The Ultimate Guide to a Successful Interview

The Ultimate Guide to a Successful Interview If you haven’t attended an interview for a little while, things have changed while you were away. It’s now the equivalent of going out on a blind date and expecting that gorgeous person from the ad, but finding a multi-headed hydra answering the door to you. As you’re lured into the room, you have no idea what will attempt to savage you. Today, you need to raise your whole game by going in equipped with a strategy and tooled up tactically. What can bite you? Things used to be so easy. Tell me about yourself was the work-horse question from the traditional standard interview stable. This allowed everyone to settle down and, for the interviewee, things were very easy to handle in advance imagine questions, practice answers, calm the nerves. Unfortunately, only about four in ten hires proved fully successful. Competency-based interviews were born when employers began to match a candidates experience to the capabilities required for the role.  Tell me about a situation / time when you … is a characteristic question, and thankfully recognisable in an interview. Whereas competency based questions look back, scenario questions were then designed to get candidates to project forwards into situations they’ve not yet encountered, but might do. What would you do in a situation where … is typical. It was harder for candidates to rehearse for interviews, but by no means impossible so, to up the game further, strengths-based interviews were born. Questions are often shorter, sharper and can be more random. They’re designed to gain an insight into a candidate’s genuine likes and dislikes, on the grounds that theyll perform and deliver at their strongest if they work on things they enjoy. Next up were values-based interviews. Employers realised that candidates who actually care at a deep level about the ethics and morals surrounding their job, and see the worth, will be far more effective. Assessment days raise the game further. A whole range of tasks, interviews and tests are used whilst candidates are pitched head to head en masse, to identify the stand-out ones. Sub-optimal candidates are quietly bayoneted during the day and buried at the end. Sprinkle in creativity questions, presentations, testing, off-the-cuff summaries, profiling, round-the-table intros and the best question category of all the literally unanswerable question â€" “Pink is bigger than dark blue?” â€" and youve got a monster even Baron von Frankenstein couldn’t stitch together. The armoury of the average interviewer is now well stocked but the latest research from Robert Half UK confirms that hiring times have become longer, to the detriment of everyone. Faced with such complexity, how can you be sure of doing well on the day? Plan a strategy, execute your tactics It’s obvious that, to be selected for the role, you need to be the stand-out candidate. Nothing new there, but just that’s an aspiration. Strategically, you need to show that whilst every interviewee is in the frame, you deliver in spades on three separate fronts: you tick all of the boxes; you’re the one bringing more to the party by way of added value and you’re demonstrably the lowest risk. Your tactics then become the specific actions you can prepare and take. Get hard information Ring up and ask who’ll be present and the style of interview that will be used. Knowing will strongly increase your chances of hitting the mark on the day. If other candidates aren’t as well informed, you’re set to shine. Use all your experience Dig deep through your wider experience to cover any odd weakness. The fact you have an interview booked means that this isn’t yet a show-stopper, but if you’re pressed on a weakness at interview and you can plug the hole, you take away an easy cause for rejection. Re-research  to a much deeper level. Take in the people you’ll meet, new developments, the economic climate, competitors and the prospects for the whole sector. Develop an insight into the challenges the department or organisation faces and use that to inform your preparation. Prepare for the style of interview Draw up and rehearse a range of questions which link into the competencies, strengths and values required for the role. Whilst those exact questions won’t arise, recognising the style of a question, knowing a technique to deal with it and being familiar with relevant areas of your own experience will enable you perform at the very highest level. Determine your added-value This is very hard to do, but that’s the point and therein lies the value. The deeper the insight you gain about the organisation, the more opportunity you’ll have to show something about your background, qualifications or personality that offers a valuable bonus. Remember, better meeting the listed role or person specification is not added value, look beyond. Demonstrate capability Aim at being the no-risk candidate. In your preparation, don’t just find one example of a competency, strength or value, dredge up every example you can. Distil down for the best and, on the day, keep the backups in reserve so that you can seamlessly show depth, if probed. Win before you arrive Look at that hydra, smile confidently and know that you have the weapons to deal with it. You can’t control what comes at you, but you can control how you react to it. No one expects you to know everything, be everything and deliver utter perfection, (if they do, I suggest you don’t want to work for them), but if you’ve planned and prepared to the point where you can deal with the unexpected in the right way, you will get the recognition you deserve and that job offer you want. About the author: Jon Gregory is an author, editor, blogger trainer on all things job hunting, interview prep career development.

