By now most Real Estate Agents are beginning to feel the effects of the current market slowdown. If you are a Real Estate Professional you probably know several colleagues who have given up on their career and sought other employment. It is a natural thinning out of a bloated industry. Nothing wrong with that. What I find interesting and quite frankly a little disturbing is what these former agents are gravitating towards for employment. So far I have seen them waiting tables, as store clerks and stockers. What I have not seen is movement into other professional fields. I am seeing them in generally unskilled positions. This is pretty interesting. People who over the last several years were entrusted with what was probably a person's biggest investment of their lifetime seemingly have no transferable skills in business. I know there is an argument for agents as being primarily sales professionals but I see this differently. Paperwork is becoming more complex as are transactions. Now more than ever understanding and using basic business protocols and management practices are necessary in facilitating successful Real Estate transactions. Although each State regulates the level of involvement in the process here in Arizona we have quite a bit of responsibility in the transaction. Shouldn't we at least have enough education and skill to qualify for other business jobs? Until the Real Estate industry takes itself seriously with increased educational requirements and continuing education credit classes that require critical thinking skills how can we ever expect to change the perception of the general public that we are true professionals?

Please let me know what you think.