Working with agents every day trying to get more listings or sales forces me to look at the internet a lot for great ideas that can be used. I just found this story about Nick Begley.

For any job searcher, there is nothing quite as sweet as landing a job in a tough economy.
For one specific job searcher, Nick Begley, of New York, the sweetness was in how he landed the job.

Begley, 32, used the label of a candy bar to sell himself to potential employers, crafting his resume onto a “Resume Bar.”

Using the tagline, “Credentials that will satisfy any organization’s appetite,” Begley sold himself on the bar as an “experienced marketing professional” with a serving size of “1 career.” Instead of calories the bar listed his education level, MBA, and instead of vitamin counts, the bar’s label touted Begley’s 110% work ethic, 100% communication and 100% versatility, among others.

Begley created 12 of the bars after he completed his MBA at the University of Central Florida in 2009 and was searching for jobs in New York. His unique take on the job search got a second life this week when his friend, Eli Langer, posted a photo of the bar on Reddit, where it has received more than 3,000 comments.

“People are either going to love or hate it,” Begley told ABCNews.com today. “My focus was to find an organization that would embrace it because if they weren’t open to that kind of out-of-the-box thinking, that wouldn’t be a company that I would fit in well with anyways.”

Begley had already found an organization, the Orlando Magic basketball franchise, that embraced his creativity while in graduate school. The team hired him for a summer internship after receiving a “ResumeBar,” which gave Begley all the confidence he needed to try it again.

The sweet approach worked a second time in 2009 as Begley landed a marketing job less than three months after he began his job search, with LeagueApps, a platform that connects adult recreational athletes.
Begley, who also once had his resume delivered along with a pizza, says his brother, Jeremy, designed the label for him and he had it printed at Kinko’s. He put the label atop a standard Nestle Crunch bar, making his resume not-so-ordinary for less than $2.50 per bar, he estimates.

“Of course,” Begley said when asked if it was worth it. “It was creative and put me ahead [with potential employers] as far as understanding that I was willing to go the extra mile.”

Begley now works for a Toronto-based e-commerce entertainment company, a job he found the old-fashioned way.

“I was recruited by someone I used to work with,” he said.

So think out of the box.

OK I had to end this post with:

For a SWEET JOB SELLING REAL ESTATE

For more information contact:

Jim Forde
Director of Education
Keller Williams Realty
Approved Real Estate Academy
4010 Barranca Pkwy., Ste. 100
Irvine, CA 92604

Phone (714) 875-0979
Jim@ApprovedRealRealEstateAcademy.com

“The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 12.2 percent employment growth for real estate agents between 2010 and 2020, which is slightly faster than average. An additional 45,000
jobs will need to be filled within that time period.” 1

“…the untold story is that when Baby Boomer brokers retire, the hole will need to be filled
by Millennials, who aren’t gravitating to the career. The National Association of Realtors
puts the average age of realtor at 56, and there aren’t enough members of Generation X in the real
estate business to close that gap…”2

With the large number of Baby Boomers retiring and Generation X members not opting for real estate careers, where are you going to find your future sales agents? From the Millennial Generation. The Millennial Generation consists of those born after 1980 who came of age in the new century. The are
the first “connected” generation where technology and social media have always been the ‘norm’. For them, smart phones, web searches and social media are not something to be learned, they are just the
way of life.

So, how do you get Millennials interested in real estate? Let’s look at some advice from the experts
to see how you can recruit Millennials and how ApprovedRealEstateAcademy.com can help you.

1. Offer career support and an opportunity for collaboration.5 Give prospective agents a place to start by having your affiliate link prominent on your website. Connect with them
while they are in school using ApprovelRealEstateAcademy.com’s Training Tracker™ Dashboard. Show prospective agents how connected you are from day one.

2. Offer training classes and workshops… providing additional training for your team can
make all the difference in attracting and keeping quality workers.4 Offer online training
to your new agents in the form of Specialty Designations – including Certified Technology Specialist, just written in 2012. Online designations are a great way to create a staff of experts. Encourage your Millennial staff to become a senior expert; encourage your existing staff to become technology experts.

3. Instead of giving them old, antiquated real estate websites that you own and control, teach them about technologies…6 Use Career Launcher to provide professionally designed, affordable websites with the tools for today’s technology driven marketplace. Each Career Launcher package includes The Top 10 Tech Tools e-book to hone technology skills towards the real estate marketplace

4. Update your career site…[recruits] do their homework online before they pick up the phone to call you.3 Adding a link to ApprovedRealEstateAcademy.com is only the first step to show recruits you are serious about helping them get started in a new career. Include links to the department of real estate for licensing information and testimonials from existing agents.