UW Clue Writing Center Resume

UW Clue Writing Center ResumeAre you planning to give a UW clue writing center resume to your best friend and if so what should it contain? If you want to become an employer then you need to make sure that you make your life easier by starting a long relationship with the people who work for you. The best thing that you can do for your career is to choose resume writing center that has been in this field for many years and that is dedicated to their customers' satisfaction.Wondering about what you should include in your resume? Most people do not have enough time to read all the information so they limit their search to just the basic things. Although this may be the case, a resume will be given a lot of attention when someone needs one. In this case you will need to make sure that you will be able to write something that will be memorable for your best friend.Outdated. All people like to see that their past job is not outdated. This will give them a great impression about your futur e work experiences. Make sure that your UW clue writing center resume will give a long lasting impression about you as an employer and as a person.A good suggestion is to make sure that you can relate with your present employer and that you can provide him a very professional impression. This will help in creating a good impression about you as an employer's person. You can also make your resume look better with the help of personalized details that can add a touch of class and style.Know your field. First impressions are made when you know the field that you will be applying in. Once you know the field then you can create a resume that will be more convincing and will stand out from other resumes. Once you have included a job description then you will also get the information that you need to help you relate to your potential employer.Always give accurate information. People have doubts about the resume and they tend to doubt the information. So always remember to take care of this . Include all the necessary details so that people will think that you are really giving a great presentation.Know the skill sets of your self. When a prospective employer will read your resume, he will know what your field of interest is. Therefore, do not include any irrelevant information about yourself so that the person reading your resume will be able to judge your skills.Make sure that you will give your resume in a prompt manner. People do not like it when they are not given time to think about what they are going to do next. Write a resume in a timely manner so that the person reading your resume will notice your urgency and will know that you are serious about your job. Keep in mind that making a good impression will help in making a good job search.

Personal Branding Interview Jeffrey Gitomer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Personal Branding Interview Jeffrey Gitomer - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I spoke to Jeffrey Gitomer, who is the author of The New York Times best sellers The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Black Book of Connections, and in2008, Jeffrey was inducted into the National Speaker Association’s Speaker Hall of Fame. In this interview, Jeffrey talks about how he got started, what he feels his brand is, what the most effective medium is, and personal branding mistakes that hes made. Hes also having a social media event we are having in Philadelphia on September 14th, 2010. If you want to attend, use PHILLY20 to get 20% off. Jeffrey, how did you get started? What was the tipping point to your success? The tipping point of my success was March 22nd, 1992. That is the day my first column was published in the Charlotte Business Journal. Since that day, every penny I have earned I can trace back to something that I wrote. What is your personal brand and how have you grown it into becoming the top sales guru? My personal brand is my name and its my website and its the books I write. Its my email magazine and its my social media handle and its my public seminars. The color RED and my little books are also part of my personal brand. Everything I do has continuity and consistency so that my brand is recognizable. You use a lot of different media to get your voice out there (email, video, social networks, etc). What is the most effective for you, sales wise? If there was one effective method, thats the only one I would use. But it turns out that its a blend of media that creates a collective response. The Internet is beginning to lead the way, but my books, my airport and bookstore positioning, and my public seminars have played a major role in building and growing my brand. How did you originally identify your core audience? How did you capture feedback and adjust to their needs throughout your career? I didnt do either. I knew my audience was salespeople and anyone involved in needing sales (entrepreneurs, CEOs, etc) and all I did was deliver what I knew to be true. The rest took care of itself. What branding mistakes have you made and how did you correct them? I would summarize my errors in three words, Not Early Enough. Those three words apply to not sophisticating my website, not getting deeply involved with social media, and not creating courseware that mirrored my books. Im sure there are others, but I dont know what they are because I have not identified them yet. - Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The New York Times best sellers The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Black Book of Connections, and The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude.   Jeffrey’s books have sold millions of copies worldwide. President of Charlotte-based Buy Gitomer, he gives seminars, runs annual sales meetings, and conducts Internet training programs on selling and customer service at www.trainone.com. In August, 2008, Jeffrey was inducted into the National Speaker Association’s Speaker Hall of Fame. Jeffreys customers include Coca-Cola, D.R. Horton, Caterpillar, BMW, ATT Wireless, MacGregor Golf, Ferguson Enterprises, Kimpton Hotels, and Hilton. He can be reached at 704/333-1112 or e-mail to salesman@gitomer.com.

