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Building Career Growth Opportunities to Attract Gen Z Employees

When it comes to attracting the new generation of talent, Gen Z has some pretty big demands. From salaries that start at six-figures to having the ability to work from anywhere in the world, Gen Z is redefining the way employers approach talent acquisition and retention.

Make no mistake—this generation is one that is motivated to find meaningful, long-lasting careers and understands that it won’t be handed to them without first putting in the necessary work. For employers looking to hire these up-and-comers, learn why providing career growth opportunities can help drive your Gen Z talent acquisition efforts.

What New Grads Want From Their First Jobs

Gen Z may have a long way to go up the career ladder, but they know they won’t rise unless they are given opportunities to learn and grow within their careers. When it comes to securing their first job out of college, finding a company that provides job training, career coaching, and room to grow is incredibly important to them. In fact, Monster’s 2023 State of the Graduate report found that 54% of new grads would turn down a job at a company that doesn’t offer career growth opportunities (up 33% from 2022).

This Generation Won’t Wait Around Long

As the first fully digital native generation, Gen Z has grown up with virtually everything at their fingertips. For instance, they’ve never had to wait for dial-up internet; they simply open their smartphone and are instantly online. Just like they don’t have to watch ads on TV or listen to a sitcom’s intro song; they press “skip” and immediately start binge-watching their favorite show. It’s no wonder, then, that when it comes to their careers, Gen Z doesn’t want to wait for growth and advancement opportunities to come around—they want them now. According to Monster’s State of the Graduate report, 37% of recent college graduates said the most important aspect of a job is immediate growth and advancement opportunities.

Providing Career Development and Learning Opportunities

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to provide growth and learning opportunities not just to Gen Z, but to all employees within an organization, many of which can be free or of low cost to employers. “Mentorship is one, and it’s so important for underrepresented demographics,” says Ursula Mead, CEO of InHerSight, a company-reviews platform for women. “Our data shows that if ‘you can’t see it, you can’t be it’ remains true, especially for young women considering futures in leadership positions. Other learning opportunities include cross-training, job shadowing, stipends for certifications, career coaching, tuition and conference reimbursement, subscriptions to learning platforms, etc.”. Mead also adds that mental health resources are a good sibling benefit to learning opportunities because they can help employees, especially young employees, deal with stress and prevent burnout early on.

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How to Interview Prep to Get the Job You Want [10 Key Steps]

Blog, Interview Tips, Set Yourself Up For Success

So, you’ve done your part to find the CRE job you want and land an interview. You’ve networked and connected with the right people to get the job you want. They have your CV. And they want to talk with you.

Now it’s just time to shine.

No sweat. You’ve got this. But before you show up, you need to make sure you’re prepared. Interview prep is often overlooked or minimized. But if you want to stand out, feel at ease, and make a positive impression, proper preparation is crucial.

Below are 10 key interview prep steps you can take to help you get that job. You’ve done so much to get you this far. You’re in the home stretch. Now, just follow these steps to cross that finish line:

Step 1: Research Your Company

Research your prospective employer thoroughly. Know their history, culture, and industry position. Understand their products or services. This knowledge shows your commitment and genuine interest in the company and helps convince them you’re the right hire.

Step 2: Prepare Your Questions

Craft thoughtful, relevant questions to ask the interviewer. This demonstrates your engagement and helps you gain insights into the role and company culture. But don’t plan on discussing salary or pay – those negotiations come later.

Step 3: Get Your Story Straight

Prepare concise, compelling stories, anecdotes, and responses to set yourself up for success. Highlight your skills. Discuss your experiences. Point out your alignment with the job requirements. This helps you present yourself effectively as a good fit during the interview.

Step 4: Practice Common Interview Questions

Rehearse responses to common questions such as “Tell me about yourself” and “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” This helps you articulate your qualifications and build confidence.

Step 5: Mock Interviews

Go the extra mile. Conduct practice interviews with a friend or career counselor! Receive feedback and refine your interview style.