Remember, while commission is important, Millenials are looking for that connectivity they are used to. Make sure your agency is providing that. When it comes to landing a real estate job, “The last you do is worry about commission and the first thing is education,” says Mo Veissi, president of the National Association of Realtors.1

1 http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/real-estate-agent/reviews

2 http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-09-14/classified/chi-real-estate-agencies-recruit-gen-ybrokers-20120913_1_real-estate-millennials-brokers

3 https://www.realtown.com/AlignMarkTeam/blog/recruitingtipsforsuccess

4 http://www.thereibrain.com/three-ways-to-recruit-real-estate-agents/2653/

5 http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?id=276799 2012

6. http://mytitleguy.com/2012/05/how-to-recruit-and-retain-real-estate-agents/

For more information contact:

Jim Forde
Director of Education
Approved Real Estate Academy
PO Box 4163
Tustin, CA 92781

Phone (714) 875-0979
Jim@ApprovedRealEstateAcademy.com

#approvedrealestateacademy #jimforde
Jim@ApprovedRealRealEstateAcademy.com

One of the biggest mistakes I see many real estate agents make is they don’t treat their business like a business. When I coach agents I ask them why they chose a career in real estate in the first place. Their answers usually boil down to two reasons:

The opportunity to make a lot of money
Independence

Some agents see independence as an opportunity to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and they operate their businesses randomly or on the fly. They may have business goals, but often they lack the practices and discipline to turn their goals into reality. For example: They procrastinate on marketing and prospecting; they don’t have a system for following up on every lead; and they do random things during business hours, like surfing the Web.

Who Wins in a Changing Market?

The real estate marketing is changing. There may be hundreds or even thousands of agents in your area competing for dwindling business. Within the next 6 to 18 months, many agents will be looking for another way to make a living.

Even in down markets, there’s business to be had. Those agents who are committed and disciplined will be the ones who get the business that’s out there. To be successful in real estate, especially in today’s changing market, you must manage yourself and your activities as a business, with a plan, procedures, results-tracking, and accountability.

The Four Essential Systems

There are four key systems you need to run your business as a business. As you read about them, you may find yourself saying, “I already know all of this.” If you do, great, but do you personally have these systems, and are you using them consistently?

A game plan – Your goals and the business and marketing strategies you’ll use to achieve them. Make sure they’re specific, measurable, and in writing.

A schedule – A daily or weekly schedule of the actions you must take to grow your business. Without sticking to a schedule, most agents get sidetracked and lose focus on the most important business-building activities.
A way to track your contacts, actions and results – Whether you use software or pencil and paper, you need to track your contacts and activity so you can know where your leads come from, how often you contact them, how many contacts it takes to get a deal, etc. Without tracking, you won’t fully understand your business or control your destiny.

A way to get feedback – Most independent salespeople operate in the vacuum of their own ideas and perceptions. It’s important to have someone who can give you honest feedback about everything–from your business strategy, to your communication, to your appearance. Without outside feedback, you may be missing opportunities or getting in your own way without knowing it.

Case in point: I recently began coaching an agent who hasn’t had a transaction in over a year. At our first meeting, I noticed that his communication style was intense and aggressive, so much so that I speculated that he was putting people off. He asked his friends and coworkers for feedback, and they confirmed my theory. While he thought he was projecting confidence and strength, his prospects and coworkers saw him as overly aggressive and desperate. Over the past month, I’ve coached him on developing a softer approach and building rapport with his prospects. In one month since he’s changed his approach, he has four deals in his pipeline.

Whether it’s a coach or a coworker, find someone to give you honest and direct feedback. Without it, you’re living in a vacuum.

Use Your Systems

It’s not enough just to have these basic systems in place–you have to use them consistently. The systems will not only support your existing business, they will paint a clearer picture of where the holes are and what it will take to advance to the next level. The systems work synergistically. By planning and scheduling, you’ll get a handle on where to focus and when. By tracking your activity and getting feedback, you’ll see what areas need improvement and how you can adjust your strategy and schedule accordingly.

To be successful in the changing real estate market, you need to run your business as a business. If you don’t, the agent who does will get the business you want.

For more information contact:

Jim Forde
Director of Education
Approved Real Estate Academy
4010 Barranca Pkwy. Ste. 100
Irvine, CA 92604

Phone (714) 875-0979
Jim@ApprovedRealRealEstateAcademy.com

Becoming a licensed real estate salesperson in the State of California is not difficult as long as you know what to expect, and can meet the requirements. Approved Real Estate Academy based in Irvine, California is creating and delivering the most current state-approved real estate License courses with the specific goal of teaching our students exactly what they need to know so they can pass the state exam on their first attempt and obtain their real estate license. We can definitely help you reach your goal of becoming a Licensed Salesperson in the State of California!

