What should you really be assessing when hiring commercial real estate talent?
By Cindy Nicholls Smith · Published July 15, 2026
Experience and proven value creation matter, but so do judgment, emotional intelligence, influence and how someone actually gets things done. AVID helps clients build that assessment into the search.
The résumé tells you what happened. It does not tell you how.
A strong CRE résumé shows assets managed, deals done, portfolios grown. What it rarely shows is how the person made decisions under pressure, how they built trust with owners or lenders, and whether they leave teams better than they found them.
Emotional intelligence is a predictor in CRE
This is a relationship business. The best leaders read people, manage tension, negotiate well and communicate clearly when things go wrong. Those qualities do not show up on paper. They show up in structured conversation and reference.
Assess for alignment, not only competence
A person can be highly capable and still wrong for the organization, the team or the moment. AVID's assessment looks at capability, value proposition, execution style and alignment — so the hire strengthens the organization, not just fills a slot.