Group, there’s a lot more women. And it’s fantastic to see,” she said.
Despite the initial challenges she faced, Geraldine described real estate as a “tremendous” industry for young women.
“It’s been very, very good to me. I’ve been to places and I’ve done things I would never ever have imagined if I hadn’t been in this industry,” she concluded.
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