When hiring employees in any field, one of the first things that a hiring manager looks for is experience. The leasing community is no different, however all experience is not created equal. Hiring managers would be surprised to find out that “under-qualified” candidates have distinct advantages, especially in the leasing profession.
Below are the top three reasons to hire an inexperienced leasing professional:
1. Inexperienced Candidates are Blank Slates for Opportunity and Training.
Customer service and sales technique are vital training topics for leasing professionals. Having a concrete and inclusive new hire on-boarding program can take the place of hiring someone with past experience and also set up your new employees for success.
Each property has its own unique culture and you want your leasing professionals to reflect that culture through and through. In some instances, a new employee may carry their prior training with them when they join a new team and that training may have a conflict with your property’s way of doing things. Some things are hard to unlearn and this may set a new employee up for failure when trying to settle in to their new company culture.
When you hire someone that is just starting their career in the leasing profession, you control the training foundations they build. With a little extra time and effort you could build your perfect employee from the ground up.
2. Under-qualified Candidates Are Tomorrow’s Leaders.
One of the frustrations of hiring managers is that they can’t find replicas of their best employees. This is usually because their best employees are happy in their positions and don’t have a reason to leave. However, these employees had to get their start somewhere, they were not always leasing rockstars.
By taking a chance on someone that is newly entered into the professional leasing field, a hiring manager has the chance to find their next favorite hire. Untapped potential can be a wealth of opportunity for a leasing company.
3. Improved Loyalty In Return For a New Experience.
Employee retention is another one of the biggest frustrations of a hiring manager. There is nothing worse than taking the time to on-board a new employee and then have them leave for another opportunity 6 months later.
On the other side of that coin, there is nothing more daunting than entering a new field of work that you do not have experience in. An under-qualified candidate is much more likely to be grateful to a company that took a chance on them because of their merit. The training they receive would be a gift that they would appreciate and and a sense of loyalty would develop to the organization that “gave them their shot” at their desired career.
Next time you are conducting a round of interviews for an open position in your leasing community, don’t be so quick to throw out a resume lacking in relevant experience. Take the time to look at the professional background they have in other fields that might prove useful in your company culture and the leasing profession at large. If you do decide to move them forward to an interview, make sure to be objective and look for potential while thinking of the ideal personal traits you want your leasing professionals to have.