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64 kind of folks who want to join a management rotation program, and won't settle for less." Weir also recommends that companies think outside the box and recruit from liberal arts colleges. "Students from top liberal arts schools are often under-recruited because they have majors like English or Art History. Liberal art programs prepare the student to adapt to a variety of backgrounds. ey are highly adaptable and often more willing to take risks on new careers as a result." "Focus on the purpose of what your industry does over the financials of what it generates or targets," Efron advises. "In the housing market, it is not about selling more homes; it is about giving more people a chance to own their dream home, families a chance to fulfill a dream of homeownership, creating financial security and stability for more people and ultimately making life better for people. e more of these buckets the industry can fill for each client, the more the industry will thrive. When recruiting and retaining talent for the industry, this focus on purpose is the marketing platform that will reinforce the meaning and value of jobs in the industry. is life meaning is of top importance to the younger workforce. Industry leaders need to steer clear of fixed mindsets that believe the housing industry is not 'flashy,' because, in reality, it has the power to build dreams and create safety and comfort for people around the world at every social and economic level. Not to mention, the millions it positively impacts and feeds through job creation." THE RIGHT STUFF But what makes for the right candidate to join this industry? "In today's financial services market we are being inundated with a flood of new rules and regulations, strict service-level agreements, disruptive technology advancements, and ever- changing market conditions," says Five Brothers' Badalamenti-Kalas. "erefore, one of the first skills we look for to see if someone is suited for this industry is the ability to embrace change. ey have to be able to adapt to constantly changing work conditions." "It is to everyone's advantage for our team members to be enthusiastic and committed to a mindset of continual innovation, allowing them to not only able to perform their jobs better, but also able to provide an exceptional customer experience," says Wells Fargo's Perry Hilzendeger. ATA National Title Group's William L. Robinson, Jr. points to how technological advances are transforming how the industry interacts with its customers, with a shift toward mass communications with the customer base via platforms like social media. "Our younger workforce is much more adept at transitioning to these types of trends," Robinson says. "Stereotypes often come from some grain of truth and our younger employees are more skilled at that form of communication. Interestingly, however, I think some of our older staff members have helped the younger ones at interpersonal communication skills. Ultimately, we need to be effective in all forms of communication, and I believe our goal of having a balanced workforce helps us to achieve that result." "We need to keep pace with how people want to buy a house," says Arch MI's Keyser. "People don't want to be called on the phone, they want you to text them. Younger workers grew up in a whole other environment, a whole other world. Young workers bring that understanding of how to leverage the technology, how to use social media in a way that engages with the customer. at helps us how we do business." "I've always had an interest in financial technology for its ability to reach large amounts of people and impact the day-to-day of large organizations," says Fiserv's Gary Yeh. "While I didn't specifically pursue a career in the mortgage industry, I was excited to join Fiserv in this business because owning a home and taking on a mortgage is often the biggest life decision people make. It's exciting to work at a company that helps make that experience as seamless as possible." "People and the way they think, act, or behave, and also what they believe in, creates cultures," Efron says. "Transformation happens when there are enough people who collectively believe in something different or new. is is what will ultimately happen to the housing industry and other industries holding on to the past. e alternative is extinction which won't happen in such a foundational industry as housing. In housing, the transformation will be forced by an influx of the only talent that will be available on the market—the younger generations who believe in a different world order. Ultimately, industry innovation will come from the younger generation workforce who believe in this new world, but individually think differently about how to get there." "Focus on the purpose of what your industry does over the financials of what it generates or targets. In the housing market, it is not about selling more homes; it is about giving more people a chance to own their dream home." - Author Louis Efron

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