Summer 2027 NYC/Chicago Leasing Brokerage Recruiting (Cushman, JLL, CBRE, M&M)

Hi everyone,

I'm a rising junior and am planning to recruit for Summer 2027 leasing brokerage internships, primarily in the New York City and Chicago markets.

I'm particularly interested in Cushman & Wakefield, JLL, CBRE, Marcus & Millichap, Newmark, and Colliers, and would love to hear from anyone who has gone through the internship recruiting process at these firms.

A few questions:

• How many interview rounds did you go through?
• What did the recruiting timeline look like?
• Who interviewed you (HR, brokers, MDs, teams, etc.)?
• What were some of the actual interview questions you were asked?
• Were interviews primarily behavioral, technical, or a mix of both?
• What commercial real estate concepts were expected going in?
• How much did they expect you to know about leasing specifically?
• Did they ask questions about tenant representation vs. landlord representation?
• Were there market-specific questions related to NYC or Chicago?
• What level of Excel knowledge was expected?
• Did they ask about NOI, cap rates, lease structures, TI allowances, free rent, occupancy/vacancy, etc.?
• What differentiated candidates who received offers from those who didn't?

I'd also be interested in hearing about the internship itself:

• What did your day-to-day work look like?
• How much exposure did you get to brokers, clients, property tours, and live deals?
• Did the internship lead to a full-time offer or accelerated recruiting process?

Finally, if you were recruiting again, what would you focus on learning before interviews?

Appreciate any insight. Thanks in advance.