How I Landed my First Job in Commercial Real Estate – Episode 1
As recruiting in the industry becomes increasingly competitive, we wanted to help those of our readers aiming to land their first job in commercial real estate. In this new series, we’ll interview recent college students who landed their first job in the current CRE job market. While securing your first commercial real estate job can be difficult, we hope that by listening to these undergraduate and graduate real estate students who have been successful you can develop your own winning strategy to accomplish your goal.
In this first episode, Tucker speaks with Michael Mancuso. Michael recently graduated from the University of Alabama and started as an Investment Analyst with Greystar.
Insights from Successful College Students to get your First Job in Commercial Real Estate
In this series, we’ll ask these recent grads some of the most common questions our team gets asked in order to give you a fresh perspective on how someone in your shoes did what you want to do.
We will be asking questions like:
- Where are you working post-college?
- What steps did you take to get that job?
- Did you have internships while in college? If so, how did you get them?
- What do you think was crucial for landing the job?
- What resources were most essential for you in landing this job?
- What advice do you have for other college students?
Common Steps and Fresh Ideas to get that First Job in Commercial Real Estate
You’ll see that a lot of these stories share some common steps and experiences. Hopefully, that reinforces some common steps that you need to take to successfully land that first job out of school. Along the way, you’ll also gain some valuable perspective and unique ideas from how these individuals attacked common problems in different ways.
Some of the typical experiences you’ll hear in these episodes include the following:
- It takes a serious commitment to land the job – treat it like a 9-5 job
- Learn industry jargon
- Set up calls
- Understanding the financials
- Read industry-related articles
Our goal at Adventures in CRE is to give you the needed materials to secure the job you want successfully, whether that is real estate financial modeling training, career advice, a list of 2,000+ real estate companies, access to the companies we work with, and other resources on our site.
Frequently Asked Questions about Landing Your First Job in Commercial Real Estate
Where did Michael Mancuso land his first job in CRE?
Michael Mancuso, a recent graduate of the University of Alabama, secured a position as an Investment Analyst at Greystar.
What steps did Michael take to secure his first CRE job?
While specific details from Michael’s path are not fully listed in the summary, the episode discusses common successful steps including treating the job search like a full-time job, setting up calls, learning industry jargon, and understanding financials.
How important were internships in landing the job?
Internships are highlighted as a key component. The series includes asking each graduate about their internship experiences and how they obtained them, suggesting internships were critical to job placement.
What resources did Michael and others use during their job search?
The post mentions using A.CRE’s suite of resources, including financial modeling training, career advice, a list of 2,000+ real estate companies, and direct access to employers through Career Connections.
What key advice is shared with students seeking their first CRE job?
Common advice includes: treating the job search like a 9–5 job, learning financials, reading industry news, and making networking calls. “It takes a serious commitment to land the job – treat it like a 9–5 job.”
What is the purpose of this CRE job series?
The series aims to help aspiring CRE professionals learn from successful college students by sharing their job search stories, strategies, and practical advice to create a repeatable roadmap for others.
What themes commonly appear in these CRE job search stories?
Themes include the importance of networking, internships, preparation, financial modeling skills, and persistent effort. Each story reinforces that there is no shortcut—success requires discipline and strategy.
What role does Tucker play in the series?
Tucker is the interviewer and host of the series. He is Head of Training and Career Services at A.CRE and brings professional recruiting experience, having previously worked at a top executive search firm focused on CRE.
