🎓 It’s graduation season—and the outreach has begun.
College seniors, MREDs, and MBAs are calling, emailing, and messaging in search of internships or full-time roles in commercial real estate. The real estate industry remains a just-in-time hiring model! At RETS Associates, we receive this kind of inbound traffic regularly.
But here’s the reality – our clients hire us to find candidates with proven CRE experience. While we want to support rising talent, we can’t personally respond to every student inquiry without shifting focus from our core mission—delivering for our clients.
👉 To help, we’ve created resources you can easily share with students reaching out to you. Whether it’s job-hunting tips, resume advice, or networking guidance, our goal is to make it easier for you to provide real value without taking too much of your time.
Below are some tips for college students trying to land their first job in #CRE.  👊
#CommercialRealEstate #CREjobs #GraduationSeason #Mentorship #MRED #MBA #RETSAssociates #CREtalent
Tips for College Students Landing Their First Job in Commercial Real Estate
- Do Your Homework Before Reaching Out
- Research both the company and the people you’re engaging with.
- Use LinkedIn to learn about their background, career path, recent posts, and shared connections.
- Understand the company’s portfolio, culture, and recent news—this shows genuine interest.
- Set Up Google Alerts
- Create Google Alerts for companies you’re interviewing with or networking around.
- This gives you real-time updates and industry news to help you sound informed and engaged before, during, and after meetings.
- Mentioning something timely (e.g., a recent deal or award) in a conversation can really set you apart.
- Be Respectful of People’s Time
- When someone agrees to meet with you as a favor, be ultra-flexible.
- Let them set the time, place, and format—don’t try to make it work for your schedule.
- Acknowledge their generosity and keep it short unless they offer more time.
- Send Thoughtful Follow-Ups
- Always send a thank you email the same day after a meeting or interview.
- Mention one or two specific things from the conversation to show you were present and engaged.
- Go the extra mile: follow up with a handwritten note to leave a lasting impression—few people do this anymore, so it really stands out.
- Show That You’re Invested
- Demonstrate that you’ve taken time to understand their business and how you could contribute.
- Don’t be generic—tailor your outreach and interview answers to the role and company.
- Ask smart questions that show curiosity about the market, recent transactions, or company direction.
- Be Proactive and Professional
- If you’re trying to break in, don’t wait for your phone to ring—network hard.
- Request informational interviews and express interest, but don’t ask for a job outright.
- Always dress professionally, show up early, and treat every interaction like it could lead to an opportunity.
- Stay Organized and Consistent
- Keep a spreadsheet of contacts, conversations, and follow-ups.
- Track who you’ve met, when you followed up, and any notes from meetings or interviews.
- Building a network is a long game—stay in touch even if there’s no immediate opportunity.
đź“Š Gen Z Job Search Trends to Know
Understanding the current job market can help you set realistic expectations. Here are three trends from Handshake’s 2025 report that new grads should keep in mind:
1. Students Still Want Remote Jobs, But They’re Scarce
What this means for you: CRE roles are often in-person. Flexibility with location and workstyle gives you more options.
2. Employer Brand Matters
Students care about more than just salary. These are the top values shown in employer content:
3.Top trending majors for the Class of 2025
What this means for you: If you’re majoring in business, finance, or a related field, commercial real estate could be a strong fit — especially for roles in acquisitions, development, or investment analysis.
