Never turn down an invitation to interview – it’s the best way to learn more about a firm, and a good way to practice your interview skills.
Before the Interview
- You can’t ever be overdressed for an interview.
- Bring copies of your resume, letters of recommendation, portfolio, notepad and pen, list of questions.
- Rehearse to prepare for interview questions, record yourself.
- Reflect on what your strengths and weaknesses are. Where do you want to be in 5, 10 years?
- Research of the firm.
- Get directions. Arrive EARLY!
- Collect data and insights on salary ranges that are appropriate for the position and region where you will live and work.
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During the Interview
- Greet (alert, positive, polite, firm handshake – not too eager, nervous, or lethargic)
- Connect with the interviewer (make eye contact, attentive body posture, lean forward, do not slouch, refrain from nervous ticks)
- Be a good listener (active listening, take notes, answer questions)
- Be confident (while being humble), be at ease
- Be able to converse on topics other than your own work
- Be honest – if you don’t know the answer to a question if you are stumped
- Try to imagine yourself working there and if it feels like a fit
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Ask Questions During
the Interview!
- Prepare in advance. Do the research
Become curious about the firm’s founding philosophy, culture, values, etc
- Ask about daily responsibilities you will be entrusted with if you were to be offered a position
- Ask about their long-term views
- Ask about how hiring decisions are made (immediate hire vs strategic hire, long or short term)
- Ask if the firm supports mentorships/extended learning courses, etc.
- Ask about their charity/pro-bono work (if interested in that)
- Ask about projects that you could be assigned to if you were to be offered a position
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After the Interview:
Follow-up
- Send LinkedIn invites to the interviewers: Expand your professional network regardless of whether or not you get the position. Don’t burn bridges.
- Send a “thank you” letter/email: restate your interest in the job AND what you learned during the interview. Use this as an opportunity to discuss what your interviewer neglected to ask or what you neglected to answer as thoroughly, or as well, as you would have liked.
- Call or email the interviewer if you have not heard by the date promised – check instructions to see if phone calls are not allowed.
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Sample Interview Questions
Brian Krueger, best-selling career author, and former VP Global Talent Acquisition at Amazon.com… you can use almost any question as a launching pad
for a particular topic or compelling story…
- “Tell me about yourself” does not mean tell me everything. Just tell me what makes you the best.
- Why should I hire you?
- What is your long-range objective? Have a five-year, ten-year plan. The key is to focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing to reach those objectives.
- How has your education prepared you for your career?
- Are you a team player?: not a yes/no question
- Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? How was it resolved?: Focus your answer on the behavioral process for resolving the conflict and working collaboratively
- What is your greatest weakness?: Talk about a true weakness and show what you are doing to overcome it.
- If I were to ask your professors (or your boss) to describe you, what would they say?: be prepared in advance with your letters of recommendation.
- What qualities do you feel a successful manager should have?
- When can I expect to hear from you?
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- If you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you change?: Focus on a key turning point in your life or missed opportunity. Yet also tie it forward to what you are doing to still seek to make that change.
- How would you describe your ideal job?
- What motivates you?
- Tell me about something that’s not on your resume
- How do you handle failure?
- How do you handle success?
- How does this job fit in with your career plan?
- What are the prospects for growth and advancement? How does one advance in the company?
- What do you like about working here?
- What don’t you like about working here and what would you change?
- Soliciting input on how the portfolio and interview performance could be improved.
- Do you have any reservations about my qualifications?
