Covid is an opportunity to change our ‘shiny suit’ reputation, says Leaders Romans
HR chief says now is the time to tell the public about what estate agents do and that working in the sector is more than a job.
A leading estate agency has called for the property industry to use the opportunities created by the pandemic to reset the poor opinion the public hold about estate agents.
Hannah Cooper (pictured), head of HR at the Leaders Romans Group, says there is a disconnect in the industry, and that there is much work to be done to correct perceptions of the sector.
“While impressions can be hard to change, highlighting and promoting what goes on ‘behind the scenes’, including the training, skills and drive needed to work in the industry, is key to elevate the standing of the estate agent profession,” she says.
“Positioning the housing sector as a desirable sector to both work in and trust during times of uncertainty is a major step the property industry can take to tackle its unwarranted public perception.”
Cooper also says that the key to improving the public’s views of agents is to improve estate agent skills and training and that the government’s pandemic-inspired Kickstart scheme, which targets 16-24 year olds, should be embraced..
Kickstart will deliver the opportunity for our industry to change perceptions from the ground up, positioning the sector as desirable and one in which to ultimately build a valuable career, not just a job,” says Cooper.
LRG is also investing heavily in apprenticeships and Cooper says she’d like to see more agents follow suit.
“Apprenticeships play a key role at LRG and very much support the recommendations by the Regulation of Property Agents working group to highlight the value and need for standards across the sector, minimum entry requirements and continued professional development,” says Cooper.
Read more about industry recruitment.
I agree. There is “much work to be done to correct perceptions of the sector.”
But suggest that “highlighting what goes on behind the scenes” is not key to elevating the standing of the estate agent profession.
Said differently, Hannah suggests we highlight the What We Do and How We Do What We Do.
I believe Who We Are is a far more pertinent yardstick. Vendors ultimately wish to trust agents and it is only by being authentic and transparent that this can be accomplished. There are plenty of competent agents that have character defects and no amount of training will change that.
Problem is for corporate agencies, they aren’t used to leading with ‘soft skills’ that build relationships – preferring instead to shine the light on transactional superiority.