Sahar Zablerhas been responsible for the construction and real estate sector at HAGER Executive Consulting since summer 2020. In December 2020, WirtschaftsWoche once again recognized HAGER Executive Consulting as one of the industry professionals in personnel consulting in six categories in its broad-based, exclusive study. Including in the real estate sector.
Ms. Zabler, first of all, congratulations on your recent award in WirtschaftsWoche as a top personnel consultancy, which also reflects the competence of the area you look after.
You have been active in the construction and real estate industry for many years and have now been awarded HAGER Executive Consulting. How does that make you feel?
Sahar Zabler: “Of course, I am extremely pleased that WirtschaftsWoche has recognized our performance within the construction and real estate industry! This shows that our customers are satisfied with our advice and that we are appreciated anew every year. This time also for the real estate industry!
Of course, it is not just my merit or that of my team. Even before the implementation of the Construction & Real Estate business unit, HAGER Executive Consulting was already supporting many clients in the construction and real estate sector. HAGER is a leader in building complete teams in the field of digitalization. Companies are fully supported by HAGER in setting up their personnel.
I am therefore all the more pleased that, as a real estate-specific personnel consultant, I can draw on these clients as well as my own network. This allows me to advise companies along the entire value chain of the real estate sector. From development, planning and realization to the management of the property.”
More and more companies in the real estate sector are complaining about a shortage of skilled workers. A recently published study by the European Training Centre (EBZ) shows that there is currently a lack of specialized knowledge for new working environments.
The current labor market in the real estate sector does not currently provide enough skilled workers.
How do you assess the situation on the job market in the construction and real estate sector?
Sahar Zabler: “The job market in the construction and real estate industry is very dynamic. You can constantly develop not only hierarchically, but also professionally.
In the past, you could enter the real estate industry as a business economist, architect, civil engineer or with a similar degree and acquire specialized knowledge over the years. Nowadays, there are a number of degree courses that train young students with real estate expertise.
Conversely, this means that the labor market is full of potential specialists, but the flexibility to hire a career changer is decreasing massively. Companies are looking for employees with sound practical as well as theoretical expertise. This is completely understandable, as the requirements and standards have also evolved over the years.
This in turn means that many fall off the ‘grid’. As a result, there are not enough skilled workers and the candidates are in high demand.
The above-mentioned study also mentions that more than 20 percent of managers will retire in the next five to seven years.
What do you recommend to real estate companies at this point?
Sahar Zabler: “My recommendation is very clear: companies need to start looking for a replacement early – at least two years before a manager retires.
What many companies don’t take into account is that a recruitment process can sometimes take up to 12 months, in the worst case even longer. You have to sift through all the applicants, conduct several interviews and then take into account the notice period. In addition, you should allow a few months for training. In the best case scenario, the former job holder will provide induction training to ensure a smooth transition.”
Recruiting qualified specialists and managers in the real estate and construction sector has become even more difficult, as there are hardly any candidates left on the market
Sahar Zabler: “Cooperation with specialized executive search consultancies can make sense for real estate professionals. Not only the top management levels, but also specialists from the planning, development, realization and management of a property as well as very good junior staff must be intensively courted today if real estate companies want to win them over and retain them in the long term.”
