10 Things to Look for When Hiring a Relocation Professional

When creating a job description, it’s not just about hard skills. While technical skills and specific expertise in an area are very important, certain job functions can be easily taught if the person has the right personality and is open to learning. Do they have the emotional intelligence to fit into a variety of scenarios? You can find the best candidates by creating an avatar for the perfect hire and letting it be your guide. During the interview ask them to tell you a time when they exhibited the below traits. Their stories will reveal if they possess these characteristics. These traits don’t need to be listed on the job description, everyone will say they have them. Only through storytelling based on past experiences will you understand if they fit your company culture.

1.      Curiosity- Having curiosity pushes people to continuously want to learn and grow. Having a stagnant employee that is comfortable with the status quo is no good for anyone. Surround yourself with curious and ambitious people who are proactive and question why things are done the way they always have been. Moving forward by reflective learning helps us to not repeat past mistakes. Curious people tend to be passionate about everything they tackle because it interests them.

2.      Unflappable- As we know, challenging situations pop up from time to time in relocation. Having a person at the helm who can adapt, be flexible, and calmly navigate the situation hearing all sides of the story, and bringing it to a resolution is key. There are a lot of moving parts in relocation and they need to be able to navigate them with ease and pivot when necessary.

3. Business-minded- I’m not talking about someone who necessarily has a business degree or is an accountant. But someone who understands that they are basically running a business and the details matter. Even if they have never read a financial, are they willing to learn and take responsibility. Do they have integrity and the dedication to make independent decisions for the good of the company?

4.      Giving- Do they have the capacity and desire to help others learn and improve? Whether it is marketing or training, everything we do to nurture agents, clients, staff members, and peers means sharing our knowledge or time to move everyone around us forward. Are they willing to get involved with industry, community, and company events to share their time and expertise?

5.      Leader- Not everyone is a natural leader. But being a leader is more about enabling others to succeed than anything. Can they set the tone for the department in the company and externally and lead it to success? Great leaders know it’s not about them, it’s about those they lead. Confident and self-aware leaders create loyal employees, which is worth its weight in gold.  

6.      Detail Oriented- Seems obvious, but people who are unorganized can be time thieves. They can cost the company a lot of money by missing deadlines or being unable to efficiently operate. Someone who minds the details is dedicated to success. Being punctual and reliable shows respect for everyone involved.

7.      Compassion- Empathy and compassion are critical when dealing with families who are going through a stressful situation like relocating their family. If we can’t understand what their needs are, how can we meet them? When a person is compassionate, they understand what it is to work for the good of the team. The root of excellent customer service is compassion.

8.      Creativity- Sometimes decisions have to be made on the fly. Being a creative thinker encourages out-of-the-box thinking which leads to success and growth opportunities. Sometimes we have to be industrious to get things done.

9.      Communication- Finding a surefooted communicator is a real win. Are they self-aware and can they read a room and use life experiences to make decisions for the good of all? They have to know how to use their experiences to effectively convey information in a positive fashion. The way someone communicates is a representation of your company and culture and it is more important than ever now that so much communication is digital versus in person.

10.   Fun- I don’t really think this needs an explanation, but why work with dull people when you can work with fun ones?

  “Great vision without great people is irrelevant.”~ Jim Collins, Author of Good to Great