Step 6: Body Language & Etiquette

Practice strong body language – a firm handshake, eye contact, and attentive listening. These non-verbal cues may need rehearsal, but they help you come off as more natural and relatable, enhancing your professional image during the interview.

Step 7: Dress Appropriately

Choose attire that aligns with the company culture and the role you’re applying for. Especially in the CRE field, professional appearance is crucial for making a strong first impression.

Step 8: Bring Necessary Documents

Part of the best pre-interview strategy is simply to gather, prepare, and organize all essential documents. These likely include your resume, cover letter, references, and identification at a minimum. It goes without saying that being prepared ensures a smooth interview process.

Step 9: Study the Job Description

Thoroughly understand the job description and be ready to discuss how your skills and experiences match the role’s requirements. Your knowledge of what the company is actually looking for helps you show them you’re the perfect fit.

Step 10: Follow-Up

After the interview, send a thank-you email expressing your gratitude and reaffirming your interest in the position. This courteous gesture can leave a positive lasting impression and put you ahead of the competition to get the job.

It’s that simple!

With a little interview prep under your belt, you’ll be more confident in meeting with the hiring team and landing the job you want. And when you connect with them, answering all their questions smoothly and getting the answers you want, the interview will be far more enjoyable, too. Yes, CRE can be a competitive field, but now you’ve got the edge.

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Tell Me About Yourself

This question seems simple, so many people fail to prepare for it, but it’s crucial and one of the most popular interview questions out there. Here’s the deal: Don’t give your complete employment (or personal) history. Instead, give a pitch—one that’s concise and compelling and that shows exactly why you’re the right fit for the job. Talk a little bit about your current role (including the scope and perhaps one big accomplishment), then give some background as to how you got there and experience you have that’s relevant. Finally, segue into why you want—and would be perfect for—this role.

Possible answer to “Tell me about yourself.”

“Well, I’m currently an account executive at Smith, where I handle our top-performing client. Before that, I worked at an agency where I was on three different major national healthcare brands. And while I really enjoyed the work that I did, I’d love the chance to dig in much deeper with one specific healthcare company, which is why I’m so excited about this opportunity with Metro Health Center.”

Tell Me About A Time You Made A Mistake

You’re probably not too eager to dig into past blunders when you’re trying to impress an interviewer and land a job. But talking about a mistake and winning someone over aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, if you do it right, it can help you. The key is to be honest without placing blame on other people, then explain what you learned from your mistake and what actions you took to ensure it didn’t happen again. At the end of the day, employers are looking for folks who are self-aware, can take feedback, and care about doing better.

Possible answer to “Tell me about a time you made a mistake.”

“Early in my career, I missed a deadline that ended up costing us a really big account. There were a lot of factors that contributed to this, but ultimately, I was the one who dropped the ball. From that experience, I went back and thought really hard about what I could’ve controlled and what I would’ve changed. It turns out that I was not nearly as organized as I thought I was. I sat down with my boss, asked for suggestions on how to improve my organizational skills, and a few months later I was able to score an even bigger account for the department.”

What Is A Bonus And Why Do We Like Them?

Ask An Expert, Blog, Set Yourself Up For Success

Think about the last time a checkout clerk offered you a bonus discount on an item or you came across a bonus feature in a movie. You probably felt pretty great, right?

People love the idea of bonuses because “extra” or “free” stuff is hard to pass up. It’s why we get excited as consumers, and also why they intrigue us when considering a job offer.

But bonuses come with a lot of caveats, too. Understanding how a bonus works and why they’re provided in the workplace can help you choose between a job with poor compensation and one where you’re set financially. We’ll break them down so you come out feeling like a pro.

Define Bonus

A bonus is “a form of compensation that’s not guaranteed and that is usually paid after the completion of a certain event,” says Adi Dehejia, The Muse’s Chief Financial Officer.

Bonuses come in many shapes and sizes (all of which we’ll explain later), but generally speaking they’re performance-based, meaning a company distributes them based on how an employee or group of employees contributes to team or company goals—typically revenue-based ones.

