0.4: Introduction

Introduction / Overview

Excited to discover a new real estate career that’s right for you? You’re in the right place! This online textbook “Real Estate Career Introduction” is designed for college and university students enrolled in a real estate course. This online educational resource (OER) accompanies courses designed to teach real estate principles, practices, or career introduction. This textbook resource provides 15 modules (chapters), grouped into five units that progressively guide students into various real estate careers and advance students’ learning, preparing them for careers in the real estate industry. Throughout the modules, students can attempt activities with the embedded “Practice Zones”.

Unit 1: Career Opportunities

Unit 1 introduces the numerous real estate occupations available in various sectors: residential (Module 1), commercial and corporate (Module 2), and public / non-profit (Module 3), allowing students to review the variety of career paths in the real estate industry. For any selected career, it allows students to explore the compensation levels while understanding the qualifications required. Actual job positions are linked for reference, which may include job duties, qualifications required, geographic location, working hours, and compensation levels. Exploring job listings will assist students in understanding career positions and selecting potential career paths in which they may be interested.

After selecting one or more prospective career paths, students can determine the timeline to achieve their career goal, along with the steps required to pursue a given career field. Various career qualifications may include specific course education, college degrees, or state/federal licensing. Emphasis is on developing skills and enhancing the strengths and characteristics needed to succeed in the students’ chosen career field.

Unit 2: College Success

Unit 1 guides the students to set career goals and begin planning their academic journeys (Module 4). To be successful in college courses, various methods are discussed and study resources are shared (Module 5). Lastly, students who are struggling with mindset or motivation can glean many practical tips to help them persist and finish strong (Module 6). After students select their potential career paths in Unit 1, they now have the opportunity to map out their future plans and begin the process of qualifying for the occupations they selected.

Selecting and pursuing a successful college education begins with an end goal. Will the students be earning certificates or graduating with associate degrees? What about transferring to a 4-year college to pursue a bachelor’s degree? Does the career path require a real estate or other type of license? Student who enroll in college courses need commitment, dedication, and a strong support system to complete courses and persist through to graduation. Everyday distractions can crop up and hinder students from progressing. Of course, those encountering obstacles will need a positive mindset to apply mental fortitude and overcome those situations. Students who have a compelling “why” will be intrinsically motivated to stay focused and complete their courses, in spite of the obstacles encountered.

Unit 3: Career Preparation

Once the academic career is progressing, students will begin turning their attention to the next steps: compiling professional quality résumés and accompanying cover letters (Module 7). As the résumé opens doors to career opportunities, aspiring professionals will need to practice interview skills and prepare a thank-you letter (Module 8). In the business environment, career professionals need to equip themselves with excellent communication skills, including teamwork and collaboration techniques (Module 9).

Whether applying for a commission-based position or a salaried job, presenting a high-quality résumé that highlights skills and strengths in alignment with the job market allows the job applicant to rise above fierce competition. Career-ready students will spend significant effort practicing interview skills to obtain their dream jobs upon graduation. The real estate industry, like all others, demands communication skills at a high level, including teamwork with colleagues and collaboration with clients. This unit guides students through developing these skills and resources so they are job-ready from day one.

Unit 4: Professional Standards

Panning out to encompass a wider view of the real estate industry, aspiring professionals will need to learn the importance of lifelong learning: both self-initiated professional development and required continuing education (Module 10). Ethics are a critical foundation of the real estate industry, which underscore the importance of professionalism and legal compliance (Module 11). Our discussion of professional standards would not be complete without learning about the importance of fair housing: equity in housing and legal compliance (Module 12).

Professional development, the ongoing training and education for workplace competency development, is vital to keep skills sharp in the ever-changing marketplace. Continuing education is often mandatory for those holding professional state or national licenses. Underlying professional standards are ethics, often codified within organizations, that spell out acceptable behavior from members or employees. Lastly, due to the unfortunately sad history of discrimination in the United States, all real estate career professionals should be careful to treat everyone fairly and with kindness, following the law and avoiding discrimination based on protected classes. Legal compliance with fair housing laws is the responsibility of everyone; especially those who are professionals in the real estate industry.

Unit 5: Foundation for the Future

The focus of Unit 5 is preparing students for professional aspects of a well-rounded career field. Most aspiring career professionals will become members of real estate associations or other professional organizations (Module 13). Becoming competent in a real estate career field requires skill using online tools and experience with technology (Module 14). When beginning their careers, real estate professionals may have the opportunity to shadow a mentor; and, looking forward, hopefully will one day become mentors themselves (Module 15). Leaders have the unique opportunity to influence others’ lives in a positive manner and build legacies that outlive their careers.

Simply completing educational courses and gaining knowledge about vocabulary terms is not sufficient preparation for workforce careers. In order to be ready to start earning compensation at a career level, students need to learn technology programs, such as software. Also, developing leadership skills is an important part of professionals’ real estate career path. Joining professional associations offer the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and volunteer as a committee member, board member, or in other leadership positions.

Conclusion

References and vocabulary terms are listed at the conclusion of each module. Other module sections include “Discussion Starters”, “Concept Checks”, and other Resources. These activities and items can be used by students individually, or as faculty-guided activities within the classroom setting.

The OER appendix includes a glossary (compilation of the vocabulary terms in each module) and a bibliography (compilation of the references from each module). The instructor guide includes additional resources as well. Any suggested edits or modifications can be submitted to the author team for future inclusion.