Looking For The Mentor's Perspective

[hal380]

Hello Jonathan;

I am sorry to hear about your decision to seek other avenues. If your testing showed an aptitude for appraisal, and if you want to do it, then maybe you should hang on some more.

Everyone's situation is different, but when I started, I could not find mentor either.
I was entering appraisal as I was closing down a small conststuction business. I couldn't buy a job for love or money. I even worked for free for 3 months. I finally had to quit the free work and revive my business. Worked my business for 5 yrs and then took another run at finding a mentor. This time it worked, I got a good mentor and am now on my own. What does my story have to do with your situation??? Don't know, but I was 50 when I was working for free and then 55 when I got my start with a mentor. You are 40 so you have some years left on you.

I am going to post a web address.
World Savings



These people have 5 openins for Licensed appraisers in Mass. I gather you have not taken your courses yet, and that's good that you havn't spent too much money. What I would do if I were you, is to contact World Savings and see if you can get any position with them. They have great benefits etc. If the front door doesnt work go around to the back door.



I see from your profile that you regiserted early may, so I think you need to give it some more time.



PM me if you think I could be of any help


Regards



Hal

 

[Mister Ed]

Jonathan,

I got into appraising through a "lucky break." I was out of work for nearly two years and had spent my life savings just keeping the bills paid. Then, based on other skills, I was hired to manage an office and worked here a few months before I decided that I wanted to become an appraiser. I enjoy it, am not getting rich, but I make enough to pay the bills. I am in a large city where there is plenty of work to go around.

Let me encourage you to look at it this way. If you have to take a job you do not like for a while to get to the job that appears to be a perfect fit, then by all means go forward in your pursuit. I had never considered real estate appraisal until I started working for this office. Now, I wish I had discovered it 20 years ago.

Take the practical suggestions you found on this message board to heart. Always keep learning. It is NOT LIKELY to be easy. We went through three trainees we hired who had the "I'll get rich on easy work" mentality when they were hired and they did not have the aptitude to do a good job.

By the way, I am still a trainee who is eligible for to apply to take my state's certification exam in 37 more days. I have fought the good fight.