It’s that time of year again. Time to wave goodbye to 2020 — which was undoubtedly a strange one.
The response to a global pandemic, coupled with a crescendo of social justice movements, pressed pause-and-go on life as we knew it, at one and the same time.
It was confusing to say the least.
Last year COVID-19 strained the global economy, disrupted small businesses, and upset market trends.
But it also spurred unprecedented innovation and had this unique power of making the individual voice even louder.
In terms of technology, you had to adjust and adopt in order to adapt.
And while ‘staying at home’ posed many challenges for individuals, it also:
- Forced people to consider what they really want and need to be happy; and
- Raised the bar for customer service standards everywhere, irrespective of industry.
So what does any of this have to do with recruiting?
Well, despite the uncertainty of 2020, the Real Estate Industry is still on fire!
Forbes Magazine has even dubbed it another ‘Great American Migration.’
With people moving to find more suitable places to live and work, brokerages need to recruit agents in 2021 more than ever.
Agents, on the other hand, not only spent the last year contemplating their employment options but were also forced to confront their own limitations and their need to upskill last year.
So, what can you leverage to make your brokerage shine?
Here at SmartSetter®, we’ve partnered with hundreds of clients from across North America, and have collected an unparalleled data set.
In fact, you might say that we are a bit data-crazy (and totally nerdy). Because of this, we’ve learned a thing or two about recruiting and are excited to share our findings!
Read on to discover our Top Recruiting Trends for 2021.
Want a clue? You only need three things to get and stay ahead!
Trend 1: Virtual Reality is Here to Stay!
Whether you’re a fan of AI chat-bots and drive a Tesla to work, or your calendar is still a good ol’ fashioned Day-Timer (a.k.a a pen and paper), one thing is for sure…
Technology is not going anywhere, so the time to get tech savvy was yesterday.
That’s why we believe technology is the most important tool for your success in 2021.
With state-wide forced closures continuing into the new year, and increased health concerns, our relationship with technology underwent a massive paradigm shift from previous years.
It’s no longer just about collecting ‘likes’ online, or downloading the coolest apps; technology is now at the very heart of how we define productivity and collaboration.
Online meeting platforms like Zoom have permanently changed how we think about the boardroom.
As the workforce gets cozier with the possibility of remote work, even just as an option, it’s pretty safe to say that this kind of ‘online reality’ isn’t going anywhere.
Even if different generations value different things in the workplace (see infographic below), the presence of technology at work is just a given.
Millennials view technology as integral to the workplace, while Gen X sees it as a learned skill.
When tailoring your recruiting strategy to different generations, it is vital to recognize the skills gap among demographics. Then, you will want to capitalize on the gap as part of your recruiting strategy.
The best way to leverage that is by walking the walk.
How else can you show Millennials — who make up the largest part of the workforce globally — that you’ve got what they want?
Or show Gen-Xers that you have what they will continue to need in order to level up their Real Estate careers?
So get comfy with tech with these easy-to-adopt-right-now suggestions!
- Get an electronic calendar and use it!
- Use a CRM to manage and nurture your pipeline.
- Automate your work to save time (with apps like Zapier).
- Host training sessions with the option to attend online.
- Use social media to engage with your potential recruits and keep them in your network.
By taking what you already do, and just doing it online, you will upskill yourself. Now that’s what we call walking the walk!
You’ll also be signaling to potential candidates that you’re keeping up with digital trends. You’ve got what they want and will keep needing. Why not leverage their business in 2021 with you?
The next recruiting trick (while you are becoming a total tech wiz) is to remember to stay human.
Trend 2: Customer Service Is King (and we’re all in the industry now!)
When the world slid to a halt — okay maybe it frenzied its way there — the bar for consumer expectations got set higher.
But the face of customer service was already drastically changing a decade ago.
With the advent of tools like Yelp, Google Reviews, Trip Advisor, and Facebook Business pages, customer opinions were not only published online but actually started to matter.
In fact, 90% of American customers share their customer service experiences with others (American Express), while 81% of customers trust recommendations from family and friends over those from companies (HubSpot).
And with Amazon Prime shipping the very next day, and groceries turning up at your doorstep, we find ourselves in a strange new world.
In this world, the consumer is driving change and innovation for companies, and not always the other way around.
For businesses, this means that to stay on top, you must anticipate what people want before they want it.
So… whether you like it or not: we are all in the customer service industry now!
For recruiting this means that if you’re a serious broker with a serious brand, your client is still your customer at the end of the day. So treat them like one!
Here are some simple reminders for keeping customer service top of mind:
Trend 3: When in Doubt, Outsource (Because Time Is Still Money)
What do trends 1 and 2 have in common?
They both help explain the historical trajectory of what we now find to be our present-day (and ever-fascinating) situation.
The truth is that technological advancements and rising consumer demand have given birth to a series of new industries.
These industries, and the jobs they create, simply were not possible 20 years ago -like us over here at SmartSetter®!
The beauty of this brave new world is that outsourcing has never been cheaper or easier.
I want you to consider how much 1 hour of your time is worth, and put a dollar value on it.
Now consider what your pain points are -the things that take you the most time to do, are the least enjoyable, or that you wish you could simply leverage to beat out your competition.
Chances are, there are people you can now hire to do those things, and it usually costs less than what your time is actually worth. (Remember when I asked you to put a dollar value on it?)
So if you are looking to recruit new talent to your brokerage, but hate the time wasted cold calling, we have good news for you!
Prospecting services now embody their own industry and are getting increasingly advanced (think targeted ads, exclusive lead partnerships, and Recruiting Services).
Data has become a new kind of currency. By leveraging data it is now possible to zero in on the right prospects more than ever before.
What’s more is that by harnessing the power of technology, some services can now do the job of a hundred people — and cold calling, or prospecting services, are no exception.
In fact, 69% of buyers accepted a call from a new salesperson in the past 12 months (smallbizzgenius.com)
So you can bet that if your competition isn’t using a Recruiting Service yet… well let’s just say you have one leg up and we want it to stay up in 2021.
Here is what to look for in a Recruiting Service, so you can make the best choice for your business.
There you have it -our top recruiting trends for 2021.
As we move into another year of unpredictability and uncertainty, you can rest assured that the Real Estate Market isn’t going anywhere.
So as society traverses the next year ahead, you only need to remember three things.
Technological advancement is going to happen with or without you, so swim with the current on this one.
Learning new skills always takes time and is often met with frustration. Confronting these limitations is good because half of your recruits are in the same boat, and the other half wouldn’t consider your Brokerage otherwise.
As the world gets weirder and more wired up, the key is to stay human.
Gone are the days when the faceless corporation seemed sexy to the masses, who are now using their voices on more and more platforms as the days tick on.
So remember: Recruiting is about selling yourself in order to sell your business — and customer service is king.
By giving great customer service each and every time, you will build great rapport with each and every potential candidate.
Lastly, recruiting services are on the rise in 2021, along with a host of new industries that didn’t exist before.
So, if you want to get and stay ahead we strongly recommend choosing a service that is right for you.
If you don’t, your competition just might!