Simon Cohen’s Five Minute Interview Rule
10 May 2023
Written by Acme Mag
When it comes to real estate, you have a limited amount of time to make an impression. Whether you’re at an open talking to potential buyers or in a job interview selling yourself to a potential boss, impressions matter. Simon Cohen, the founder and CEO of Cohen Handler, knows this well.
Impressions are a key part of how Simon does business. from meeting with high profile clients, to working on Luxe Listings, to finding top recruits for Cohen Handler, Simon knows best that you only have five minutes to make a good impression.
There are a myriad of factors to consider when it comes to who to add to your team, but for Simon it comes down to passion. Even if you don’t have a large amount of experience, passion usually means a willingness to learn.
“It’s something you can see straight away in an interview,” says Simon, “I tend to do five minute interviews and I can pick it up straight away. A lot of people think they didn’t get the job because the interview was short – but it’s the same as when you go on a date. You know in the first five minutes if there’s compatibility”.
“I have a silly analogy, if you’re passionate about milking cows you can become the next great dairy farmer. Passion is key in any business. I’ve hired people in the past who didn’t have a lot of experience, but their passion meant their potential to learn and become successful was so much higher.”
Simon says he also looks for key attributes such as integrity, dedication to hard work, and honour. A candidate with these qualities can be an asset to any agency. Whether it’s as an admin assistant, property manager, buyer’s agent.
In this industry, we’re all aware of the data that real estate agents are among the least trusted professions – which is why business philosophy is so important. Simon says he is guided by doing the right thing for his team and his clients.
“I think doing things ethically and honourably is the most important thing in business. I think if you do the right thing by your team and your clients, it might not seem like it to them in the beginning, but it always comes back to you in the long run.”
Being an agent means being client facing, which is why those first five minutes are integral to the process. The impression you make on Simon, is the impression you’ll make when talking to clients for the first time.
To read more about what potential bosses look for when hiring, read our feature question on the right hiring attributes here.
