How confident are you that you really know the specific requirements of a top-performing person for each of your positions, as well as within your organizational culture? How might they differ?

When we work with clients, we define the key characteristics required for success, and it often leads to some surprises. What managers think they need in abilities or traits may not be entirely accurate. The best way to identify the right combination of traits is to use an assessment like the PXT Select™.

We often conduct studies of certain industries or roles. And, one example where we were a bit surprised by the results was when we studied the key characteristics of leasing specialists for our property management clients. Leasing specialists are considered to be part of the sales force, which means we’re looking for people who are great at multitasking, display high energy and behave very independently. But what we learned was, that in most cases, we really needed the opposite for this particular role.

Curious? Learn more below.

An effective residential leasing specialist is great at selling, right?

Absolutely! But wait for it…

The most successful leasing agents are NOT especially competitive, high energy, independent, sociable or emotionally tough like typical counterparts in many other sales-type positions. Rather, their key traits include being sensitive, intuitive and empathetic. They operate with a people-first mentality.

After more than 20 years of benchmarking the behavioral characteristics of top-performing leasing agents at a wide variety of property management firms, we’ve learned that this role requires a very different approach to sales.

Let’s consider what a residential leasing agent really does.

Their primary responsibility is to help people choose their next home, which is often the largest expense of their personal budget. It’s an emotional sale. Residents will qualify an apartment based on price, size, style and location. But even when every box is checked, they’ll run in the opposite direction if the leasing agent fails to earn trust by making a personal connection.

Potential residents need to visualize themselves living in the rental unit. They want nice amenities, but a great community matters, too. And, above all, renters need to trust that when maintenance or unforeseen repairs are required, they will be done immediately. A leasing agent that displays a high degree of empathy by actively listening to the needs of the prospect is far more likely to lease the apartment.

From our experience with using tools like the PXT Select™, we have found there are five key traits that you need to look for to hire a natural-born leasing agent:

Competitiveness

More often than not, they will be willing to support someone else’s plan, rather than demand others to go along with them. A key difference for these types of sales people is that they are more team-oriented and motivated by inclusion. They don’t need to be “winners” at all costs or be the one that is the “top of the heap”. They are more likely to challenge a leader only if it would aid the effectiveness of the team.

Self-Reliance, Independent

They actually prefer guidance and supervision. They look for it versus what you might typically see in most sales positions.

Persistence

They occasionally will be willing to continue working toward an objective, even past regular working hours. They do have some limits, but overall they are very persistent, and don’t need a lot of support when it comes to persistency. This really relates to follow through: they are very good at continuing to follow up and follow through.

Pace, Multitasking

They are not multi-taskers, but would rather have the chance to give attention to a moderate number of tasks so that their complete concentration can be applied in the most effective way. They want to focus on their prospect and won’t rush them. They’ll spend the time with them, making the prospect feel like they are extremely important.

Sales Drive

Customer service is paramount to them—instead of the sale. Yes, they are looking for a sale, but never at the expense of the customer service and the relationship they are building. They get great satisfaction from helping and making someone happy.

The best leasing agents value relationships over sales.

Leasing specialists “close deals” by becoming intimately attuned to what potential renters are looking for in a home. They’re matchmakers who are focused on building a strong relationship for the long term—one that hopefully leads to multiple lease terms.

Need help hiring more effective leasing specialists or reducing turnover? Contact Valerie Oldre at 952.470.0162 or email [email protected] to learn how our pre-hire assessment tools can help you identify the right talent.