With Google searches for ‘estate agent jobs’ down 16% in the last year, Property Academy is urging agencies to be creative and think outside the box when it comes to attracting and retaining the best talent amid the ongoing recruitment challenge in the industry.

Recruitment is a growing struggle for many estate agencies across the UK, with many employers facing issues, leaving many firms short of quality staff.

Danielle Nash, operations director at Property Academy, says the key to tackling this problem is to be proactive, think differently and target potential employees from other sectors – putting transferable skills, personality and potential above experience.

She commented: “While recruitment may be posing a challenge currently, it is important to stay positive and start looking at different ways to attract fresh talent.

“Now is the time to get creative with your recruitment activities and consider reaching out to candidates from less traditional routes and backgrounds, who may not have as much industry experience but possess all the qualities that make for great agents.

“Fewer candidates have entered the talent pool over the last few years in light of the pandemic, so recruiting on experience alone is no longer the best strategy for ensuring you attract the best people.

“If you find people with the right attitude, ambition and attributes, whatever their working background, then you can use training and professional development opportunities to mould them into the perfect fit for your business.”

Findings from the LinkedIn 2023 Workplace Learning Report show three of the top five factors people consider when pursuing new jobs reflect their desire to grow and expand their role with the company, including new career challenges and opportunities to learn new skills.

Nash added: “We know that employees are much more likely to remain at companies where they feel valued, so investing in candidates who have the right mindset and showing you have faith in their abilities to learn the skills and develop the industry knowledge needed to fulfil the role will go a long way.”