Before day one: accounts, access, and paperwork
New agent onboarding usually breaks down before the agent even shows up. CRM access, email, MLS credentials, transaction management software, and lockbox access all need to exist before their first day, not be requested on it.
Build a standing pre-start checklist with every account, license verification, and independent contractor paperwork item. Assign each line to a specific person on your team so nothing waits on "whoever has time."
- CRM and email accounts created
- MLS and lockbox access requested
- Independent contractor agreement signed
- Transaction management login issued
Week one: orientation and expectations
The first week should cover how your team actually operates: who to contact for what, where SOPs live, your commission structure, and your response-time expectations. Do this as a structured conversation, not a document dump on day one.
Set expectations in writing about lead follow-up speed, CRM logging, and communication channels. New agents copy whatever behavior they see modeled in week one, so make sure someone is actually available to answer their questions.
Weeks two and three: systems and shadowing
Once orientation is done, move into hands-on practice: shadowing a showing, sitting in on a listing appointment, and working through a mock transaction in your CRM. This is where the checklist items from week one become muscle memory.
Pair the new agent with a mentor or team lead for these two weeks rather than leaving them to self-teach from your operations manual. Questions that come up during real work stick better than anything covered in a slideshow.
Day 30: the first review conversation
At the 30-day mark, sit down and review how lead follow-up, CRM usage, and communication have gone so far. This is a checkpoint, not a performance review — the goal is to catch small gaps in habits before they become permanent.
Ask specifically what has been confusing or unclear. New agents rarely volunteer this information unprompted, and their answers usually point to a gap in your onboarding checklist worth fixing for the next hire.
Where to start
If you do not have a written pre-start checklist yet, that is the highest-leverage place to begin.
- Write down every account a new agent needs on day one
- Assign each access item to a specific team member
- Schedule week-one orientation before the start date
- Pick a mentor for shadowing weeks two and three
- Put a 30-day review meeting on the calendar now