Five Tips for Writing a Real Estate Resume

If you're like most real estate professionals, you had a career prior to real estate. For some of you that career was related to real estate sales. For most of us, our previous careers were in a completely unrelated field.

One thing we all probably have is a resume—likely three or four versions. Most professional careers require them as a starting point in the job-hunting process. When applying for jobs online, we attach them to our electronic applications. You might even have one on file at a job hunting site like Monster.com.

Resumes in real estate

As wildly popular as resumes are in the professional world, why do you rarely see them being used in real estate? I don't have the definitive answer to that question.

A resume is a great way to capture your experience, cite your accomplishments and communicate your background to a prospective employer. Maybe that's why the resume is rare in the real estate world—our employers, brokerages, typically don't ask for them.

Consider this: Your client is also your employer. OK, maybe technically and legally a client isn't your employer, but don't you in many ways work for them? Aren't they looking to 'hire' a real estate agent when you first make contact with them? Whether the contact is via a website, a listing presentation, or a networking function, that prospect is thinking about hiring a real estate agent.

So send them a resume!

Resume writing tips

There are countless websites and resources you can peruse for tips on resume writing. But most of them don't offer advice specifically about writing real estate resumes. Here are five tips to help you craft an effective real estate resume.

1. Watch the alphabet soup

Certainly you want your resume to include professional training and classes you've taken, and some of those probably include your real estate designations. Remember though, the vast majority of consumers have no idea what ABR or CRS means, or how it might help them. So in addition to listing the CRS designation behind your name, make sure to explain what getting that designation entails, and how it benefits the consumer.

2. Quantify your experience

Avoid cliche sayings like, 'I'm a top producing agent.' What does that really mean? Honestly, it means nothing to a consumer and sounds like marketing speak. Use numbers. For example, 'My team helped 114 people buy or sell a home last year' or 'In the last year, I helped 23 buyers and 14 sellers through a real estate transaction.'

3. Avoid jargon

Our business has a language of its own, referred to as 'real estate speak.' Avoid using phrasing in your real estate resume that consumers may not understand—or worse, misunderstand. Think about this statement, often found on agent's About Me page:

To many consumers, that sounds like you put a million dollars in the bank from real estate last year. We know what that means—that you sold homes whose prices add up to a million dollars. That's a far cry from banking a million bucks. Either leave the real estate speak off your resume, or rewrite it in language the average consumer will understand.

4. Include links to your credentials

Your clients are likely entering into the largest financial transaction of their lives. They probably don't know you from Adam. They probably also don't really know what real estate licensing and continuing education is about or even means. Help them. Besides providing your real estate sales license, link to your state's Department of Real Estate page, which verifies that you are licensed. Link to reviews and testimonials. Provide contact information for references from past clients (if you have their permission). This can help reassure your client that they are making the right decision in hiring you.

5. Distribute your resume

A resume that sits in a folder on your hard drive does no one any good. Make your resume a part of your listing presentation. Bring a hard copy (yes, a printed paper copy) to the listing presentation. It's a great way to showcase your skills and experience, and a potential seller can review it in-depth after you leave. Include a link to a your resume (preferably as a downloadable PDF) on your website (the About Me page), and on your social profiles and various online profiles.

A real estate resume may seem a little odd when you first think about it. Remember though that the vast majority of working professionals (your potential clients) know exactly what a resume is—and how to read one. It will set you apart from other agents who are vying for a consumer's business.