3 Ways Corporate Philanthropy Can Help Employee Retention

3 Ways Corporate Philanthropy Can Help Employee Retention A company’s ability to save money through corporate philanthropy is not a new concept, but it is often an underrated one. The average employee turnover rate of all U.S. industries is 16.7%, which is costing companies huge amounts of money. If you lose a top performer, everyone in the business is affected. Replacing them could cause service disruptions, a substantial amount of financing, training and handling cultural shifts. So, how exactly does corporate philanthropy tie in? A recent survey conducted by America’s Charities discovered that there have been dramatic shifts in corporate philanthropy over the past few years. The survey revealed that employees who have grown in the digital culture expect their workplace to offer corporate philanthropy programs to mirror what they can access outside of the workplace. Offering corporate social responsibility programs not only boosts your company’s repertoire but also helps you retain employees. Here’s how: 1. Camaraderie Organizing a corporate volunteer program addresses many problems that cause employee turnover. Some of these causes could be a poor relationship with their boss, bored with the work itself, lack of relationships with co-workers and so much more. When you organize days of service for employees, this gives the opportunity for co-workers to work together and form relationships. 64% of employees who currently volunteer said that volunteering with work colleagues strengthened their relationships. When employees have the ability to work together on something out of the office, like volunteering, it rids of the corporate hierarchy. Employees from different departments and different levels of seniority are able to collaborate and interact on a deeper level, forming deeper relationships in the process. This helps boost employee retention considering close work friendships boost work satisfaction by 50%. 2. Corporate culture meaningful work Employees, especially millennials, want to work for companies that care. A study by Cone Research found that 79% of people prefer to work for a socially responsible company. Integrating a corporate philanthropy program with your business goals and values gives employees a sense of purpose. Having the ability to volunteer, participate in workplace giving programs and matching gift opportunities allows employees to feel more connected to their communities and boosts your company-wide social responsibility efforts. Skills-based and pro bono giving opportunities are also effective in retaining employees. These opportunities give employees the chance the put their abilities to use and give them a chance to grow their professional skills. In a study by Deloitte, 85% of respondents found skills-based volunteering to help talent advance their communication skills vs 77% for non-skills-based volunteering. All of this empowers employees to grow in the company and infuses pride and loyalty. 3. Employee recognition financial stability Employees that are actively disengaged cost the U.S. between $450 billion to $550 billion a year. Engaged employees are happier and perform at a higher level, and people who volunteer report feeling better emotionally, mentally and physically. Research from the University of Georgia shows that employee volunteering is linked to greater workplace satisfaction and productivity.  Jessica Rodell, Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, said: Overwhelmingly employees who volunteered gave more time and effort to their jobs, were more willing to help out their colleagues, talked more positively about their companies and were less likely to do detrimental things like cyberloaf or waste time on the job. When employees perform well, management has more of a reason to recognize employee’s efforts. Employee appreciation and recognition reinforces behavior and sets a foundation for future positive performance. In the Millennial Impact Report, 53% of people responded that their passions and talents being recognized and addressed is their top reason for staying with their company. Corporate philanthropy programs have become the center of many company’s efforts in retaining employees. With affordable technology platforms, it’s easier than ever to empower employees to promote their favorite cause. Charitable giving opportunities are important in engaging employees in a changing workplace, and employers need to recognize the importance of staying on top of what employees want so you can constantly reinvent your strategy. About the author:  Liz Bardetti is a seasoned advertising and marketing professional with 15+ years experience, including work for Gatorade, Welch’s and most recently, CyberGrants.

