Top 5 Resources for Students and Young Professionals

The professional landscape of commercial real estate is vast. There are countless markets, a handful of industries, multiple asset classes, and dozens of roles where you can start or grow your career. Below is our list of the best resources for someone looking to jumpstart their career in commercial real estate.

Best place to learn from the pros? Urban Land Institute

The mission of the Urban Land Institute is to “provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide”. ULI is the best place to find events, conferences, market tours, and networking opportunities that expose you to the full range of professions and asset classes in commercial real estate. Check out the website to find a District Council near you. Student/Young Leader memberships are offered at a steep discount and will often be subsidized or paid for by your school or employer.

Need Excel Models and tutorials? Adventures in CRE

A.CRE is a fantastic resource for real estate specific excel models and video tutorials. The site also has information on grad school programs, and its own job board. Apply directly or use the job descriptions to do a personal inventory on what skills you might need to develop for certain positions.

Need to brush up on local market knowledge? Local News and the Blogosphere

We are quite partial to The Acorn, but if you don’t have an awesome weekly market newsletter to subscribe to, keep tabs on your local papers or google for local blogs that cover developments in your area. Also, consider signing up for local chamber of commerce newsletters.

Relationships

Lean heavily on your immediate network. If you don’t know anyone in the industry, ask your family and friends for industry contacts. Additionally, make sure to leverage your school’s alumni network. When you meet with someone, end every meeting by asking “given what you now know about me and my interests, who else would you suggest I meet with?” This concluding question is the most effective way to expand your network.

Books

The Inside Track to Careers in Real Estate

The Real Estate Game: The Intelligent Guide To Decision-Making And Investment

Global Property Investment: Strategies, Structures, Decisions

What are your favorite resources for growing your commercial real estate knowledge? Please share in the comments or via email at [email protected]

This article was originally posted on Medium.