How to Set Up an Agile Hiring Process

This exclusive excerpt comes from the 2023 Swanepoel Trends Report. Now in its 19th publication, the STR is the definitive analysis of the most impactful trends shaping the industry. The report is available in digital and print formats.

The high demand for talent has increased the speed with which brokerages need to hire as candidates continue to be in short supply and not on the market for long. A cumbersome, weeks-long process will lead to many talented candidates choosing other jobs.

Many real estate brokerages find this a balancing act, because they do not have a process in place to conduct a thorough candidate screening and hire fast.

The organization must be able to move quickly while utilizing a thorough process to assess each candidate. To do this, brokerages need to apply an agile process with leadership and organizational commitment to engage expeditiously with potential prospects. Often, this requires communication across the organization, so all hiring managers understand the importance of speed and thoroughness. This might include adjusting schedules to accommodate not only candidates, but also making sure hiring is a priority by moving other things around as needed.

Create an Agile Hiring Process

Create an agile process and commit to it. If a consistent hiring process already exists, use a workflow diagram to adjust the timeframe for each step to fit current market conditions.

Remember, using a hiring process reduces the subjectiveness of what tends to be a highly subjective process. An agile, consistent hiring process allows companies to ask questions and discover what is important to a candidate, making it easy for both parties to more quickly determine if the opportunity is the right match. Additionally, it minimizes the costs associated with making a hire that doesn’t fit and ensures that they will not be hired if a candidate does not match the position. This makes a company great – passionate people aligned towards a common vision.

Another approach is to commit to a two- to three-week agile hiring cycle and work backward. Create the hiring process and timelines in an infographic to share with everyone involved with the hiring process.

The beauty of a clearly outlined agile hiring process ensures that even when the talent market is not as competitive, a brokerage’s hiring team will continue as a well-oiled machine, avoiding mediocrity, attrition and the cost of a bad hire.

Three Strategies to Increase Hiring Speed

Overall, brokerages can increase hiring speeds with awareness, commitment and communication. Here are three specific strategies to deploy:

1. Get Buy-In

   Make sure all stakeholders involved understand the importance of making hiring a priority. Communicate the importance of the agile hiring process and enroll all participants in the success of each key hire.

2. Be Ready

   Adjust schedules to accommodate candidates’ availability. Since the process is documented and communicated throughout the organization, the final element is ensuring those involved in the hiring process know they can adjust their schedules to accommodate a candidate’s availability. Senior candidates often carry more time pressure, as they are highly sought after.

3. Use a Recruiter

   Hire a recruiter to help. Speed is important when hiring, and enlisting a third-party recruiter's help can help. This resource will provide already vetted candidates and manage the process while ensuring timelines are met and communicated to those who are key to hiring success.

To discuss your hiring or job search needs, click here to schedule a FREE 30-minute consultation session with the T3 Talent team.

For more insights on hiring in today’s environment, read the chapter, “The 2023 Real Estate Brokerage Talent Playbook,” from the 2023 Swanepoel Trends Report.