How hard is it to get into large CRE firms? (JLL, CBRE, Cushman &amp; Wakefield etc.)
I would love to work as an analyst of some kind for a large CRE firm, such as JLL, CBRE, or Cushman &amp; Wakefield. 

For those of you who got their foot in, was it pretty difficult to get a job with them? Would I need a connection on the inside to be considered?
[{"id": "hj7ma4f", "text": "Depends on asset class, metro area, and your back ground (finance experience etc). Sorry to be vague but with more details the hive mind can help more.", "replies": [{"id": "hj7n9j0", "text": "No experience and just worked flipping burgers and now 40 yo?", "replies": [{"id": "hj7nwsy", "text": "Marcus and Millichap", "replies": [], "depth": 3}, {"id": "hj7o1wr", "text": "Haha no I work for a large CRE firm as a CMBS analyst but want to be with these other more prestigious companies.", "replies": [{"id": "hj7pebi", "text": "I was talking about me lol. I want to get into the industry myself with no experience or degree.", "replies": [{"id": "hj7sbwv", "text": "Oh that will be tough. Good thing is, you can just go to a cheap state school and get your degree. Employers don\u2019t really care where you get your degree.", "replies": [{"id": "hj7tq6b", "text": "What does the degree need to be in?", "replies": [{"id": "hj7usoc", "text": "I guess real estate but I think finance/business admin is fine.", "replies": [], "depth": 7}], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}, {"id": "hj8dvrc", "text": "Can you scrape together $500 bucks? Do the Accelerator program here www.adventuresincre.com/\n\nBuild a solid LinkedIn profile and start posting about your learning experience. Network your ass off and you should be able to land somewhere.  I believe college would be a waste of time at this point.", "replies": [{"id": "hjd0jwx", "text": "No need to spend $500. I spent &lt;$100 when Justine kivel\u2019s break into CRE courses went on sale on Udemy. It was the best $100 I have ever spent.", "replies": [{"id": "hjd2198", "text": "Spend the $100 to see if you even like it. If you do, follow the plan like I laid out to get a job.", "replies": [{"id": "hjd29yr", "text": "What courses do they offer on adenthreinCRE?", "replies": [{"id": "hjdl4hn", "text": "They teach you how to underwrite every asset class using business cases. You understand equity and debt modeling. Plus your excel skills get really sharp. I already had lots of experience before I signed up, I was an original beta member. It worth it, if you put in the time, there is a lot of content.", "replies": [{"id": "hjg6xje", "text": "Thanks for the info! Will definitely check it out!", "replies": [], "depth": 10}], "depth": 9}], "depth": 8}], "depth": 7}], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}, {"id": "hj7z0qb", "text": "Is cushman prestigious?", "replies": [{"id": "hj8fd31", "text": "I thought it was", "replies": [{"id": "hj8ruj4", "text": "There are some good teams over there. Cannot speak to socal.", "replies": [], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}, {"id": "hjadtdt", "text": "Their brokerage teams are strong by me, pretty selective with their junior brokers. Marcus &amp; Millichap however, bring in large junior classes &amp; run them dry. Many don't stay, but I know a 2 brokers at M&amp;M in their 20s making multiple 6 figures. Connections &amp; networking at extremely important on the brokerage side.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}, {"id": "hj7o68w", "text": "I work for a large CRE firm as a CMBS analyst. I live in SoCal and worked for a F500 financial services company as an analyst as well prior to this job.", "replies": [{"id": "hj7skk3", "text": "You might not like the pay.", "replies": [{"id": "hj7t6ur", "text": "Why is that? Isn\u2019t pay pretty good in this field? Obviously not as good as tech but still", "replies": [{"id": "hj8djjq", "text": "You know how it is. Real estate is based on the money makers. Everyone else is negative on the balance sheet. If you can add value to a money maker and get a cut, you can have comfort in salary + commission, but you'll never make $1 mill without being in sales or regional manager+.", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hj89dnk", "text": "Half the people at the firms you mention got their jobs because their dad\u2019s are golfing buddies with some big broker.  Networking, nepotism, or grind it out and apply to jobs.  Having a fancy degree and knowing your shit can help as well.  FYI- you may be on 100% commission. Can you stomach that?", "replies": [{"id": "hj8ffgl", "text": "100% commission as an analyst? I doubt that", "replies": [{"id": "hj8g19n", "text": "Thought you meant as a broker.", "replies": [{"id": "hj8k6n4", "text": "Thought I said analyst", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}, {"id": "hj8o3lz", "text": "But analyst is a fairly deadend job unless you are ready to make the jump to broker", "replies": [{"id": "hj8q7yw", "text": "What I want to work my way up to be like a managing director?", "replies": [{"id": "hj8qss8", "text": "Usually that happens via brokerage, then management.", "replies": [{"id": "hj8vzgw", "text": "So broker is lower than managing director?", "replies": [{"id": "hj8wkqh", "text": "Broker is commission based and uncapped, and depending on the shop, the md is strictly salary, like 150-300k or is a player coach, meaning lower salary but you do your own deals. The major shops, cbre jll ect are all strictly salary but the street level brokerages are usually player coach. To get the md job, well, did you go to usc? Are you a member of the Jonathan club? You get my drift.", "replies": [{"id": "hjaeasp", "text": "Hit the spot here \\^ exactly.", "replies": [], "depth": 8}], "depth": 7}], "depth": 6}], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hj8dmvo", "text": "If focus is on analyst role, and not a production position (commission based), then best way in is through relationship with the investment sales/capital markets brokers. The brokers are typically selecting their own analysts. \n\nA word of warning, we\u2019re in a strong market, but the tide always turns. Fixed overhead (analyst teams, etc), often times get trimmed quickly. If you do make the jump, aim to make an impact in a hurry. Maybe this market runs for another few years and renders this a moot point, but always keep in mind.", "replies": [{"id": "j12qgym", "text": "What about broker roles? Thanks in advance!", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hj8l9jw", "text": "Rather easy. Get your license.