What to Write in Email When Sending Resume

What to Write in Email When Sending ResumeThe job seeker's question, 'What to write in email when sending resume' is a common query among all professionals seeking employment. In this context, a resume is a written representation of one's abilities and qualifications as per the hiring manager's wish. Apart from the most obvious requirement of the employer, it also gives the individual a chance to showcase the abilities he or she possesses for a job in an attractive manner. Therefore, a job seeker should write in email when sending resume to be able to add his or her name to the thousands of applicants.Different resume formats have been used by the applicants and even the employers. What can be done to change the general impression of the employer? The answer is simple. The job seeker must ask for the job and should make sure that he or she gets it. If one does not approach the person in-charge of the interview, the resume will remain un-read.Most of the job seekers are apprehensive t o send their resumes to the actual persons concerned in the hiring process. However, this is a wrong attitude because the recruitment officer does not require the applicant to send a resume in the sent email. He or she will get a resume directly from the applicant and will appreciate the fact that the job seeker sent a quality resume in a courteous manner.To write in email when sending resume, the job seeker must understand the format of the resume. The format will dictate the ability of the resume to be conveyed. Although, there are several formats for the resume, but the common format in which most people use is an A-Z format. While the A-Z format may not be so standard, the good thing about it is that it is easy to read.Apart from knowing the format of the resume, the job seeker must also know the rules of writing. There are a number of job seekers who do not realize that the first paragraph is the most important part of the resume. They think that the resume has only one purpose and that is to increase the salary on the first page. The resume must be a complete narrative of the job seeker. The stories of successes and accomplishments are also essential.The first paragraph of the resume will also play a major role in how the resume is perceived by the hiring manager. The hiring manager will see if the resume contains only the facts or if it includes the full picture of the job seeker. To write in email when sending resume, the job seeker must also include contact information. It is the hiring manager's wish to hear from the applicant personally. The contact information also helps the hiring manager to contact the candidate.Another aspect that must be taken care of while writing in email when sending resume is to include the contact number of the job seeker. If the applicant has not included the contact number in the cover letter, the hiring manager will need to use the search tool to locate it. While writing in email when sending resume, the job seeker must not forget to include the job title.Besides the above mentioned points, the job seeker must include in the resume at least three bullets that display the strengths and talents of the job seeker. If the individual does not put anything into the resume, the job seeker might have to sit before the hiring manager on the spot to explain his or her true qualifications.

Employed But Looking for a New Job

Employed But Looking for a New Job You have a job and you know you should feel happy.   But, you dont.   You want out!   For the past two years youve been holding on, going the extra mile, performing above and beyond and you just arent sure you can do it much longer.   Perhaps there has been a recent change in management and your new boss is nothing like your old one. Maybe youve outgrown your position.   Or it could be that you took a job because you needed the paycheck.   Whatever your situation, looking for a job while you are employed has to be addressed carefully. I was reminded of a time when I was in HR, that I prevented a manager from firing one of his employees.   This employee was caught working on his resume.   Last time I checked, this wasnt a reason to fire someone.   However, it was stupid on the employees part.   So when do you look for a new job? Time seems to be the biggest challenge for employed job seekers.   There just dont seem to be enough hours in the day to balance work, a family, and job search.   Yet, people do it.   So can you. Laser focus is key. Before you embark on your search for your next job, you need to be very clear about what you want.   Know what you want to do.   Know what your assets are and know the value you bring to an organization. Do you tell your boss or not? To disclose or not depends on many things.   It could work or it could backfire.   Before you decide ask people for advice.   Has anyone done this before in your organization?   What was the outcome?   Should you decide talk to your boss, be ready for the outcome. Will you be ok with staying in a new role?   Will you be ok if you are let go? Implementing Your Search Delicately Build your LinkedIn profile and activity. Set alerts on niche job boards, indeed.com and LinkUp.com Develop a target list of companies.   Stalk them on LinkedIn and Twitter. Connect with recruiters. Network at industry events. Post your resume confidentially. For other ideas, see Tims Strategy post Top 10 Job Search Strategies for the Passive Job Seeker. Job search right now is all about networking.   Being employed actually offers you more opportunities to network, so leverage that.   Career Success has a post about networking, heres the link. 2009 was the year of internal hiring/promotion.   2010 is predicted to be the year for more external hiring.   Dont believe me, read this from ERE.net.

