The Brokerage Interview Scorecard.

Why score instead of comparing splits alone

Every brokerage conversation tends to open with the split, because it's the easiest number to compare. The problem is that it's only one line item in a much larger picture — desk fees, marketing costs, technology fees, and the value (or absence) of hands-on support all affect what you actually take home and how fast you get productive. A structured scorecard forces you to ask about all of it in the same conversation, rather than remembering the lender-panel question for one brokerage and forgetting to ask it at the next.

It also protects you from a subtler trap: comparing your second interview to your vague memory of your first one. Interviews blur together fast, especially if you're talking to three or four brokerages in the same week. Scoring each conversation the same day, against the same categories, is what makes the comparison honest instead of impressionistic.

Step 1. The compensation and fee-structure questions to ask

• →What is the commission split, and does it change with volume or tenure?
• →Are there desk fees, technology fees, marketing fees, or E&O costs deducted separately — and are they flat or a percentage?
• →How and how often is commission actually paid out?
• →Is there a ramp-up period with different terms for new agents, and when does it end?

For a fuller breakdown of how compensation actually works across common brokerage models, see how mortgage agents get paid in Canada.

Step 2. The support and training questions to ask

• →Is there a formal onboarding or mentorship process for new agents, or is support informal and dependent on who happens to be around?
• →Who reviews a file before it goes to a lender, and how hands-on is that review for a new agent specifically?
• →Is there admin or processing support available, or is every part of the file yours alone to manage?
• →How does the brokerage handle questions on complex files — self-employed income, non-traditional credit, and similar — for agents still building that judgment?

Step 3. The lender access and technology questions to ask

• →How broad is the lender panel, and does it include the alternative and B-lenders you'll need for anything outside a straightforward A-file?
• →What submission platform does the brokerage use, and is training provided before your first live file?
• →Is there a CRM provided, or are you expected to source and pay for your own?
• →How current is the technology — is this a brokerage investing in its systems, or running on whatever was set up years ago?

Step 4. The culture and growth-path questions to ask

• →What does a typical agent's first year look like at this brokerage, in specifics rather than generalities?
• →Is there a path to team leadership, specialization, or management if that's something you want down the line?
• →How does the brokerage handle disagreements or file disputes between agents?
• →Can you speak with an agent who joined in the last year, unfiltered, before you sign?

This is also worth weighing against the broader considerations in choosing a Canadian brokerage, which covers factors beyond what fits neatly into an interview question. A brokerage that scores well on compensation and technology but poorly here is often the one that looks best on paper and feels worst six months in.

Step 5. Turn it into a scorecard you can compare side by side

Score each category from 1 to 5 for every brokerage you talk to, right after the conversation while it's fresh — memory fades fast once you're three interviews in.

Once you've landed on a brokerage, our first-30-days launch checklist picks up exactly where this worksheet leaves off. And for the fulfillment and marketing support that complements whatever a brokerage does or doesn't provide in-house, see how Treadstone works with Canadian mortgage professionals.