Hello:

I've read/heard how important new agent training is when choosing a brokerage.

Can anyone tell me exactly what I should expect with respect to new agent training?

What should I learn?

Can I self-train using Dirk Zeller or similiar materials?

What is better, a structured training program, or no formal training and a broker and management team always available to answer questions?

Thank you in advance for your input.

This is a great question! I chose the route of no formal training (outside of studying my course material intently), and then relied on assistance from my broker and colleagues when I ran into no conventional issues. For example, when transacting on a property with a well and septic, every county has their own requirements. Some cities require point of sale inspections, some cities require code compliance, some transactions involved pending or levied assessments, etc. You may want to research these topics I mentioned above proactively, and/or maybe shadow an agent on your team for a couple transactions to gain confidence in your knowledge. Good luck!

Get as much sales training as you possibly can. Study on your own and take any training that your brokerage offers. Sales is an art just like playing an instrument. If you want to get good study and practice, study and practice.

[quote=GREALTOR]Get as much sales training as you possibly can. Study on your own and take any training that your brokerage offers. Sales is an art just like playing an instrument. If you want to get good study and practice, study and practice.[/quote]

hmmm, don't agree with this one. Playing an instrument is about study and practice but sales??

You need to know how to sell. Get selling for dummies by Tom Hopkins. It is a good start.

Whether you prefer a formal training program or something hands-off would be very dependent on your individual learning style. For me, I'm independent and learn better when I can go at my own pace (whether faster/slower than a classroom setting). And although there's emphasis on 'sales', I would also advise you to learn as much as possible about your local market, rules, regulations, escrow process, financing, etc. as your clients will be looking to YOU to guide them (you don't need to have the answer to everything, but certainly have an overall big-picture knowledge of it and be able to send them to the appropriate resource). It really is one of those things that you don't know how much you don't know until you learn it. Best of luck.