Best Way To Land A Trainee Position ?

[joshua pegues]

I just finished school and I wish I had been looking for a job sooner. The market here in Tampa Bay is red hot and I have a great resume ; I'm just not that good at being in the right place at the right time. If anyone has any advice on getting hired as a new trainee or any stories about their first job, I would appreciate hearing about it. Even appraiser trainee specific advice for interviews would be nice (if I could get an interview).

 

[TSBailey]

Just keep your eyes open and looking. Make good contacts with appraisers. Look on the jobs board here.

I was fortunate to fall into this trade before I new anything about it. I had a job lined up before I went to school. I even had the oppurtunity to hold the dumb end of the tape for my super. on a few inspections. Been at it for about 5 mos. and love it.

Hang in there.

BTW where did you go to school? And was it any good?

Scott

 

[joshua pegues]

I went to Bob Houge School in the Tampa area. It is an excellent school. It's a little silly and actually pathetic how some of the people in this forum act cocky and condesending towards "newbies". I may be a new Appraiser Trainee but that's about it. I have an extensive resume and I doubt they would know much about running convoyes through Iraq or launching Patriot missiles into the desert sky at night or being gunned at and returning fire besides having 5 years professional building experience and 10+ years in the ARMY and a retired Sergeant (you get to retire early when disabled). Your encouragement is noted and appreciated. I'm sure your doing well in your training. Thanks, SGT. P. :usa:

 

[Tim The Enchanter]

You almost have to know someone. So expand your contacts. Don't give up.
The classes and licensing are easy. Getting the first job is the hard part as you note.

 

[Eric Bishard]

Use the internet to find as many phone numbers and faxes to appraisal companies in your area. Then start calling each appraisal company, I wrote a script that I would loosley read once I got to talk to someone who might be hiring. Once you reach someone that may be hiring or accepting resumes ask them if you could fax them your resume. You may have to call in upwards of 100 companies, I know I did. I probably faxed 25 or more of them my resume after talking to them and I only got 1 that was interested in hiring. That was 9 months ago. I just landed a new job through someone I know. Knowing is half the battle kids.

 

[Michigander]

It's a little silly and actually pathetic how some of the people in this forum act cocky and condesending towards "newbies". I may be a new Appraiser Trainee but that's about it. I have an extensive resume and I doubt they would know much about running convoyes through Iraq or launching Patriot missiles into the desert sky at night or being gunned at and returning fire besides having 5 years professional building experience and 10+ years in the ARMY and a retired Sergeant (you get to retire early when disabled).

If you approach the job search with this attitude you will land flat on your face. You may have an impressive background outside of appraisal, but you do not have anything other than a few courses under your belt in appraisal. This is an extremely difficult business to get into at times. If you are really serious about it, please approach the search in a manner less egotistical.

That said, try the internet search engines as well. Monster has an excellent site and there are offerings there. Join professional organizations and start networking there as well. Look into what you can bring with you to a mentor and try to sell that, but do it in a humble manner. Taking on a trainee is a very costly endeveor if done correctly, which is why so many people do not want to do it. You have to be a benefit to the employer, or otherwise there will be no employment.

Good luck

 

[joshua pegues]

Originally posted by Serena Massey@Aug 11 2005, 06:12 AM

If you approach the job search with this attitude you will land flat on your face. You may have an impressive background outside of appraisal, but you do not have anything other than a few courses under your belt in appraisal. This is an extremely difficult business to get into at times. If you are really serious about it, please approach the search in a manner less egotistical.

That said, try the internet search engines as well. Monster has an excellent site and there are offerings there. Join professional organizations and start networking there as well. Look into what you can bring with you to a mentor and try to sell that, but do it in a humble manner. Taking on a trainee is a very costly endeveor if done correctly, which is why so many people do not want to do it. You have to be a benefit to the employer, or otherwise there will be no employment.

Good luck

:rainfro: "you have no idea what's on my resume" that's not ego talking, that's fact.

 

[Michigander]

Oh well, just trying to give some friendly advice. Take it or leave it, that is your choice.

 

[George Hatch]

Joshua,

You might want to keep in mind that most appraisers have done other things prior to entering this profession. Everyone here has a past, and those pasts are mostly irrelevant to landing that all-important first job. Sorry.

Serena meant no disrespect - she was merely addressing your comments and aligning them with the realities of the job market for new trainees from the Bob Hogue School in Tampa. If Florida is like many of the other "population" states there are probably at least as many trainees out there with virtually similar appraiser qualifications as there are fully licensed residential appraisers. In California there are more trainees than there are Residential Licensed and Residential Certified combined. Even if every practicing appraiser took on a trainee there still wouldn't be room for everyone who wants to do the job. Only a small fraction of appraisers are even amenable to dealing with trainees and most of them are only interested in taking advantage, not in dealing ethically with their trainees. I would estimate that probably no more than about 5% of all licensed appraisers would fit into the category of "can and will reasonably employ" a newbie.

Your optimum path here is to: 1) develop the skills necessary to be productive to an appraiser; 2) locate an appraiser who will even consider taking on a trainee; 3) ascertain whether this "trainer" is on the up or if they are a crook in appraiser's clothing; and lastly, 4) sell yourself as the only logical candidate of all the candidates that approach them during any given month. Even during the best of times this is a daunting task - It's never easy but sometimes its even harder than others.

Applicable skills count, but your personal attitude and desire count even more. You also have to be able to sell yourself, which again relates to attitude and getting along with people. You wouldn't want to kid yourself into thinking you're going to be the Alpha Male in your relationship with any supervisor because it probably won't work that way.

Stick around, do your research on this "newbies" section of the forum and you'll see nothing that will contradict what we're telling you here. It's nothing personal, but trainees are just about a dime/dozen. We wish you luck with your search.

 

[Eric Bishard]

Great point George!

My Associate of Science Degree in Digital Media has helped me land my first job as an appraiser. I belive it also helped me at the new office Im starting at in a week from now. When I interviewed I also showed them brochures, business cards and websites I have created for other appraisal companies.

Noting any computer skills is a plus in this business, college degree or not. I know a few trainees my company hired that are very slow learners on the computer and it is frustrating for the supervisors to have to train them not only to be a good appraiser but how to do every little thing on the computer as well. Companies want quick learners, computer experience and of course good attitudes.