Claire Pech – Careers Advisor

Open Days

With so many of our Year 12s attending University of Sydney, Australian National University, Notre Dame University and University Technology Sydney Open Days last weekend, students have been challenged, invigorated, enlightened and even confused with some of their university choices. As I mention so often to students and parents alike, attending Open Days can really help solidify students’ questions, and already I have heard of students who have changed directions, changed courses, and changed institutions based on these visits alone. This weekend is another big weekend for UNSW, ACU and the National Art School (NAS). Look online to find out details on lectures, campus tours, Q&A sessions and more. www.uac.edu.au/assets/documents/schools/uni-open-days-2018.pdf

Career spotlight – Real Estate Agent

This year I have been answering a lot of questions about real estate. It appears there is a growing interest in this area, so here is a career spotlight on the industry.

“Real Estate Agents are licensed professionals who help people who want to buy, sell or rent property. They help people prepare their homes for sale or rent, and they also help people find a property to buy or rent. Some real estate agents work with commercial property (like factories, retail and office property), and some manage rental property on behalf of the owner.” It is important to note that real estate agents have to work hard, show true grit and are great relationship-builders and people-persons. Sometimes there is a view amongst younger students, that you can make quick money and it’s an easy-ride. This is far from the truth and a lot of hard work is needed. Here is a video from Seek on a day in the life –

A day in the life of a Real Estate Agent.

Salary range:

According to Payscale, the median salary is $48,385. More experienced professionals can earn closer to  $77,585 per year and with commission up to $97,871. This data comes from over 300 salaries in the industry.

Qualifications required:

Wherever you live, in order to work in Real Estate, you must first be registered or licensed. Most people who start out in real estate get a Certificate III or IV in Property Services (Real Estate) and undertake some on-the-job training. TAFE, for example, offers online courses specific to NSW. This landscape is currently changing, and new rules/accreditation is under review.

To become a Principal (someone who runs their own agency) you’ll need an Associate Degree, Advanced Diploma, or at least 3 years of relevant experience.

Here’s how to get started

Getting some initial experience within the industry could be a helpful stepping stone – applying for work experience or administration roles with a real estate agent will give you an insight into the job and add some credible experience to your resume. Real estate is all about your contacts, so the more you have the better.

What does the work look like?

No two days will be the same. You could spend your time showing houses and apartments to potential buyers, providing quotes to possible sellers, or even managing rental property which could be anything from arranging repairs to following up with tenants who haven’t paid the rent.

You’ll generally be dealing with people all day long, and you’ll need a good grasp of money and finances because you’re helping people with their biggest investment – their home.

Great real estate agents often have these skills:

• Effective communication – this is absolutely critical. I have not met a successful real estate agent who does not have exceptional communication skills
• Active listening
• Organisational skills
• Attention to detail
• Negotiation
• Good time keeping.

Reference – REINSW https://reinsw.com.au for New South Wales.

Torrens University Australia – information night

Date:  4 September 

Learn about Torrens courses in more detail, meet students and lecturers.

Find out more – www.torrens.edu.au/about/events-and-workshops – all