Sniffing the trail for a Supervisory Appraiser

Appraisal, Blog

20170321AppraisalSupervisorBlogPost

The other day while casually scanning some employment ads in a local newspaper, I noticed something that had never caught my eye before. Most, if not all, of the advertisements specified that interested job applicants were required to respond to the ad electronically, and not physically present themselves in person or by telephone. Furthermore, most of the want ads proceeded to express that hard-copy resumes would not be accepted. This gave me pause to reflect on the advice that I have been giving students aspiring to become appraisers, concerning how to go about seeking a prospective supervisory appraiser.

As part of a prospective appraiser’s qualifying requirements, a period of hands-on experience under the supervision of a supervisory appraiser is required. The duration of the experience period varies by credential type, but for the most popular category, Certified Residential, the duration is at least 2,000 hours of experience in a period of not less than 2 years. According to most of our students, they have already identified a supervisory appraiser prior to taking their initial qualifying coursework. But, for some others, finding a supervisory appraiser can be a challenge and require some footwork. In the past, my recommendation was to visit appraisers at their offices, call them by telephone, and send out resumes. Evidently, based on current trends of applying for jobs, my advice is now somewhat obsolete. So, I’ve turned to active appraisers who have been willing to take on a trainee appraiser, to get a feel for how they prefer to connect with a potential trainee.

Feedback from seasoned appraisers is that they are very, very busy. While this is certainly a positive for potential trainees considering the appraisal industry, potential supervisory appraisers may not have time to stop and chat with an interested prospect, or take a phone call inquiring about a possible trainee opportunity. Also, supervisory appraisers are limited to supervise only three trainee appraisers at a given time. Therefore, potential supervisory appraisers will want to be assured that potential trainees have the fire and passion to make the most of the trainee experience period. A simple resume or brief phone conversation usually won’t reveal too much about that.

So, if phone calls and sending resumes isn’t particularly working, how does an interested individual find a supervisory appraiser? Consider the following suggestions:

  • Arrange for a one-on-one meeting through a mutual party. Most everyone knows or uses a real estate professional, banker, attorney, insurance agent, accountant, etc. Usually, professionals in these areas have established relationships with appraisers. Ask for their assistance in getting a foot in the door for a meeting with an appraiser.
  • Introduce yourself on social media. There are numerous social media groups for appraisers. I have joined several on Facebook. Many times I have seen a prospective appraiser candidate introduce themselves to the group and ask for information about the industry and any direction the group can give in finding a supervisory appraiser. In almost every case when this has happened, the group has responded positively with help and possibilities for potential supervisory appraiser opportunities.
  • Attend an appraisal industry meeting. Most states have some type of appraisal industry trade organization that meets regularly. This could be regional or local meetings of a national organization, or meetings of state or local coalitions. Find out when they are holding their meetings and if attendance is open. If so, go and mingle with appraisers. Appraisers love to talk about what they do, and are usually open to talking with you in this atmosphere. Potential opportunities may reveal themselves once the ice is broken and a rapport is established.

Be assured there are opportunities out there to gain supervised appraisal experience to satisfy the qualifying requirements on the way to becoming a credentialed appraiser. Interested prospects may just need to go the extra mile and be creative in finding them. Once the hurdle of qualifying requirements is successfully tackled, new appraisers will find that limitless opportunities await!

 

Launch Your Career

Select your education program

Select your state

Select your course

Go!