How to hire an associate broker

How to hire an associate broker, step by step

Here's a step-by-step associate broker hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an associate broker job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new associate broker
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an associate broker do?

Post an associate broker job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your associate broker job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an associate broker for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An associate broker's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, associate brokers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents associate broker salaries for various positions.

   Type of Associate Broker	Description	Hourly rate
   Associate Broker	Real estate brokers and sales agents help clients buy, sell, and rent properties. Although brokers and agents do similar work, brokers are licensed to manage their own real estate businesses... Show more	$18-50
   Realtor	A realtor is responsible for processing real estate transactions and assisting clients with their concerns and inquiries about a specific property. A realtor should always work for their clients' best interests, ensuring that proposals work within the client's specified budget and property goals... Show more	$12-25
   Real Estate Consultant	A real estate consultant is a professional who provides specialized investment and financial advice to clients who are looking to buy, sell, or invest in property. A real estate consultant must provide as many details as possible so that the client can make their decision and avoid problems in the process... Show more	$29-66

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Excellent Client
   • Real Estate Sales
   • Financial Resources
   • Market Research
   • Business Development
   • Renewal Business
   • Property Sales
   • Property Management
   • Open Houses
   • Comparative Market Analysis
   • Residential Real Estate
   • Financial Analysis
   • Real Property
   • Real Estate Transactions

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage all accounting, cash management, budgeting and financing for individual LLC's and for corporate entity.
   • Work with clients, prepare & file all the paperwork, input listings to MLS, market and advertise list property.
   • Develop message flows which done XML/XSLT transformations, from one format to another, SOAP/HTTP XML to MRM mappings and transformations.
   • Assist Medicare-eligible individuals with Medicare supplement and replacement plans adhering to CMS guidelines.
   • Develop Indianapolis territory for contacts with senior citizens during the enrollment period for Medicare.
   • Create and maintain accurate MLS listings as well as developed and distribute unique advertising materials.

   More associate broker duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your associate broker job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An associate broker can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, associate brokers' average salary in missouri is 66% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level associate brokers 64% less than senior-level associate brokers.
   • Certifications. An associate broker with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an associate broker's salary.

   Average associate broker salary

   $64,361yearly

   $30.94 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level associate broker salary

   $38,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average associate broker salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$100,664	$48
   2	New Jersey	$91,468	$44
   3	Virginia	$88,740	$43
   4	Washington	$83,696	$40
   5	Pennsylvania	$81,630	$39
   6	Maryland	$78,604	$38
   7	Arizona	$74,324	$36
   8	North Carolina	$72,551	$35
   9	California	$72,423	$35
   10	Michigan	$70,527	$34
   11	Indiana	$69,550	$33
   12	Utah	$68,121	$33
   13	Massachusetts	$62,988	$30
   14	Colorado	$58,813	$28
   15	Texas	$56,782	$27
   16	Louisiana	$55,970	$27
   17	Mississippi	$55,100	$26
   18	Illinois	$52,150	$25
   19	Oklahoma	$45,924	$22
   20	Georgia	$45,631	$22

   Average associate broker salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Cushman & Wakefield	$88,581	$42.59
   2	Colliers International	$87,898	$42.26	1
   3	NFP Ventures	$83,377	$40.09	3
   4	Industrious	$80,790	$38.84
   5	CB Richard Ellis Memphis LLC	$80,205	$38.56
   6	EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants	$79,392	$38.17	1
   7	Open Door	$79,264	$38.11
   8	H. W. Kaufman	$78,690	$37.83	12
   9	JLL	$77,298	$37.16	1
   10	Stan Johnson	$76,643	$36.85
   11	Ryan Specialty Group	$76,233	$36.65	62
   12	Brown & Riding Insurance Services	$75,642	$36.37
   13	Texas Capital Bank	$74,881	$36.00	1
   14	NAI Hiffman	$73,597	$35.38
   15	CBRE Group	$73,589	$35.38	61
   16	Crump Insurance	$73,269	$35.23
   17	Brown & Brown	$72,019	$34.62	10
   18	Arlington/Roe	$68,005	$32.69
   19	National Financial Network	$67,183	$32.30	8
   20	Aon Risk Services Inc of Maryland	$66,210	$31.83

4. Writing an associate broker job description

   A job description for an associate broker role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an associate broker job description:

   Associate broker job description example

   BE authentic. BE influential. BE the expert. Be all that and more at Colliers.
   
   At Colliers, we help leaders succeed by helping them build amazing workplaces, businesses and communities around the world. We do this by thinking differently, sharing innovative ideas and offering a unique and collaborative workplace where you can succeed.
   Join our team as a Junior or Associate Broker in our Parsippany, NJ office!
   
   Who you are
   
   As a licensed real estate professional, you will work directly with a top producing team in Industrial Brokerage. In this role, you will assist in the daily operation of the team's business, expanding your knowledge in all aspects of commercial leasing and sales, industrial development, marketing and social media, and database management - including a unique combination of financial, research, technology and strong interpersonal skills. Opportunities for long-term growth to senior brokerage roles are possible and encouraged! Ultimately, you bring a passion for real estate, strong intellectual capabilities, and demonstrated ability to work independently as well as part of a collaborative team.
   
   What you bring
   Licensed Real Estate practitioner with the State of New Jersey0-3 years of relevant sales experience, preferably within commercial real estate (but will also consider out-of-industry sales) Excellent organizational, interpersonal, quantitative, writing, and communication skills Savvy with technology (Excel, PowerPoint, CRM experience a plus)
   
   Bonus skills and experience
   Social media marketing Database management Familiarity with commercial leases and terms
   
   What success looks like
   You are motivated by commission structure and unlimited earning potential You will be heavily involved with cold calling and prospecting for new business and following up on leads and opportunities to assist in deals You will bring a great attitude in learning the business and local marketplace by attending industry events/participating in client meetings You will coordinate supporting materials for offer packages and review proposals, leases and related documents You will maintain company databases to track prospects and business opportunities You will eventually transition to independently managing lease transactions from start to finish
   
   BE who you are and what you want to be with Colliers. We'd love to meet you. Apply today to join our team.
   
   Please be aware that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Colliers professionals in the United States are required to be fully vaccinated or engage in ongoing testing at regular intervals determined by Colliers in order to attend any Colliers workplace. As a condition of commencing any role, you will be required to self-report your vaccination status or testing results, as applicable, and provide verifying documentation. If you have any questions, please discuss with your Talent Acquisition Advisor.
   Direct applicants only please, no agencies.
   Colliers provides equal employment opportunity to all persons. No employee or applicant for employment will be discriminated against because of race, creed, origin, marital status, sexual orientation, age, otherwise qualified disabled or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find associate brokers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any associate brokers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level associate brokers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your associate broker job on Zippia to find and recruit associate broker candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with associate broker candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new associate broker

   Once you've selected the best associate broker candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new associate broker first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an associate broker?