7 Drone Service Hiring Tips For Residential Real Estate Agents

7 Drone Service Hiring Tips For Residential Real Estate Agents As a residential real estate agent you have many responsibilities when you take on a listing.   You coordinate and direct everything from home staging to showings to paperwork and closings.   And each element has a set of professionals you work with. And as you consider your listing marketing options, in todays market, especially with high-end listings and rural properties, a drone-aided aerial video/photo shoot must be considered. But before you jump into shooting your own drone aerial footage or hire a drone operator to do the job, you need to avoid the pitfalls that go with this new evolving visual marketing channel. So to get you up to speed I asked my network of drone operators What should residential real estate agents know before hiring a drone operator for an aerial video on a home listing? That question generated 47 answers. As you can imagine many of the responses covered similar territoryas they are the core elements of a good operator screening process.   But beyond the easy ones there were also some valuable nuggets uncovered along the way that are worth the price of admission (What?   You didnt pay at the door?   Well that persons fired!) To help you out this  article is grouped into two sections.   The first, for you overachievers and those with short attention spanssquirrelare the key takeaways. Then you get the unadulterated and uncensored answers from each of the 47 drone operator contributors.   These are the  heavily-involved group of drone operators who regularly deliver the goods with their drones in the residential real estate aerial photo and video niche.   As the National Association of Realtors ® recognizes, they get the cool overhead shots of properties for sale.   The agents get their home listings sold faster and for more money than the competition. So lets dive in Part 1: Top 7 Takeaways Current FAA Part 107 License Before you hire any drone operator to do a photo/video shoot check their license.   The best way is to go online to ensure it is in place and current. Go here to the FAA Website to confirm a drone operators license is active. As a real estate licensee, especially as a Realtor   ®, using an unlicensed operator could be putting your real estate license at risk.   Dont do it.   Confirm youre dealing with a licensed professional. $1,000,000 Aviation Liability Insurance So you confirmed theyre licensed.   That is the first must do step.   The second is confirming insurance.   $1,000,000 is the standard.   Make sure it is aviation insurance, not just your typical general liability insurance.   Get a copy of the insurance binder.   For more information, or if youre a drone operator who needs to get that insurance in place, check out Evan Garmons drone insurance plans at Harpenau Insurance.   Hes the drone insurance guy. Get Work Samples You can have an operator who is licensed and insured.   But if they cant fly their drone well and get the shots you want, then theyre not worth hiring.   So check out their work product.   Often you can find it on YouTube or their website.   But dont just stop there, get a sample that closely represents the type of shot theyll need to do for your subject listing.   Anyone can do a cool landscape photo or video.   But to do a creative and compelling real estate aerial photo or video that draws in buyers and gets them clamoring to submit offers, that is a talent that only a select few operators have.   Now for that high level of skill you might pay thousands.   Which may be fine for a high-end property.   For a mid-range home you may be fine with a more standard shot and operator skill level.   Because in those price ranges fewer properties have drone shots so yours will stand out from the competition. What Services Do They Provide? Are you hiring a photographer and drone operator in one person?   Will they shoot the interiors and exterior and aerials?   Or are they only doing a portion of the photos and video youll need to market this specific listing?   Do they just do the raw footage?   Or do they do the sometimes extensive post-production work on the photos and video to get you the best product?   Post production is often the most expensive portion of a project.   So set your budget accordingly. Staging Setting the stage for the actual shooting, as in staging the inside of a home, requires careful planning and coordination.   As with the interior you want clean and clear of distractions.   Your drone operator should be able to provide you with a checklist you can use with the property owner to get the home ready for the shoot.   In addition to that prep work, given the aerial element, weather and neighbors play a role.   Preparing neighbors properly for a shoot (so they dont call the police or cause issues between you and your client) must be addressed up front.   Make sure either you or your drone operator are addressing that. Timing How quickly do you need the work done?   