Attending  Approved Real Estate Academy is fast, fun and enjoyable and it’s also affordable! Our instructors are the best in the industry and you’ll get to know them as you proceed with your course because they are always there to help.

So what is the process for getting your California real estate license? The following should help increase your knowledge in this regard.

The State of California Department of Real Estate has developed a defined process for becoming a licensed Salesperson or Broker. … Your education starts with the California Principles course, as available online at  ApprovedRealEstateAcademy.com.

CA Real Estate Course

Minimum Requirements for Application for the California Salesperson Exam and License
Before you can become a real estate salesperson in California, you must qualify for and pass a written examination. When you pass the State real estate exam you will receive a license application which you will submit to the Department of Real Estate for approval.

You must be 18 years of age or older to be licensed in California.
Proof of Legal Presence in the United States is required before you can become licensed in California. If you are not a resident of California, take a look at Out-of-State Applicants information

If you’ve been convicted of a crime the State can deny you a license. If you fail to inform the Department of Real Estate (DRE) of criminal violations or disciplinary action, that could also result in your application for license being denied. If you’d like more information on this issue, see Help Avoid Denial of Your License Application and Application Eligibility Information (RE 222).

No experience is required to obtain your California license, experience will come after you have your license, but you do need to successfully complete the following educational requirements before you can become a licensed California Real Estate Salesperson:

Real Estate Principles – before you can apply for an examination this course must have been completed or be in progress before applying for a license. This course is available online from California Real Estate Schools offering courses approved by the Department of Real Estate (DRE).

Real Estate Practice – within 18 months of license issuance you need to complete this course, you don’t need to wait that long though. You can take it immediately following the Real Estate Principles course if you’d like.  You also need to complete one course from this list of courses before you apply for a license or within 18 months of getting your license.

You get to choose:

Real Estate Appraisal
Property Management
Real Estate Finance
Real Estate Economics
Legal Aspects of Real Estate
Real Estate Office Administration
General Accounting
Business Law
Escrows
Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
Computer Applications in Real Estate
Common Interest Developments

When you apply for the California License Exam:

Have you finished all three courses? If you have, submit transcripts documenting the completion of the three courses with your exam application.

After you pass the exam and apply for your license:

If you have completed all three courses, submit your transcripts showing the successful completion of the three courses along with your application.

Additional Requirements for California Salespersons Issued Conditional Licenses
Conditional salesperson licenses are given to those who have completed the Real Estate Principles course only. This license allows you to work for up to 18 months but once the 18 months is up your license will lapse unless you have completed additional mandated courses. So, within 18 months of your conditional license issuance date, you must provide proof to the Department of Real Estate confirming that you have successfully completed two additional required courses. So you’ll need to prove you’ve completed Real Estate Practice and one more from this list:

Real Estate Appraisal
Property Management
Real Estate Finance
Real Estate Economics
Legal Aspects of Real Estate
Real Estate Office Administration
General Accounting
Business Law
Escrows
Mortgage Loan Brokering and Lending
Computer Applications in Real Estate
Common Interest Developments

NOTE: If your original license was issued before to July 1, 2003, successful completion of any two courses in this list will also satisfy your conditional license education requirement

These courses must be completed successfully at a regionally accredited college or university or through a private course sponsor who offers Department of Real Estate (DRE) approved courses. Official transcripts, copies of transcripts, or a certification with a school seal confirming successful completion of required courses are generally acceptable methods of providing evidence of providing evidence of completed courses. Here’s a link to the form you must fill out and send to the Department of Real Estate (DRE) to show you have completed an approved course – Statutory Course Transcript Transmittal (RE 221) form.

Also, applicants who provide proof that they have completed the eight statutory college-level courses required for the broker examination and license are eligible to take the salesperson examination without submitting further evidence of experience or education. Courses must be three semester-units or four quarter-units at the college level. Courses must be completed at an institution of higher learning accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or by a comparable regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, or by a private real estate school which has had its courses approved by the Department of Real Estate (DRE) Commissioner. Copies of official transcripts are generally acceptable evidence of completed courses. Transcripts of equivalent courses submitted as substitutes for the college-level courses listed above must be supported by an official course or catalog description in order to be evaluated for equivalency.

For more information contact:

Jim Forde
Director of Education
Approved Real Estate Academy
4040 Barranca Pkwy., Ste. 150
Irvine, CA 92604

Phone (714) 875-0979
Jim@ApprovedRealRealEstateAcademy.com
Jim@IrvineKW.com

#approvedrealestateacademy #jimforde