Creating a Better Place to Fish for New Hires

by | Jun 30, 2025

Over the last 20 years, my kids and I have spent a lot of time exploring the alpine lakes in Washington State.

Most of these lakes are fed by the winter snow that slowly melts during the summer months.

The healthiest lakes have a robust stream feeding one end of the lake and another stream letting water out the other end.

As fishermen, we look for lakes with these characteristics because the constant flow of fresh water brings in the oxygen and nutrients needed to support a vibrant ecosystem with lots of trout.

The same principle applies when you’re attempting to build and sustain a healthy recruiting system.

Hiring managers often make the mistake of letting their recruiting databases become stagnant.

They attempt to work the same list of prospects hoping circumstances will change and hires will materialize.

While it’s important to nurture viable recruiting prospects over time, there is no substitute for capturing a consistent flow of new recruiting leads.

The new possibilities bring energy and hope to your recruiting ecosystem.

Your prospects will sense new energy, and your mindset will become more hopeful.

You’re making it a much better place to fish for new hires.

 

The Simple Psychology of Real Estate Recruiting [2nd Edition]

Unlock the secrets of effective real estate recruiting. Revised to include actionable frameworks for sharper execution and to help you turn psychological theory into a repeatable recruiting system.

The Attrition Variables

The Attrition Variables

While these attrition constants still have the greatest influence, there are some emerging attrition variables worth noting. People also tend to leave companies when: They feel like they’re not doing as well as others in their peer group outside the company. They feel like they’re not as far along as they should be at a certain point in life.

The Attrition Constants

The Attrition Constants

If you’re not focusing most of your retention effort on these issues, you’ll miss the mark. If you’re not focusing most of your recruiting effort on exploiting these weaknesses among your competitors, you’re missing the best opportunities.

The Persistence Mindset

The Persistence Mindset

A leader equipped with this mindset can have a profound effect on the life and career of each individual they engage. It works because an agent is getting a real-time glimpse of what it would be like to work on your team. But it only becomes believable when it is persistently applied over time.