Commercial Investment Real Estate is the magazine of the CCIM Institute, the leading provider of commercial real estate education. CIRE covers market trends, current developments, and business strategies within the commercial real estate field.
Issue link: http://cire.epubxp.com/i/102789
in our ofce." C&W; has seen hiring pick up across its broader network of afliates. Te company made 1,900 hires in 2011 and an additional 1,200 hires year-to-date through August 2012 across its 253 offices in 60 countries. Facing Fierce Competition Commercial real estate professionals who are actively looking for jobs or to advance their careers are finding an intensely competitive market. Candidates need to be on top of their game when it comes to setting themselves apart, sharpening their skills as they work to identify and secure new positions. Dan S. Martin, CCIM, CPM, RPA, can speak frsthand to the challenges in the current market. Despite an 18-year career in the industry and a reputation as a top investment sales broker, Martin found himself scrambling to fnd a job. Afer months of searching, he landed at the University of Illinois in September as the assistant director of real estate. In this job market, the key to finding opportunities is doing everything: networking with other CCIMs and using LinkedIn, Facebook, and Monster.com. "It is literally a full-time job," Martin says. "You can't assume that because your resume is put in one time that they are going to keep it in their top drawer. It doesn't work like that." Commercial real estate professionals are increasingly taking advantage of technology and new resources such as social media to network, maintain industry relationships, and search for available jobs. "The commercial real estate world is changing and within our jobs we need to continue to reinvent ourselves to adapt to this change," says Shawn E. Massey, CCIM, SCLS, a partner at Te Shopping Center Group in Memphis, Tenn. Massey uses Twitter and also writes his own retail blog at www.retailrocksinthe midsouth.com. As a graduate school adjunct professor at the University of Memphis, Massey mentors both students and friends on the importance of using resources such as LinkedIn to identify job opportunities. "Although, faceto-face networking is by far the best way to create a new opportunity, I see multiple jobs offered through the various groups I belong to every day," he says. Real estate professionals are using the downturn to enhance skills, which can be an added bonus when trying to diferentiate themselves in a crowded feld of worthy job candidates. Designations such as CCIM do make a diference. Professionals also are taking the time to pursue professional designations, complete graduate degree programs, and take additional training or courses on fnancial analysis sofware, such as Argus. Ashley Bishop, CCIM, a broker at Southeast Venture in Nashville, Tenn., opted to use the economic recovery period to sharpen his brokerage skills, build on his knowledge, and focus on networking and strengthening relationships. "I thought that if I could do that, then when we came out of this recession, I would be in a pretty good position," Bishop says. He started his career as a mortgage banker in the 1990s and moved into the commercial real estate sector in 2006 where he worked on developing NNN retail properties. Even though that business came to a screeching halt when the recession hit, Bishop opted to stay in brokerage and decided that it was an opportune time to sharpen his skills. He obtained his CCIM designation in September 2011. Even as the market recovers, real estate frms remain cautious, and as such, hiring has been slow to increase. "When companies do hire for either newly created positions or replacement positions, there is quite a bit of focus on assessing talent, identifying top performers, and making the right hire, not only for today, but for the future," says Katie M. Becker, a managing principal at Christenson Advisors in Oakbrook Terrace, Ill. Te f rm provides executive recruiting and consulting services to the real estate industry. Te fip side is that candidates also are much savvier than they have been in the past. They are assessing the viability of future employers. "Many smart and talented employees found themselves out of a job despite their own performance, and they are using great care when considering their next move," she adds. In order to land that top talent, companies need to have a strong message as to why somebody should join their organization, Becker says. Real estate frms need to communicate the short- and long-term benefts of working for their organization to any future employees. Tat is something that candidates are taking into consideration, because they want long-term stability. Professionals also recognize that too much "job hopping" is not attractive to future employers. "Some of that has been out of their control, but candidates are being careful to make sure that the next move is the right move," she adds. Beth Mattson-Teig is a business writer based in Minneapolis. SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS WITH WARD CENTER COURSES CCIMs looking to move their careers forward can update their skills either online or in the classroom through CCIM's Ward Center for Real Estate Studies. Almost 20 courses are scheduled for the first half of 2013, with offerings in negotiation skills, disposition analysis, valuation techniques, and much more. Go to www.CCIM.com/education/ward-center to find courses that fit your schedule. CCIM.com January | February | 2013 41