That said, a lot of bonuses are discretionary, meaning rather than the bonus being tied to a specific quota, your level, or your performance, a manager simply gets to decide who is and isn’t worthy of one, as well as how much the bonus is.

As you can imagine, this makes bonuses a pretty complicated subject for companies and employees alike.

What Motivates Companies To Offer Bonuses?

Often bonuses are provided because that’s what the market tells companies to do. If other organizations of similar size, industry, or geography are offering their employees bonuses, a company may feel obligated to do the same to compete for good talent. This is why you’ll rarely find a sales role without a bonus structure.

They also want to hire people who they know are going to perform, and when there’s a reward for output you’ll attract a certain kind of person.

But the main reason employers are drawn to bonuses is because they encourage employees to work hard to help the company succeed. “They want to align incentives—like, ‘You do well if the company does well,’” says Dehejia. And it tends to pay off—people who know they can make more money by bringing in more revenue, whether directly (like sales) or indirectly (like marketing or executive leadership) are going to be highly motivated to do so.

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10 Steps to Effectively Onboard CRE Hires

Top 10 Keys to Onboard CRE Hires

Prioritize Right-Fit Hires: Begin the onboarding process by ensuring you’ve hired the right people
for your CRE team. A mismatch in company culture, values, or skill requirements can make
onboarding irrelevant.
Streamline Hiring: Implement a highly effective and thorough hiring process from the get-go. The hiring process shouldn’t be a separate part of your business. Rather, it should align closely with your company’s culture and values and seamlessly feed into the day-to-day operations of your business.
Be Ready from Day One: They say you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. On the first day of a new hire’s journey, make sure their workstation is set up with all the necessary supplies and equipment. Don’t treat them like an afterthought!
Cultivate an Inclusive Culture: Beyond competitive compensation, emphasize workplace culture. Make your CRE employees feel like they’re part of a family, not just a workplace. Clearly communicate your company’s dedication to diversity and inclusion.
Build Trust: Trust is the cornerstone of any successful working relationship. Encourage employees to believe they work for the best company in the CRE field. Promote honesty and integrity in the workplace, and maintain consistency to establish trust in your company’s stability and longevity.
Career Coach Approach: Show a genuine interest in your CRE employees’ career goals. Helping them align their personal objectives with their contributions to the company can lead to higher engagement and lower turnover. Encourage them to identify their strengths, interests, and learning opportunities within the organization.
Create Meaningful Work: Employees need to find meaning in their work. Align new hires with roles that match their skills and aspirations. In a dynamic field like CRE, a good fit is crucial. This alignment fosters better integration with their teams, increases contribution to the company’s mission, and improves productivity and skills.
Comprehensive Onboarding: Develop a structured onboarding program that covers the essential aspects of the job, company culture, and values. The onboarding process should extend beyond the first day, ensuring that new hires continuously feel engaged, informed, and supported as they integrate into the organization.
Feedback and Evaluation: Implement regular feedback mechanisms to gauge new hires’ progress and satisfaction. This helps identify and address any issues promptly. Encourage open communication, so employees feel comfortable discussing their concerns and getting support.
Mentorship and Support: Offer mentorship opportunities within your CRE organization. Seasoned employees can guide new hires, helping them navigate the complexities of the industry and providing emotional support. A mentorship program fosters a sense of belonging and loyalty.

Onboarding is Key to Future Success

When you onboard a new CRE hire, you’re not just showing them to their new desk. You’re carefully
following best practices to ensure long-term productivity and fulfillment. This isn’t a mere checklist, but
an investment into the future.
Follow these ten steps, and you can significantly enhance your onboarding process and create a
profitable future for your CRE business. This will not only reduce turnover but also create a more
inclusive and supportive work environment.
After all, in the competitive world of commercial real estate, this is key. Effective onboarding is a vital
step that helps build a loyal and dynamic workforce dedicated to your company’s success.

