- Insider asked 4 real estate experts for their best tips for writing a real estate agent résumé.
- Broker Kris Lippi recommended leading with a brief summary of your successes and area of expertise.
- Also highlight your list- to sale-price ratio and closing statistics, said realtor Bill Gassett.
If you're a real estate professional, ensuring your résumé stands out from other candidates is key to unlocking new and exciting job opportunities in the popular industry.
"When you're looking for positions as an estate agent, your CV acts as your first impression to recruiters, demonstrating your ability to perform in the role," Andrew Fennel, the director at StandOut CV and a former recruiter for major companies including Deloitte, EasyJet, Barclays, and Mercedes, told Insider.
There are certain rules of thumb that remain relevant for an industry-specific CV, Fennell said: Keep your résumé to two pages maximum and ensure the format is clear, simple, and easy to read. Along with essential information like your experience and qualifications, Fennel added it's also important to include all relevant license and registration details.
Insider spoke with Fennell and three other real estate professionals to ask for their top tips for those in the industry looking to update their professional real estate CV. Here's what they said.
1. Open with a brief summary of your achievements
Recruiters deal with a massive influx of applications for a job opening, so leading with a summary of your experience and achievements makes it easier for them to get a quick glance at your profile, said Kris Lippi, a licensed real estate broker and CEO of ISoldMyHouse.com.
"It creates a dedicated space to highlight the information that a recruiter needs to know," Lippi said.
The number of years of experience you have should be included, as well as any major professional accomplishments, said Bill Gassett, the founder of Maximum Real Estate Exposure who's been a realtor for more than 35 years. "If you're an agent who works mostly with sellers, an owner or manager may be interested in statistics such as the average days on the market and the list-price to sale-price ratio of homes you've sold," Gassett said. "These statistics speak to the agent's success at accurately pricing a home."
Another headline number to highlight is your transaction count, particularly if it's strong."The average real estate agent closes around 10 to 12 homes a year. If you've averaged 25 transactions over your career, this should be emphasized," Gassett said.
You should also show your key area of interest or expertise. "For example, some agents excel at working with buyers, while others would rather be listing agents," Gassett said. "Some agents have more in-depth skill sets like working with new construction homes or being a specialist in short sales."
2. Quantify your successes
Fennell emphasized that quantifying your achievements is key. "Real estate is a sales game, so don't be afraid to shout about these numbers at the top of your résumé," he said.
"Writing 'reduced workload for the real estate property manager by 30%' instead of just mentioning that you assisted a real estate property manager makes your résumé more valuable," said Samantha Odo, the COO of Precondo, a Toronto-based real estate agency focused on condo developments. This will "lock in the impression that you're capable and have a firsthand account of each task your past work experience entailed," Lippi added.
3. If you're new to real estate, highlight other relevant experiences
If you're looking to break into the real estate industry, mention other past jobs that required you to have skills similar to that of a real estate agent. An agent needs to be great at sales, so if you had a sales role in the past, highlight that experience by sharing specifics — for example, that you "increased sales by 15% in four months," said Odo.
Odo added it's also OK to include volunteer work if it's relevant to the job. "If you volunteered for the reconstruction of homes affected by a cyclone, you should mention it," she said. "However, volunteering to raise funds for an old-age home might not be a relevant point."
All experts agreed it's a good idea to show your ties to the local area. "Most owners want an agent who will blend in well with their current agents and staff — someone who puts a positive impression on the community they serve," Gassett said.
Overall, keep your résumé simple, straightforward, and focused on your key achievements and areas of expertise.
Here's an example of what a real estate resume should look like, provided by Andrew Fennell of StandOut CV.