How extensive is your request?   Does it need to be perfect?   Or is speed more important?   Make sure youre clear with your expectations and get confirmation on that timing. Cost With the huge influx of drone operators moving into the residential real estate drone aerial photo/video services market, prices have come down.   For a low end shoot you can get a good raw footage video for a couple hundred dollars.   For higher end quality youre closer to $500.   And for post production work or higher-end shoots you could spend thousands.   But when you consider the home price, the commission you receive, and the edge your property has over similarly priced comps, spending a small percentage by getting top quality drone footage can be your best marketing investment available. In particular, if I was looking to set myself apart from other real estate agents at a listing presentation, being able to say, And as an added benefit, in addition to our traditional print and internet based marketing that all agents do, we pay for a drone-based video shoot to ensure you get the edge over similarly priced homes.   And we pay for that so you dont have to.   It is our gift to you. Want to get started in the drone business either full time or as a part time side hustle?   Check out how these people did itHow to Get Your First Paid Drone Gig 18 Brief Case Studies Part 2: The Inside Scoop Phillip Warner II 107 qualified, 1080p or 4k shots, lighting and quality of work. Dustin Moorhead Is the drone operator FAA licensed. How they want their deliverables delivered. Ie flash drive and is subject to taxes unlike over internet like google drive or Dropbox. Communicate your ideas of how you want it to look give examples of what you like. When do you expect it to be finished take in account for weather and getting any airspace authorization needed. As well the drone operator should also have some sort of list they expect done like having a clean unobstructed lawn preferably manicured too. Let the operator you choose have freedom from micromanaging so they can concentrate on task at hand. Tom Allen They must be Commercially licensed to do so. Shawn Kwiatkowski Commercial operators license I think it’s a part 107. Sean Brinegar One thing that should be understood, is that they are paying for the equipment you use, the editing software, the time on the job, the time on the computer (possibly even the computer), and the time and money you invested in getting the part 107 certificate. Sometimes people want things cheap, and it seems like you arent working because you are just flying a quad around. But the work comes in the cost of equipment/software, mastery of skills in the shots and editing, and the fact that you earned the authority to legally do the work. So basically its just a justification of the cost. A lot more goes into the operation than they will see. So 100 bucks doesnt cut it, especially if its a multi million dollar house with a huge advertising budget. Anthony Occhipinti They don’t ask for ANYTHING BUT, they should ask for to see a Part 107 ID Card. They NEVER ask for liability insurance, but probably should. They NEVER ask if you can notify the neighbors on both sides that there will be a drone operating for the purpose of marketing the home. They NEVER ask if you have ATC authorization to fly in that area. But probably should. As the pilot I will ask questions like “what’s the address so I can research airspace. is the back and front yard staged properly? What type of video are you looking for? Can you show me an example? And i ask that the home owners leave for the hour while I’m flying. As well as the agent. I won’t fly with someone hovering over my backside. Or I will have them wait in the car or inside if they have to be present. Which 90% of the time they won’t be. And I ask how many days do they need everything finished by. Dustin Moorhead (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1 fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); Posted by Drone Imaging of Kentucky onMonday, November 6, 2017 Travis Altman $1,000,000 liability insurance William Renegar Ask for examples of what theyve produced. Like it, buy it, Simple. James Morton Phantom 4 or higher. Mark Connelly They should know the pilots Part 107 certification # and have it verified as it is illegal to sell or use a drone based photography that one may profit monetarily from without having the certification. Calvin Rueb Make sure that they are also insured. Drones are flying pile of zero redundancy a small failure can do anything from dropping straight to the ground to burning down a building. Not all pilots have the same regard for safety or legality. Bobby Burns Must have the appropriate license to fly commercially.   Certain locations could be difficult or not possible to obtain permission to fly.    