by: Lucca Walls

Breaking into commercial real estate (CRE) isn’t like applying and joining other industries. It doesn’t run on standard coursework, and there’s no obvious on-ramp from undergrad. For students or career-changers, the path often begins with an internship, but not all internships are created equal.

To get a clearer picture of what it really takes to enter the field, I sat down with Sagiv Rosano, founder of Rosano Capital Partners. He has spent the past decade training and mentoring young professionals through his firm’s CRE internship program. What followed was less a checklist and more a blueprint, grounded in experience, mistakes, and the long-term value of curiosity.

Internships Are the Education

Commercial real estate, as Sagiv described it, is “a very old-school business… slowly, slowly kind of maturing to the age of internet and mobility.” Despite its size and influence, CRE remains under-taught. “There’s very, very few schools that really teaches you the fundamentals of the business,” he explained. “If you want to learn it, you go to grad school. But even then, that’s only an introduction.” In his view, people actually learn the business through internships. The most successful interns, he noted, often come in with some hands-on experience, typically in residential real estate. “They did something more simple, maybe residential at Keller Williams… and then they came to the big boys.”

Mentorship Is How the Industry Works

Sagiv explained that mentorship is essential because “that’s how you get your foot in the door.” and that “a lot of the jobs in commercial real estate come from who you know, and who your mentors know.” His own path wasn’t a straight line. After starting his career in investment banking, he found his way into real estate by surrounding himself with people already in the space. “I had very formal mentors… but with David, it was like, we knew each other, we were friends… I would go meet with him for coffee, and I would learn so much.” What mattered wasn’t the formality, it was the access to someone who could walk you through the logic, the decisions, the patterns. That’s how knowledge moves in this field. It’s how you go from watching to doing.

Why Boutique Firms Teach You More

Smaller firms, Sagiv said, tend to provide a broader learning experience. “In a boutique like ours, you tend to learn a lot… You may negotiate a lease, you may work on an underwriting, you may even underwrite an investment deal.” Larger firms, by contrast, often assign interns to one specific track. “If you join a big organization… you’re most likely going to be focusing on a very narrow specialty.”

The Resume: Don’t Fake Interest

When it comes to landing an internship, your resume still plays a big role. “We try to pick… people that show strong interest in real estate,” Sagiv told me. That doesn’t necessarily mean having a degree in CRE, but it does mean having some background or exposure. “We will rarely hire somebody that has no background or nothing in real estate,” he said. Presentation also matters. “Don’t make mistakes on your resume. Make sure you dot your I’s, cross your T’s… keep it very consistent.”

What to Do in the Interview

Interviews, according to Sagiv, don’t need to be robotic, but they do need to be intentional. “Most interviews will end up with, ‘Hey, do you want to ask me any questions?’” Writing questions down ahead of time, he said, shows preparedness and genuine interest. “It doesn’t look weird,” he added. In fact, thoughtful questions can set you apart from other candidates by showing you’ve done your research and are thinking critically about the role. “Know about the company you’re interviewing and the person you’re interviewing,” he emphasized. A quick LinkedIn search and a scroll through the company’s website or social media can give you a better understanding of what they value and how you might fit in. Having that context helps you tailor your answers and ask better questions.

Beyond preparation, first impressions matter. Dress appropriately for the setting, arrive a few minutes early, and bring a copy of your resume, even if they already have it. Keep your answers concise, but don’t be afraid to show personality or enthusiasm. If you don’t know something, be honest and pivot to what you’re eager to learn.

And perhaps most importantly, “Smile,” Sagiv said. “Enjoy the process.” Confidence, curiosity, and professionalism go a long way.

What Separates a Great Intern from a Good One?

Plenty of students want the line on their resume. But the ones who actually grow are the ones who show up fully present. “We see when somebody goes above and beyond… it shows in how they work, how they ask questions, how much they care.” The biggest difference he sees isn’t always about skill. “The difference between an A and a B student… the A just tried a little bit harder.”

He doesn’t expect interns to be perfect. “We love to let people make the mistake… then point it out, let them correct themselves. Through that process, you learn a lot.” What matters is not repeating the same mistake. Being present, paying attention, and pushing yourself to understand, those are the things that build momentum.

If there’s one throughline in all of this, it’s that success in commercial real estate comes down to how seriously you take the experience. You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room, but you do need to show up with curiosity, consistency, and the willingness to learn. “Almost everything that you do will be a step to success,” Sagiv told me. That’s the real lesson of the internship, not just what you do, but how you do it.