Sources:
– How to Inspire Higher Employee Retention – Building Careers (buildingrecareers.com)
– A Guide to Onboarding New Hires (For First-Time Managers) (hbr.org)
– The Cost of a Bad Hire and How to Get it Right | Building Careers, LLC (buildingrecareers.com)
– The Need for Diversity and Inclusiveness Leadership in CRE – Building Careers
(buildingrecareers.com)
– How to Find Fulfillment at Work – Building Careers (buildingrecareers.com)
– 14 Onboarding Best Practices (2023 Guide) – Forbes Advisor

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How to Make the Most of Your New CRE Hire

Managing Expectations with New CRE Hires

Launching the journey with a new CRE hire mirrors guiding a ship into uncharted waters. As a CRE veteran, you may grasp the essence of charting the correct course right from the outset. But your new hire may not have that high-level perspective just yet. Clarity is paramount when integrating this new team member. You have to set expectations.

Paint a vivid canvas of their role. Detail responsibilities to illustrate their contribution. The CRE industry’s diversity makes it necessary to outline specifics that pertain to their position, encompassing daily tasks, pivotal projects, and colleague interactions.

Managing expectations encompasses more than just task details. It’s preparing them for the journey, challenges, and triumphs. Share potential hurdles like intricate negotiations, fostering resilience rather than fear. Assure growth as a core part of their journey, with opportunities to enhance skills through workshops and mentorship.

Managing expectations with a new hire is kind of like providing a telescope so they can see the end from the beginning and understand both large-scale and small-scale expectations. This prevents disillusionment and fosters purpose, highlighting their role’s significance.

Coaching and Developing New Hires

Every new CRE hire is an investment in the future, and coaching them for success is pivotal. Rather than just tossing them into the deep end, take a mentorship approach to develop their potential. Provide guidance, ongoing feedback, and tailored training to help them navigate the intricacies of the industry. Encourage questions, foster a culture of learning, and ensure that they have access to resources that support their growth.

Consider implementing a buddy system where seasoned colleagues can offer insights and advice. This not only accelerates their learning curve but also nurtures a sense of belonging within the team. Even a lackluster hire can become a great hire through good management and coaching. Ensuring Long-Term Success Through Retention

As the saying goes, “Retaining top talent is easier than finding it.” Once you’ve invested time and effort in cultivating your new hire, you want to ensure they remain an integral part of your team. To achieve this, adopt effective retention strategies that make them feel valued and invested in the organization’s success.

New hires in commercial real estate are often ambitious and eager to climb the ladder. So, provide them with a roadmap that outlines potential growth within the company. Discuss how their role can evolve as they learn and take initiative. Encourage their development through the use of rewards and recognition. Feeling appreciated motivates employees to stay committed and engaged. Help them to enjoy their work. The CRE life can be demanding, but promoting work-life balance is crucial for long-term retention. Encourage taking breaks, utilizing flexible schedules, and maintaining a healthy equilibrium between work and personal life. Cultivate an environment where new hires feel comfortable sharing their aspirations and concerns.

And keep the lines of communication open. Regular check-ins can help you understand their needs and adapt accordingly, fostering a sense of trust. Keep them learning through workshops, industry seminars, and opportunities to gain new certifications. Employees are more likely to stay invested when they see that their growth matters to the organization.

Their Success is Your Success

When managing a new CRE hire, remember that their success in the CRE industry is a reflection of your investment in their potential. It’s not just about hiring good people; it’s also about nurturing those people to be even better leaders. Give them the tools they need.

As leaders in this field, we have the privilege of shaping careers. By instilling in your new hire a sense of purpose, nurturing their growth, and valuing their contributions, we are not just building a workforce – we are building a legacy.

So, embrace the opportunity to make the most of your new hire. You can achieve long-term success by a careful and strategic approach and by implementing proven management principles.

Sources:
– How to Manage Your New Hire Expectations – Real8 Group
– https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/developing-employee
– https://buildingrecareers.com/2021/02/11/how-to-inspire-higher-employee-retention/
– https://buildingrecareers.com/2023/02/02/5-proven-ways-to-make-better-hires

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What Is Salary Transparency and How to Prepare

Blog, Employers, Job Search, Set Yourself Up For Success

Compensation has historically been considered a taboo subject, but that’s changing. Online job postings and self-reported wage tools have made it easier than ever for your candidates and employees to research pay. Many employees are discussing compensation among themselves at work. And an increasing number of employers are embracing salary transparency.

