Here’s the thing about resumes: they tell you what someone’s done. They don’t tell you who someone is.
In this business, who someone is matters just as much as what’s written on their resume. A piece of paper can’t tell you if someone lights up in a conversation, how they read a room, or whether they have that relationship-builder instinct our industry runs on.
For sales and relationship roles, in-person connection isn’t optional—it’s everything. So, we decided to ditch the traditional interview playbook and deploy a process we’ve used in hiring lease-up sales teams, which is centered around real conversations.
Here’s how a hiring seminar and hands-on, in-person training helped us cut through the noise and find two exceptional new Sales and Relationship Associates.
Step 1: The Hiring Seminar
Instead of running through endless, repetitive 30-minute Zoom interviews, we made a ton of calls to standout applicants from Indeed and LinkedIn and invited them to meet us in person.
About 46 people showed up in that room.
We sat down one-on-one, face-to-face, with every single person. Everyone rolled up their sleeves for hands-on role-play right on the spot. Why? Because you can’t fake how someone shows up in a real conversation.
What the Seminar Showed Us:
-
True Presence: We got to see raw interpersonal agility, active listening, and tone—things no resume bullet point can ever capture.
-
Vibe Check: We observed how candidates handled real-time feedback, engaged with others in the room, and navigated spontaneous scenarios.
-
A Two-Way Test Drive: Candidates got an immediate, authentic feel for who we are, shifting the environment from an “interrogation” into a genuine, shared experience.
Step 2: In-Person Vetting and Training
Even after narrowing down the room, we weren’t done. The candidates who made it through were brought out to our office for intensive, in-person training.
We spent the week working through real assignments, pitch practice, role-play, and live presentations together.
It was their chance to see how they felt about working with us—and just as importantly, our chance to see how we felt about them. Being in the same room allowed us to give instant coaching, adjust subtle body language, and build genuine trust before Day 1 even ended.
Real Relationships Are How We Roll
By combining a high-energy hiring seminar with deep, hands-on training, we didn’t just fill seats. We brought on two incredible team members who stepped into their roles fully integrated, confident, and ready to build meaningful client relationships from week one.
That’s just how we roll at Rock Advisors Inc., Brokerage. Whether we’re sitting down with a developer or building our own internal team, it always starts the exact same way—real conversations, real relationships, and genuine connection.
We believe that’s exactly why our clients trust us with their biggest projects.