The real estate industry is facing a digital transformation. ESG reporting requirements, climate targets and demanding tenants require, among other things, data analysis for building construction and operations. Decisions will increasingly be data‑driven in the future: AI helps with investment decisions, as it can analyse lease agreements and building quality in a short time. This requires IT specialists such as AI experts, data scientists and programmers.
But how attractive is the industry as an employer for IT professionals? Does it have enough appeal, or is it seen as outdated? And what are industry players doing to attract specialists for this transformation? These topics were discussed by three experts on an online panel organised by RUECKERCONSULT: Felix Dorner, CFO of aedifion; Marko Broschinski, Head of Sales at INTREAL Solutions; and Matthias Höppner, Managing Director of RecToCon.
Matthias Höppner, Managing Director at RecToCon, has been working as an executive recruiter in the real estate industry for many years. He observes that the industry lacks a “coolness factor” and is not visible enough—especially among professionals in IT and software development. “Many candidates also know little about the upcoming digital challenges in the real estate sector. Yet working in real estate is closely linked to meaningful impact: if an expert helps reduce fossil‑fuel consumption in existing buildings and lowers tenants’ utility costs, this should motivate many talents and contribute to their job satisfaction. The associated change management that must be initiated within companies can also be an interesting task for many employees,” says Höppner.
Marko Broschinski, Head of Sales at INTREAL Solutions, adds: “The opportunities for shaping and influencing things that employees with a digital focus have in our industry are underestimated. Yet a wide range of skills are in long‑term demand in the sector, such as software development, data analysis, interface management and, increasingly, tasks in the area of cyber security.”
What companies are doing to recruit IT specialists
To draw attention to themselves and attract new talent, the industry is taking various approaches. In addition to trade fairs and university graduate conferences, recruiting via social media platforms plays a major role. “Depending on the age group, you should choose the right channel for addressing candidates. This makes filling positions complex, even for us as a highly networked PropTech company offering an AI‑based cloud solution for the digital optimisation of building operations,” says Felix Dorner, CFO of aedifion.
The industry is looking for both university graduates and experts with 20 years of professional experience. “You increasingly find job starters on Instagram, sometimes even on TikTok. Those already employed are reached more through LinkedIn. Our company has had good experiences with partnerships with regional universities. We offer thesis projects, provide attractive jobs for working students, and regularly attend various university events,” Dorner adds.
Broschinski has had good experiences with employee referrals: “Employees with whom our staff have already worked in previous jobs already know what to expect through existing exchanges. At the same time, our employees, as former colleagues, also know what they are capable of. That is a very good starting point,” says Broschinski.
Few applicants have both IT and real estate expertise
All three experts agree that it is difficult to find applicants who have both the necessary IT expertise and an understanding of real estate. Höppner explains: “In the real estate industry, people tend to think in terms of properties, whereas in the tech environment, they think in terms of data flows.”
“Bringing these two worlds together — and then also understanding the technical terminology of property management — is a real challenge.” Dorner adds that, five years ago, university real‑estate programmes did not yet offer opportunities to choose IT‑focused courses. This has improved, but there is still room for optimisation.
This gap could be closed if companies offered more IT‑related training to their real estate specialists. “Such career prospects — alongside the desire for flexible working — are the most important criteria for candidates when deciding on an employer,” observes Höppner. Broschinski also emphasises that employees themselves have a responsibility to be clear about their professional development and to proactively discuss it with their managers.
Real estate companies must embrace change management
Many real estate companies still need to integrate digital transformation more actively into their business model, says PropTech representative Dorner. “If leaders do not stand behind the necessary innovations and adjustments, digital transformation will stall.”
It is also important to adapt not only processes but the corporate culture. “There’s no use having beautifully worded mission statements on paper if they are not actually lived,” says Broschinski. “And promises made during the recruitment process must also be kept,” Höppner notes from his consulting practice. Otherwise, in cases of such discrepancies, the new employee is likely to leave again very quickly.
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