Salary transparency — also known as pay transparency or wage transparency — is the practice of openly communicating information about compensation with employees and candidates. This can look a little different at each company. While some companies share all salary data publicly, some simply disclose how salaries are determined with each team member. Many employers also share salary ranges so team members understand their earning potential in a given role.

Legislation Is Driving Higher Salary Transparency

Pay transparency isn’t just a good way to be more open and honest with your employees — it is more and more often the law.

New pay transparency laws crop up regularly and legislation differs by jurisdiction. It’s important to stay on top of the local laws and regulations where your company operates or has employees.

Within the United States, for example:

California’s new pay transparency law became effective on January 1, 2023. It requires covered employers to include pay ranges on every job posting and share pay ranges with employees for their current position.
New York’s law will go into effect in September 2023, requiring that employers disclose pay or a pay range for all jobs, promotions, and transfer opportunities that can or will be performed in the state.
Maryland employers must provide the wage range for a given position upon an applicant’s request.
Cincinnati employers must provide a pay range after a conditional offer of employment has been made.

Similar pay transparency laws, including The European Union’s Pay Transparency Act, are being proposed globally. It will require employers to include a salary range in job posts or before an interview. It also gives employees the right to request information about their individual pay level and the average pay level for colleagues doing similar work.

These laws are driving higher pay transparency. Nearly one in five organizations report being transparent largely due to regulations, though another 42% say their transparency goes beyond what’s required or motivated by regulations alone.

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Smart Interview Questions You Should Be Asking

Blog, Interview Tips, Set Yourself Up For Success

You’re sitting under the fluorescent lights of an unfamiliar conference room across from the person who may decide the fate of your job search, trying desperately to remember that perfect story you prepared and wondering if the AC is always set to “arctic blast.” Or maybe you’re at home in front of the most professional wall in your apartment, looking at your interviewer on a computer screen and hoping your camera won’t shift and reveal the stack of empty La Croix cans you forgot to move before the Zoom call started.

Then, the hiring manager asks the interview question you know is a signal that things are about to wrap up: “Do you have any questions for me?”

No matter how much power you might feel like employers hold in the situation, a job interview isn’t just a chance for the hiring manager to grill you—it’s your opportunity to sniff out whether a position would be as great for you as you would be for the position. So it’s vital to ask some questions of your own. What do you want to know about the role? The company? The department? The team? The person interviewing you who may be your future boss, coworker, or mid-afternoon coffee buddy?

To get you thinking, we’ve put together a list of the best, smart interview questions for your upcoming interview. We definitely don’t suggest asking all of them rapid-fire—some of this stuff will be covered during the course of your discussion, and you’ll have specific questions about any given job or workplace.

So this list isn’t the be-all and end-all—it’s your jumping-off point.

Best Tips For Asking An Employer Questions

Before we get to the list, here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

Don’t say you have no questions. You probably already know that whether you’re stressed or relaxed, whether you think you’ve fumbled the conversation badly or you’ve got this job in the bag, the worst thing you could say is, “Nope, I’m good.”
Be flexible. It’s OK (and encouraged) to jot down a few questions ahead of your interview, but don’t be afraid to deviate from the list if your questions have already been answered and/or if your discussion prompts a few more questions you’d like answered. Plus, you don’t want to sound like you’re reading the questions off some sort of internet list rather than having a real conversation.
Ask at least a few specific questions. Show you’re invested and you’ve been paying attention throughout the interview process by customizing your questions to the specific position and company—and reminding your interviewers of the background knowledge and experience you bring to the role.

Smart Interview Questions To Ask About The Job

Make sure you have a handle on exactly what the day-to-day responsibilities of the job will be—both now and in the future. This will help you make an informed decision if and when that job offer comes and avoid Shift Shock or a toxic workplace.

