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We’re living in a golden age of employment right now, with the official unemployment rate lower than it’s been in the last 48 years. Part of the reason for this is the pandemic, which has not only resulted in massive fiscal injections and a widespread intense interest in property, but has forced employers to be flexible and accommodating. More people than ever are working from home, and employers are increasingly considerate of leave entitlements and needs they might previously have overlooked, like mental health.
What this all means for jobseekers in the real estate sector is that you no longer need to jump at the first offer that comes your way. Gone are the days of expecting only a brand, a desk, and a phone from your agency. You’ve got time and freedom to consider your options, and you can decide whether the opportunity knocking at your virtual door is worth your time.
It’s no longer about whether you’re the right fit for the agency: it’s about whether they’re the right fit for you. Take some time to assess whether your potential employers are ticking these boxes for you, and you could be on your way into a brave new era in your real estate career.
Rock-solid support
When you move into another job, you’re taking a risk—and there’s nothing worse than starting in a fresh role only to realise the grass really isn’t any greener. One of your primary considerations should be the company’s performance: do they have solid systems and processes in place, are they resilient, with steady profitability? Are they well established, and is their brand reputation intact? Are they reporting solid productive growth? And most importantly, are they understanding in times where family and health need to take priority?
Whether we like it or not, a lot of our career success depends on the support our company gives us. Do your homework, and read up on your potential employer to ensure they’re free of legal and ethical problems, to ensure their bottom line looks good, and to ensure they’re in it for the long haul. When you’re starting over, you’re taking the risk of starting the clock again, so you really need to be looking for the stability of a market-leading agency.
Strong culture
One of the things the pandemic has done for us is to help us stop and take stock of our lives. We want more from our work, and we’re in a season of opportunity where we can go out and find what we’re looking for. That’s why you need to find the real estate agency that ticks one of the most important boxes: a strong culture, and values that align with yours.
Look at each agency and assess them not only by what you can bring to them, but on whether they’ve got the integrity to practice what they preach. What are their core values, and do you agree with them? Does their culture fit with your personality? Have they built their business not only on hard work and service excellence, but on keeping their people in a good work-life balance?
The best agencies will be able to demonstrate higher than average retention rates, and a team culture that values, supports, and promotes the development of individual talent and skill. Your new employer should be invested in supporting EBUs and helping team members to build their professional identities and careers—because your success benefits them, too.
Creative freedom
When you’re in sales, your work is as much a statement about your personality as it is about your role in your company. That’s why one of the most important questions to ask is whether your potential employers offer space for you to be yourself—and whether there’s room for you to grow as a leader.
The right business will want to discover your unique strengths and skills, which could be anything from excellent communication, creative problem solving, critical thinking, good time management, or a die-hard positive attitude. They’ll give you enough freedom to demonstrate leadership and be accountable for your own work: because owning your own work always results in better customer service and better results. An employer who’s creative enough will be able to identify your signature style, and understand that in order to capitalise on it, they need to stand back a little. Your career development should be as important and rewarding to your new employer as it is to you.
Good agents mean good business—it’s a simple fact, but one that so many agencies fail to acknowledge. A brave employer will invest in helping you develop the skills you need to grow your professional reputation and become an industry-leading performer. And they’ll take the risk of investing, even if it means you take those skills with you when you want to move on.
Training opportunities
Good businesses don’t grow by asking you to fill a space and then keeping you there forever. Good businesses look for ways to multiply and use your achievements—because it means financial and professional growth for them, and job satisfaction for you, while you’re reaching your goals and making your dreams reality.
Make sure your new employer ticks this box: offering interesting training and professional development opportunities. You want to work for an agency that cares about your career as a sales agent, and is willing to allow you to take risks, climb the ladder, and carve out your own space in the business and the industry.
Look for agencies who can connect you to the right sources of industry skills training. What that looks like is up to you—you might want access to professional memberships and associations, community-based training courses, or even in-house development sessions. Good employers won’t just support you—they’ll already know where to get these opportunities, and they’ll lay them out in front of you.
Enticing benefits
Hard work should be rewarded. Good agencies will acknowledge their employees’ achievements, and encourage the skill development and growth that leads to more success. Times have changed, and instead of focusing only on what you can offer them, you should ask whether your potential employers tick another important box for you: offering competitive benefits.
There are lots of ways an agency might choose to reward their employees, and every business will have their unique ways of encouraging you to strive for excellence. But you do have a right to expect competitive holiday allocations, bonuses for success, access to comprehensive and effective marketing suites, and other perks and incentives beyond your commissions. Businesses with more positive cultures will experiment with competitions and other engaging incentives, which all go a long way towards making work a place you actually want to be.
If you’re ready to find out whether Coronis ticks all your boxes, feel free to contact me. Our strong reputation was built on the creativity and unique skills of our people, and we’re always looking for new talent to take us into the future of the industry. If you’re ready to find out how Coronis can tick the boxes for you want the tools and support you need to realise your potential as a leading sales agent, feel free to contact me.
Karuna Dimelow, Chief Operating Officer
0407 027 380,