Professionals who do good work and are license will charge accordingly, but the slight upcharge is worth the risks of using someone unlicensed / uninsured. Randall L Esulto * Like any other creative professional, see their past work. Portfolio of photos /or video reel * Are they only aerial or do they also shoot traditional, ground-based photos video * Are they a photo/video professional who added a drone to their offerings or are they someone who bought a drone and is now trying to monetize it? Either is fine but the work quality and price may be quite different * Ask for copies of FAA Certificate Insurance binder prior to executing the contract Scotty Bud Melvin Pilot must be FAA licensed. I show my realtors,I work with license. Tell them we, like Realtors, have to be licensed, except ours is federal, their license is from the state. I make sure they know that so they can understand that they wouldnt want someone to hire a Realtor who wasnt licensed. Brian Young C. I. R. FAA Certified. Insured for Liability. Registered drones w/ FAA. Evan Garmon Insurance should be considered and I would be happy to help with a piece so realtors know what policies apply and how to read the certificates of insurance. Nate Rivard If its even feasible to hire a drone operator, if the property is in a no fly zone (airport nearby) its usually a no go.  William Renegar  107 can fly within NFZ airport boundaries. They know what should be done.    William Renegar  This is another area where it hits the fan.   How many people(aside from dronies), have any idea WTF an FAA part 107 represents?   This is where self regulation is most relevant. The pilot has a much better chance of being acquainted with the legalities. Peter Cimino They should be able to provide their certificate for Part107 and proof of insurance. Most companies that are hired carry $2 million in liability for aircraft and premise($1 million for each) which is industry standard from what I have researched. Steven Bronco Part 107 certification,insurance,thorough airspace knowledge and probably most importantenough experience to pull off the money making,eye-popping maneuvers for the best aireal experience  ??    Here is one example.   The ascending,camera roll reveal.Shows off the properties beauty along with the surrounding town its nestled in ?? Always a big winner.   Curtis Denzik Find out if they are a photographer first or an RC pilot first. In a single photo a real estate photographer should be doing the following POST SHOT edits. + Color cast removal + Noise reduction + Exposure, Lens vertical corrections + Contrast, saturation, brightness sharpness adjustment + Straightening cropping if needed + Window Detailing + Removal of Flash + Removal of Sensor spots + Removal of Tripod + Reduction in Glare Reflection + Sky Replacement + Vertical Correction + Straightening and Cropping + Simple retouch like simple wire removal All manualling done with photoshop without any usage of automatic software like enfuse to give you natural beautiful images. You should also get: + Quality Consistence + Ontime delivery + Unlimited re-retouches Sean McEvoy Its interesting that none of the responses focus on the actual work product. The ability to get the right shot based on experience, editing, knowledge of MLS requirements, etc. Nick Blackwell The main thing you want to look for is experience behind the sticks.Any shmuck can go down to Best Buy and get a P4 Pro and study up for a couple weeks and pass a 107..That does not mean he has the experience behind the sticks to capture the shot you are looking for. Markus B That it actually costs something and you get what you pay. $50 video will be a $50 video, $50k will be a $50k video. David Themadscientist Drummond Basically real estate agents should look to hire a licensed professional as the number one point. Just the same way they would hire a licensed qualified builder/plumber they need to hire the right person with the right tools and skills to do the job well. Aviation liability insurance (not general liability) is a must and a good portfolio or demo shots shot in high resolution are usually a guide to a quality provider. Jay Desio The pilot must be FAA Part 107 licensed and they should be asked to provide proof of insurance. The real estate agent should specify if they want any post-production processing or unedited photos/videos for their own processing. While most will want post-processing, there are some that want to do their own post. The real estate agent should specify what format they want the photos or videos, if they have a preference. Also, do they want the video in 1080p or 4K. The real estate agent should provide details of any particular photos or videos they want. They may want something that the drone op/photographer wouldn’t normally shoot because they don’t think it’s a good shot, but the realtor may want something specific and they are the customer. The real estate agent should provide information for anything that could potentially prevent or delay a session, such as house is next to prison, power plant, airport, heliport, military installation, national park, etc. In the beginning, information on location is not