What does a typical day or week look like in this role? (Or one of these alternatives.)
What are the most immediate projects that need to be addressed?
Can you show me examples of projects I’d be working on?
What are the skills and experiences you’re looking for in an ideal candidate?
What attributes does someone need to have in order to be really successful in this position?
What types of skills is the team missing that you’re looking to fill with a new hire?
What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?
What sort of budget would I be working with?
Is this a new role or will I be taking over for an employee who’s leaving?
How does this position contribute to the company overall?
Do you expect the main responsibilities for this position to change in the next six months to a year?

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Upskilling: What Is It and How It Can Help You

Blog, Industry Insights, Set Yourself Up For Success

Upskilling is the process of adding new competencies to an existing skill set. Employers may upskill staff through corporate training programs in order to gain a more proficient workforce. Workers may upskill themselves via continuing education, certification, and private training.

How To Upskill

Upskilling builds on your current proficiencies through training, education, or on-the-job learning. Unlike reskilling, which involves learning an entirely new skill set, upskilling adds to the knowledge you already possess.

Major employers including Walmart, Verizon, and Marriott make heavy investments in upskilling and reskilling programs. Many employer-sponsored programs focus on hard skills like coding, cloud computing, and digital marketing. But soft skills are also in demand—Verizon’s Skill Forward program focuses on communication and teamwork, as well as technical skills. In a ZipRecruiter survey, 93% of employers said that soft skills play a critical role in their hiring decisions.

You can also upskill yourself on your own, taking continuing education classes, participating in internships, or completing a certification. Upskilling can help you become better at your job, earn a promotion, or adapt to new challenges in your industry. It can also help you future-proof your career!

Rapidly evolving industries mean that even workers who stay in their current jobs will need to add to their skill sets in order to stay current.

Upskilling Example

Let’s say that you’re a software developer. You have a bachelor’s degree in computer and information technology and several years of experience designing and developing software to suit users’ needs.

You like your job, which allows you to use your creativity and problem-solving skills to help design new solutions to challenging issues. But your ultimate career goal is to become a chief technology officer, which may require you to earn an MBA and gain experience as a computer and information systems manager.

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What’s Your Communication Style in the Workplace?

Blog, Set Yourself Up For Success

Wouldn’t it be a dream to run a highly productive business where there’s little to no drama? Of course! That sounds freaking awesome…and impossible, right? Wrong.

The key to a highly successful, low drama business is effective, intentional communication. You’ve got to make it a priority—and part of your company culture. Seriously. As the quality of your communication goes up, the amount of frustration your team feels goes down. They can focus on the right things, build greater trust in one another, create an amazing customer experience, and get more work done—aka all the ingredients for a successful (and profitable) business. And all of that starts with knowing your communication style.

But figuring out how to build trust through your communication style can feel like swimming through a sea of muck at first—slow, hard, and maybe even a little stinky. But whether you lead a business of five team members or 500, it’s up to you to understand the four main types of communication styles. Then you can use the best style to set the stage for a culture of listening—one that makes your team feel heard and open to sharing.

Communication Styles Defined

A communication style is the way someone talks to and interacts with others. When it comes to your style, are you large and in charge, tight-lipped and soft-spoken, or somewhere in between? Both your business communication style (how you interact professionally) and your personal communication style (how you interact outside of work) show up in the way you write, speak and act. And these styles are influenced by your personality, degree of self-awareness, and confidence level.

These are the four main types of communication styles we’ll unpack:

Passive
Aggressive
Passive aggressive
Assertive

All of us use one style the most, but we can see any of these styles rise to the surface—depending on the situation and what buttons are pushed. The goal is for you to build the habit of using assertive communication even in moments when you want to communicate in a different, less effective way.

Passive Communication Style

On the surface, the passive communication style looks like a neutral attitude about a topic or situation—as if you don’t have a strong opinion or that you’re willing to let whatever happens happen. One more note about passive communicators–they don’t actively look for attention. Most dread confrontation—so they defer to others in uncomfortable situations and for decision-making. But here’s the thing: If you’re a leader, being passive isn’t an option. Leaders lead.

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