Total newbie trying to break into CRE
I’m 27 years old and have been working for Chicago tech companies that last 4 years. I’ve sold software and advertising mainly but have realized that amount of work I put in make calls and closing deals could be used somewhere else. I don’t want to keep selling to SMBs my whole career. I want to network and actually have a long term career with a single CRE company.

I spoke with my friend’s dad who’s been working with Millichap for nearly 20 years who does very well but obviously it’s a year and a half of networking before making any commission.

I want to get my foot in the door with someplace like JLL or CBRE but really don’t know where to start.

Anyone have any suggestions of breaking into this industry? Where do I start? 

I don’t want this post to come off as me thinking it’s easy. Just looking for real honest answers. 
[{"id": "efltabv", "text": "I designed [Leveraged Breakdowns](https://www.leveragedbreakdowns.com) to help people break into CRE, but more on the investments side", "replies": [{"id": "efmdwcm", "text": "This is awesome. Thanks for this site. ", "replies": [{"id": "efme4nv", "text": "My pleasure. I\u2019m dropping a free tier in the next couple weeks. I\u2019ll notify the newsletter once it\u2019s been dropped.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "eflynsd", "text": "Whether you join a big shop or a small boutique....find what asset class you like to work on, find an expert in that field and latch on...don\u2019t be a leech..,but add value to your presence...be helpful, be knowledgeable, be Johnny on the spot....most companies will bring you on as an intern...before or during your internship, get licensed. It will expedite your ability to participate in deals, whether co brokered or self generated. Learn everything you can, and network the hell out of yourself. \n\nStay persistent. You\u2019ll beat your head against the wall when deals don\u2019t make or if things feel like they\u2019re going nowhere. Be creative and stay positive. \n\n", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "efm0or4", "text": "What do you know about CRE? You need to have the knowledge before someone will trust you enough to pay you to sell their CRE.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "efm2frf", "text": "If you don't like making useless calls, you're gonna hate the first five years of being a broker. It's grinding long hours making fruitless cold calls for some veteran broker who won't ever learn your name, and when you get close to moving up they'll see you as a threat to their own income stream, and you might have to find a new firm.\n\nLook into commercial real estate appraisal. You get a 30,000 foot view of most of the market, learn a ton, and after a few years you can move into nearly any sector of the market. Source: I did it.", "replies": [{"id": "efmd7sb", "text": "Do you need to get a commercial appraisal license?", "replies": [{"id": "efmi3v9", "text": "Yeah, but you get it on the job while working with an appraiser mentor", "replies": [{"id": "efmudus", "text": "Got it. Would be a hard pivot from residential home sales I am in now. ", "replies": [], "depth": 4}], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "efm8gfo", "text": "Become an analyst first for a few years then decide whether you want to move on to brokerage or not. ", "replies": [{"id": "efn3syz", "text": "Could you elaborate a bit on this role?", "replies": [{"id": "efze6pr", "text": "Not the guy above but I can answer. There's a ton of different analysts in RE depending on what their firm does but mostly they try to quantify and analyze the data that goes into commercial RE. Things like $/SF, TI costs, vacancy rates, trends of certain areas etc. All vary from building to building/block to block. Knowing this data and more importantly understanding the trends this data represents can be a huge advantage. ", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "efmkz68", "text": "I went through the ringer getting in with a big shop in a major market when I was younger. Took me many, many months but Im glad I did it right. Here goes:\n\nGet you freinds dad to give you some contacts In the Chicago brokerage community. Cold call them and see who will grab coffee or have you to the office for an \u2018informational interview\u2019. Ask them everything you ever wanted to know about brokerage, and who else they would suggest you to reach out to. Keep doing that until you have met a good number of local brokers in a verity of shops, product types, etc.\n\nNow you have some idea of the playing field. Work those contacts to get you an interview with the managing directors, sales directors, and research managers (who help train the new hires and researchers/analysts) of the big reputable firms (CB, Cushman, JLL, etc). Now here is the trick: you will likely be denied and told there is no position for a new broker. This is a test. Hang around the hoop, call every so often, email for updates, and find ways to keep meeting brokers in the office for \u2018information interviews\u2019. \n\nOnce you have been checking in, hanging around the office with brokers, being seen and heard for a few months they will see you are persistent mothefucker! Possibly even broker material. By now you should have insight into when the current jr brokers are moving up in their roles (because you have found a way to meet all the young guys for beers, etc) and you can ask management to give you a try when XYZ young guy moves up and you know their is space for you.\n\nCongratulations- you have made it to the start of the race. ", "replies": [{"id": "efohjo3", "text": "Kid\u2019s lucky to be getting such good advice.  I almost feel like this is cheating since I had to figure it out all on my own.  You can fake persistent if you know the game you\u2019re playing, but can you fake persistent for 5+ years while you build your business?", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "efpglxv", "text": "Perhaps consider a boutique brokerage with other young people and a good commission structure. That's what I do in NYC. When you join a big company, it's lots of BS low-level work and low commission cuts. If you can find a smaller firm that is both supportive but also let's you do your own thing, you may be better off than joining a CBRE, JLL, M&amp;M etc. If interested, just hit them up on LinkedIn or their website or whatever and ask if they're hiring.\n\nAlso I noticed some pessimistic and overgeneralized comments here - if you find them dissuasive, don't give them much weight. There is lots of variation in firms.", "replies": [{"id": "egjerht", "text": "&gt;TI\n\nYou wouldn't know of any in Chicago, by any chance? I've done some googling but maybe I've missed some that you'd recommend. Thanks!", "replies": [{"id": "ep64del", "text": "Just saw this.... 3 months to late haha. I do not. Hope everything worked out!", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "efz94z9", "text": "Good luck. I worked on the construction side of Chicago commercial RE in the loop for about 5 years. Mostly TI work but got to meet and work with a good chunk of the brokers involved in downtown loop work at one point or another. \n\nIt's a fucking circus. Almost every night someone somewhere was going out for drinks and networking. I worked for one of the bigger TI firms so going out and trying to get business from brokers, building managers, building engineers was nearly constant. I got burned out and moved over to residential/smaller commercial development work outside the loop and eventually off on my own. \n\nMost everyone else has given you good advice on how to get started. Just realize if you want to do downtown work the hustle is real and the competition/backstabbing constant. Outside the loop is less chaotic but still a grind. ", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]