always given. The real estate agent needs to be aware there are regulations that prohibit flying over people and certain precautions need to be in place. Also, some photo/video angles may not be possible due to certain restrictions. Db Dronoff Here is a bit of info to consider. I would be cautious about quoting too many stats/surveys compiled by drone business. Instead look to their own industry stats like National Association of Realtors ® (NAR ®), and Market Share Statistics (MLS). And an article about using drones to market real estate. Bryan Conn Understand There are limits. Weather/time of day, privacy laws, local law enforcement, power lines, pilots comfort level. Nick Tucker FAA license, insurance, experience. Tom Hayden Another angle is the liability associated with using an unlicensed pilot. It’s like using an unlicensed contractor to do home repairs. Randy OConnor Check the national database for licensed drone operators. FAA 107 licensed pilots are the only people by federal law allowed to film or photograph commercially. Troy Graham When I presented to the local real estate board, I put much like others have above. The local board has a code of ethics that they operate by and knowingly hiring a non part 107 certified pilot is breaking their code of ethics. They seem to understand that very well. Tyler Mattas Does anyone sell anything other than their license? John Prietto I posted this for my Realtor friends https://vimeo.com/jpproductions/drones Phil Johnson Yup, a 107 certificate is not a substitution for experience. Used to tell that to my customers back in the day before the FAA went nuts and all but shut guys like me out of the industry. Jacob Spaulding I agree with most of the stuff here, one point to mention. The company or person that hires an unlicensed drone operator is just as responsible if not more than the Drone operator if they get fined.  Ken Hanes The single most important thing that an agent should know is that they can be liable (and their company) along with the drone pilot if an incident occurs with the drone during the job. That could be injury, property damage, trespassing, invasion of privacy, etc. They need to know to hire only a certified commercial drone operator and to get a copy of the pilots license, insurance, and drone registration. This will help them reduce their liability risk by hiring a professional, and ensure that appropriate liability insurance is in place before the job starts. Brian W Ziolkowski Be pro active about the flight to avoid potential problems. Knock on neighbors’ doors and let them know. If there is no one home  ??good to go. Have a VO that can also run interference if some one does ask questions. Set a camera on your car filming yourself. If there might be an issue. Video is king especially if there is audio as well. Knocking on doors prior and in some cases if it is a commercial property calling PD dispatch (not 911) prior to the flight has been a good practice for me as well. If someone does call they already know who you are and what you are doing. I have never had a negative experience doing those 2 things First. Knock on doors notify PD. After a few times with PD it becomes routine. John Carpenter  Although I’ve not done this, I’ve heard some recommend going the “official drone pilot” route with vehicle signs, warning lights on vehicle, and pilot vest. Lots of people make fun of that idea but it seems safety-conscious and could also lower the concerns about “peeping Tom” drone pilots from neighbors.    Brian W Ziolkowski  John Carpenter  I just have a simple magnet sign “AirMax Imaging” Spent $$$$$ on drones and cameras. A dedicated trailer with gen, fridge, sleeps 2+ toy hauler type is next. Hmm maybe I better get a Pickup first.  ?? Stanley Holmes The Real Estate Agent should know that the UAV pilot has his Part 107 and that it is current. Mark Baxter This is a great readhttp://dronelawjournal.com/ Matthew Daniel Wood Residential real estate agents should know that some houses aren’t worth having aerial shots, it’s a waste of money to have a drone operator to come out on a 100k listing on .3 Acres. Dave Zelm If you think professionals are expensive, try hiring an amateur. Brian W Ziolkowski   I think that as long as the residential RE market is strong with buyers, agents don’t need aerial shots or video. I think, imo, that when there is a shortage of buyers the agents will start looking for a way to get their attention.    John Carpenter  Around here, agents can take some crappy pics and still have decent listings sold in a matter of days. My friend had an agent who was going to do aerials but the house sold (in 24 hours) before the guy could even get out there.    Brian W Ziolkowski  John Carpenter  pretty much the same here. I think I will give it a while longer, sell mine and rent till the market tanks again. Todd Johnson We have a MLS here that requires the pilots FAA certificate number before they will post any aerial images. Photo credit:  marcoverch  via  Foter.com  /  CC BY