(Networking) Good questions to ask?
I've got a few phone calls lined up with some guys in Capital market groups at some top brokerages. I'm trying really hard to land to couple interviews and so I definitely want to come off sounding as intelligent as possible. What might be some good questions to ask about their jobs?
Similarly, I have a phone call scheduled for a principal at a boutique development firm. I know less about development but am still pretty interested. Could use advice on good questions to ask here as well.
Finally, I am also working my ass off to at least try and get an interview at a REPE firm. These guys are a lot more difficult to get in touch with, and I certainly don't want to waste their time when I do. I imagine some good questions to are not completely out of the scope of what I would be asking people in positions referred above, but any advice or insight would be helpful here as well.
I started in a similar situation and looking back I would have done things a bit differently. I would try to read the best Real Estate Finance book that you can find and when you finish it, ask specific questions on things you did not understand.. The old saying "No such thing as a stupid question" is very false.. They will be able to tell a lot about you by the questions you ask.. dumb questions=not prepared/no effort. I would then ask a few general questions like.. 1. "Where do you see the most opportunity for an upcoming RE professional?" 2. "What was your first deal like?" 3. "Looking back, what are some things you would have done differently?"
Hope that helps.. let us know how it goes.