For most real estate professionals, working a sales funnel is second nature.

But when asked to define and work a recruiting funnel, things get a little cloudy.

Why? Because many recruiters and hiring managers see the recruiting process as short and transactional.

Of course there is a transactional phase, but the most effective recruiting work is proactive, patient, and responsive to the timeline of the prospect.

The real estate recruiting funnel typically has these components:

Attracting: all the activities that cause prospects to apply and/or agree to be contacted.

Engaging: all the activities that cause prospects to feel understood; including initial interviews/face-to-face meetings.

Nurturing: all the activities that inform and educate prospects of the unique benefits of your opportunity as it relates to their circumstances.

Hiring: all the activities that cause hiring transactions to close.

Onboarding: all the activities that cause the first 90 days of the new hires’ experiences to exceed their expectations.

This framework helps us remember there’s a natural pace and process that honors talented prospects—it makes them feel valued and respected.

Shortcutting this process commonly leads to a reduced number of low-quality hires.