It’s no secret that unemployment is now over 10% in the U.S. and finding a job can be a bit difficult right now. I have been getting encouraged seeing a lot of people helping each other out in a variety of ways. Some have been offering financial help to those in between jobs, some have been helping connect employers they know with employees they know who are looking for work, and some businesses have been making sacrifices to help their customers. It’s exciting to see more of the “we’re all in this together” mentality rather than the us vs. them.
Free job training for the unemployed
A friend of mine runs a Real Estate License School and was talking to me over coffee the other day about an idea he had for his business to give back and help out those looking for a job. He and his business partners decided to give away 100 full-ride scholarships (often costing several hundreds of dollars) for those currently unemployed who are looking to start a career in real estate. There are no strings attached, they are just looking for people who are genuinely interested in getting their real estate license and pursuing that career path.
I know a few real estate agents, and just like many businesses, it takes a lot of work – particularly at the beginning. But for those who stick it out it has some nice rewards as well. It seems that most established real estate professionals love their jobs and Real Estate Brokers are also one of the highest paying jobs without a college degree you can find out there.
Is it time for a career change?
I know there are a lot of people who have gotten laid off over the last couple years. I was one of them. When it happened I did a bunch of things to survive the layoff and one of them was to open my mind to the possibility of a new career path. I had been in the field I was in for a little over 5 years and didn’t like my job anyway, so for me I had additional incentive to take the risk. Even still, it was scary, but now I have a job I love as a full-time blogger and who knows if it ever would have happened had I not gotten laid off.
So regardless if Real Estate is something that interests you, I encourage you to expand your search beyond what you were previously doing. There are a lot of skills that transfer nicely into other fields and in my case there were very few similarities between what I was doing and what I am doing – and that is part of why I love it! 
On the other hand, if you are considering taking them up on the offer, I suggest doing further research so you know what to expect as a real estate agent. I have a hunch that some people think it is easier than it actually is. But, if you are up for the hard work and were looking for a career change anyway, it might be something worth pursuing.
How can I find out more?
They aren’t advertising this deal, because they only want to offer it to those who are currently unemployed. So if you are interested, you can call them directly at 866-739-7277 or you can visit RealEstateExpress.com for more information about the schooling.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
In times like these it’s natural to seek out something secure, if such a thing is even a reality any more. Stung from a job loss, you look for any port in a storm.
I don’t know if real estate sales are advisable for most people since it’s a heavily impaired industry in this recession, but for many of the unemployed there may be no alternative to taking a chance on something you’ve never done before.
Ironically, one of the good things about a recession is that a lot of companies and industries are in a period of readjustment so exprience may not be as much of an issue as it is during good times. Businesses are restructuring and redefining themselves, so there may be niches developing that don’t seem obvious on the surface.
It’s a good time to inventory skills and experiences, then repackage ourselves for something entirely different. Might help to get excited too, and to remember that the past is gone and this is a NEW day with new and DIFFERENT (not worse) opportunities.
bummer, NJ does not allow on-line licensing. Thanks for sharing
As a Real Estate Broker, I’m not sure I would recommend a career in real estate at this time. I have seen my income tank and I am working way harder.
I know too many struggling Realtors to recommend real estate as a career in today’s market…time will tell!
God bless.
While this is certainly a nice gesture, it unfortunately will not help to many people. In times like this an unemployed person needs a job with a bit of security, something that offers a paycheck each and every week or month, whichever it may be.
The problem is that even after schooling, real estate requires a certain amount of investment to get going, most unemployed people will be unable to make this investment thus potentially flat lining their real estate career before it ever has a chance to start. It may do more harm than good for both the people opting in to the offer and the industry as a whole.
Maybe a better angle, both from a public relations standpoint and that of a person in need, would have been to help those agents who are already licensed but struggling to build any significant level of success. Not only would this give back to our industry, it would have helped struggling agents achieve a new outlook on their chosen careers.
I am seeking an unemployed (head of household) family affected by this awful recession our nation is in.
God has blessed my household with what we need. In the spirit of our blessings, my family and I want to share what we have to a real, out of work, destitute family.
I can only imagine the horror of losing everything and trying to provide something as simple as a meal that most everyone takes for granted every day.
As the bible states, if a man doesn’t work, let him not eat. To those who were working and lost their jobs to the economy, let me extend my hand and offer something to help.
I don’t have much, but will give what I have. In the spirit of our Lord Jesus, I pray for those who are struggling.
If you need help and not a hand out, please contact me at greengofishingnpa@yahoo.com
God bless you. Hang in there and know that God is watching over you. Do not despair.
Education is #1. Tackling the economy and creating jobs is very important, but when the time comes for individuals and they don’t know how to interview it won’t do them much good because they won’t get the jobs that are being created. They have to be taught.
http://www.dove.org/news.asp?ArticleID=160
I’ve included an interview with Fox LA a sound bite from our DVD and a segment of a lecture.
In these tough economic times people need affordable help. When someone is taught how to interview they feel empowered, they become so much more confident, they become inspired and motivated, they feel they can accomplish something that was unreachable. Millions of people need jobs and need to be taught how to find and interview for jobs, hopefully we can help millions of Americans and their families in these tough economic times.
INTERVIEW THE BEST
Alan Ladd walks you down the hallway and through the job interview process in his new DVD!
The Interview the Best DVD encourages, motivates and educates job seekers at every level and teaches hopeful employees how to properly position themselves to land the job.
Alan Ladd, the creator of Interview the Best, has trained thousands of applicants on how to correctly interview. Alan’s motto has always been, “It doesn’t matter how over or under qualified you are, the person who interviews the best will always get the job”. That’s just one of many truthful, poignant messages in his brand new DVD: Interview the Best.
This revolutionary new interview DVD is tailored for all ages, regardless of the employment level, be it someone looking for a first job or a veteran in the business that needs help getting back on top.
“I owned an executive search firm for over twenty years,” he began calmly and confidently, “It didn’t matter whether a CEO or an Entry level person right out of college came in, they all made the same mistakes.”
“The problem is,” Alan continues, “ninety nine percent of the people I worked with had ever been taught how to land a job. They would go from interview to interview, making the same mistakes over and over.”
Interview the Best was created because of people’s needs and Alan’s realization that good people were not getting the jobs they truly deserved. “In today’s economy, you can’t afford to waste time on-line, sending out hundreds of resumes, or paying $595 for a ‘professional’ resume! “I tell people, and you will see this in the DVD, never pay anyone anything, especially for your resume.”
Alan added that no one can get a job before they get an interview.
The DVD covers the entire interview process: start to finish. Alan covers every important aspects of job seeking; including constructing a proper resume, physically hunting for the job, identifying one’s strengths, the Q&A process, down to how one should dress. Alan works with several people in the DVD, asking them questions they would be asked in an interview, and then gives them feedback and constructive criticism. “Everyone has it in them,” Alan says, “They just don’t know they have it in them.”
He encourages strong preparation for any interview, so the candidates will be confident when the moment arrives.
“When I started teaching people how to properly interview, it was incredible to see their transformation. People light up, excited and motivated for their next interview, full of confidence.” Alan concludes.
“Interview the Best is like a secret weapon which teaches you how to walk into an interview and sell yourself to your future employer. It’s something no one else has. You will go into the next interview with the feeling that no one can beat you! After the DVD I never sat through an interview where I was asked a question I couldn’t answer, and to me, that was the difference between losing or landing the job.” Dan Gense
http://www.interviewthebest.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGG5e1vQBK8
http://www.myfoxla.com/dpp/news/ask_the_expert/Ask_the_Expert_Get_That_Job_20090515
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMDcsRU8NX4