ADVERTISEMENT

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®








 Hiring Personnel
Advanced: Tips for Selecting a Psychological Test
  


Assessing Personnel Needs

Advanced-Beyond Job Descriptions: Job Matching for Real Estate Sales

Recruitment Planning

Advanced: What Top Performers Want from You

Recruiting Salespeople

Advanced: Tips for Recruiting the Seasoned Professional

Recruiting Support Personnel

Advanced: The Family and Medical Leave Act

The Interviewing Process

Advanced: Behavioral Interviewing

Tips for Selecting a Psychological Test

Structuring Compensation

Advanced: Compensation Tips for Management Personnel		   While most real estate companies don't use testing, a well-designed psychological test can probe beneath the surface to help determine if a person will succeed in real estate sales.

  • Look for a test that is job-related; find one designed for sales, real estate sales if possible.

  • Be sure that the test focuses on abilities and skills; not interest.

  • Avoid tests that would be easy to fake. For example, if you were applying for a sales job, the "correct" answer to the question, "Would you prefer to work with people or in isolation," is pretty obvious.

  • Beware of tests that favor conformity over creativity and individuality; they may screen out the top salespeople.

  • Be sure that the company provides a person with whom you can discuss results.

Adapted from "Psychological Tests in Recruiting," Herbert Greenberg and Jeanne Greenberg, Real Estate Today, June 1985

TIP: Skill-based tests are fine, but I'd really caution people against making a decision on the basis of a test alone. It's okay to see if people can programming C++ or can operate a particular machine. I'm not a fan of tests of soft skills or a personality test. —Lynn, Nemser, Partners in Performance Inc., Pittsburgh

Tips on Making the Hiring Decision

If you're still not sure which applicant to chose:

  • Ask yourself if the candidate wants the job.

  • Ask yourself if the candidate can do the job.

  • Review the scoring from past interviews to rate candidates.

  • Don't ignore your gut.

  • Ask yourself if this candidate will be a credit to your company.

  • Never be afraid to walk away if you're not sure.

Portions adapted from Recruiting Sales Associates, 2nd edition, Ken Reyhons, CRB, CRS, Real Estate Brokerage Council of the REALTORS® National Marketing Institute, Chicago, 1990

Structuring Compensation >