\n\nCall every MD of each office every 4th day and email every 4th day thereafter. (Rotate) \n\nCall top 40 top producers and ask them \u201chow can I help you make money\u201d\n\nBe very polite and very persistent. If anyone gives you lip about how you are calling them to much. Say this is what you are planning to do to potential customers in order to bring in top producer like you.\n\n2 months of that\u2026 someone will hire you", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hj8lump", "text": "Why enter as an analyst? Go in as a broker", "replies": [{"id": "hj8nboe", "text": "Doesn\u2019t being a broker require sales experience?", "replies": [{"id": "hj8q8qp", "text": "You have the same problem with analyst route. But with broker at least you\u2019re not learning tons of new computer shit which I\u2019m assuming you\u2019d need to learn to pursue a top tier analyst role. You can sell burger flipping as sales experience, sounds like you have very little finance experience", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hj8sx99", "text": "I had recently accepted an offer at JLL in their capital market group (investment sales) with no prior \u201creal\u201d real estate finance experience.\n\nTo give you some context, here is my background:\n\n- Graduated from a decent school with an accounting degree here in LA \n- Went on to become an financial statements auditor \n- Passed my CPA license in 6 mos after graduation\n- Passed my real estate salesperson license \n- Transitioned to tax specializing on real estate clients (1031 exchange and etc\u2026)\n- Took a financial analyst job (corporate finance) at a very reputable life science public REIT \n\nHow I got the offer:\n- Took Justin Kivel\u2019s break into CRE courses (CRE 101, financial modeling, waterfall analysis, and private equity exam courses)\n***pro tip: I bought his courses (5) on Udemy for &lt; $100 during their sales event (happens regularly). \n- Took REFM level 1-3 certification \n- Was able to show that I have taken initiative outside of work to learn the technicals and express genuine interest in real estate \n- interviewed well (3 rounds of phone interviews; 7 rounds of in-person interviews; excel assessment test; 1 round of zoom with the head of the office)\n\nAt the end of the day, technical skills only account for half of your effort. The other half of the equation comes from the ability to convince others as to why you are interested in the profession. Real estate is not rocket science. Good luck!", "replies": [{"id": "hjc1qoy", "text": "Jesus 7 rounds of in person for 1 job? What did they even ask", "replies": [{"id": "hjcckba", "text": "HFF\u2019s (now JLL) big thing has always been you meet almost everyone before getting an offer", "replies": [], "depth": 3}, {"id": "hjd05xd", "text": "How many rolexes and APs I own and what kinda car I drive.\n\nJk lol. Mostly just meet ppl and have a causal chat about why I\u2019m interested and how I sell myself.", "replies": [{"id": "iq9fzhu", "text": "What is your total compensation including base bonus and commission split? This can help juniors get an idea of what the future may look like.", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hj8wla5", "text": "eXp Commercial is a cloud based brokerage, in all 50 states, and they give brokers access to great software (reonomy, enriched data, buildout, skyslope, agenthub and more). They will educate you for free and put you with a mentor for 3 deals. The split is very attractive at 20/80 with a $20,000 cap per year. It is a public company EXPI with opportunities to buy stock at a discount or get stock grants when you reach certain milestones. 57% of the stock is owned by employees or agents, which is very impressive. The residential agents number close to 70,000 which gives commercial agents a great referral network. Check out the website for more information www.eXpcommercial.com and eXp Commercial Explained on YouTube. Good luck in your search", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hj90hnz", "text": "Being a broker is a fast way in. I\u2019d avoid those bigger firms in any other capacity though. My father used to run the Multifamily division at KB home and was worked like a mule. He moved on and started his own development company and chose his own hours and has made more money than he ever would\u2019ve at a larger development company. Also, they like to stick new guys in specific departments doing specific jobs and lock them up forever, it\u2019s hard to move up. A medium sized family office will give you better experience (smaller office means less people so everyone does more things) and an opportunity to play for equity.", "replies": [{"id": "hj9nrdi", "text": "This. Why not join a smaller multifamily team and get in as a GP? You will potentially make a % from each deal.", "replies": [{"id": "hjaa7nh", "text": "What\u2019s a GP?", "replies": [{"id": "hjalo0n", "text": "A GP is just a partner rather than an employee. The benefits might include part of the developer fee and cash placement in deals. Currently I don\u2019t take a salary, I take developers fees and put almost all of the fee back into the deal. It was hard the first few years because there was no steady income but my partners saw my willingness to bleed with them and it\u2019s been the best possible job I could have. Now we do venture capital deals with startups and I get to participate with equity in all of them. You wouldn\u2019t get that exposure in a big firm.", "replies": [{"id": "iq9hi31", "text": "What's your  annual comp? Did you have to buy in to the partnership or are you just offered first crack at each deal they have?", "replies": [], "depth": 5}], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hja108e", "text": "I\u2019ll say what others have said here. Getting a job at one of these groups is not extremely hard. (Different story if it\u2019s a top producing group within a large market)\n\nIt\u2019s all about being consistent and who you know. Get to know them.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hjccnaz", "text": "Not that hard to get a job but can be tough to get a job with a high quality team", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "hjew6uw", "text": "They were just hiring Tbh", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]