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CRE Career Paths
Roles & Career Levels in the CRE Industry: BOMA Report
Executive Leadership
- Owner/President /Principal
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/ Chief
Operating Officer (COO)
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
- Senior Vice President
- Vice President/Regional Director
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Asset Management
- Managing Director of Asset Management/
Director of Asset Services
- Acquisition Officer
- Asset Manager
- Transaction/Financial Analyst REAL ESTATE
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Management
- Director of Property Management
- General Manager/Senior Property
Manager
- Property Manager/ Building Manager/
Operations Manager
- Assistant Property Manager/ Property Administrator
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Facilities Management
- Facilities Manager
- Trades Supervisor
- Utility Manager
- Sustainability Manager FINANCE
- Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
- Controller
- Property Accountant/ Accounts Coordinator/ Accounting Manager MARKETING AND
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Leasing
- Director of Leasing/Marketing
- Leasing Agent/Broker
- Transaction Manager
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Construction, Renovation, and Tenant Improvements
- Capital Projects Manager/Project Manager/Construction Manager
- Construction or Project Coordinator
- Director of Planning and Space Planner
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Development
- Director of Acquisitions & Development/Acquisition
- Investment Manager/ Development Manager
- Construction Manager/ Project Manager
- Construction Engineer/ Superintendent
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Administration
- Office Administrator
- Lease Administrator
- Property or Portfolio Administrator/Assistant
- Tenant Services Coordinator
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Commercial Real Estate Lending
Relationship Managers (RMs) or Loan Originators/Officers typically handle all of the sales activities by sourcing deals, negotiating deal terms, and shepherding a loan through the internal approval process.
Analysts work with RMs to gather required loan documentation and underwrite prospective loans.
Credit Officers provide approvals on loans and protect the lending institutions’ risk profile of the commercial loan portfolio.
Underwriters conduct research to ensure applicants represent themselves truthfully and determine the potential borrower’s creditworthiness.
Asset Managers, The broad objective of asset management is to maximize property value and investment returns. This means reducing expenditures when possible, finding the most consistent and highest sources of revenue, and mitigating liability and risk, among other things.
Commercial Real Estate Development
Commercial real estate development includes renovation and re-lease, land acquisition, and the sales of assets to others. Development companies can be small regional LLCs or large institutional organizations. Mist Development companies specialize in a type of commercial real estate and roles involve: Creating, imagining, funding, controlling, and marketing the development process with a team that handles design, construction, regulatory approvals, financing, investment analysis, construction, brokerage, and leasing.
Institutional Investors
Institutional investors include insurance companies, pension funds, endowments, and investment companies such as opportunity funds or REITs.
Roles may include:
Investment Banks
Investment banks raise debt and equity and typically work on larger transactions. This
often involves working with Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities (CMBS), public capital markets, and large corporate clients. Roles within these organizations are much
like those listed for Commercial Real Estate
Lenders. |
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Commercial Real Estate
Appraisal Career
Commercial real estate appraisers are responsible for estimating the value of the commercial property. Appraisers are licenses by the state based on various tests and experience requirements. |
Architects and Planners
Design usable and profitable spaces. Often, architects will specialize in a particular area. |
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General Contracting Firms
Coordinate the entire construction process including construction details coordinating with architects and engineers and managing logistics. |
CRE Attorneys
Are involved in all aspects of when a
commercial property is bought, sold, leased,
or financed. |
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Property Manager
Manage investment properties, address maintenance needs, and screen and manage tenants. Good analytic skills and an eye for details, local codes, and ordinances are important. |
Head of Marketing
Experienced marketers need to market and advertise their business and develop targeted outbound and oversee inbound and leads to drive sales revenue. |
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Commercial Real Estate Agent
Requires a more technical knowledge than that of a single-family; Including tax laws, ordinances, and business concepts that are unique to the multiple aspects of the industry. |
Real Estate Investor
Analyze data and focus investment on
properties that have the biggest potential for profit and cash flow. They often have vast experience in the CRE industry. |
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Property Appraiser
Strong knowledge of the CRE market and the multi-layer aspects of CRE properties. |
Leasing Consultant
Assist property owners and property management companies to close deals on rentals. They are skilled at sales and have a
track record in the local market. |
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Commercial Leasing Manager
Acts as a go-between to expedite the leasing process for commercial real estate owners. It’s a more technical and high-stakes career, involving a lot of paperwork and the ability to understand complex financial transactions. |
More CRE Career and Salary Detail >
Insights from Recent Graduates
Riya Luthra
College: UC Berkeley
Major: Business Administration
Graduation Year: Fall 2021
“I found my passion in real estate as a Freshman at UC Berkeley through the Undergraduate Real Estate Club. I applied myself to different internships to gain a better understanding of the industry. For example, working on the Principal side with DivcoWest, Hines, and Blackstone gave me exposure to acquisitions, investor relations, development, and asset management.” Read more…
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Industry Resources
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