Right out of high school, I was hired as a PRA by a REALTOR® desperate for help. My goal was to make money to go to college. It didn’t take me more than a month or two to decide that this might turn into a fulfilling career.
I worked hard – I had to – since this was a market upswing and my employer had little time to train me. For the most part, I was thrown into the world of real estate to fend for myself.
Working long hours helped me succeed right away and so did attending as many courses and workshops on real estate that I could find. Each course had bits and pieces that added to my knowledge base, but what I needed was a comprehensive PRA training program that fully explained what I was doing, why I was doing it and how important it was to the real estate profession.
In the six years, I’ve worked as a PRA, I’ve been offered larger salaries, incentives and benefits by real estate professionals trying to lure me away from my employer. Two years ago my employer “lent” me to her brokerage for what was supposed to be a few days. With my experience and knowledge, I was able to get the office into shape in no time and had staff, licensees and the Broker singing my praises. The broker didn’t want to let me go.
What I’ve discovered is that being a PRA is a unique profession and after six years, I can say, there is never a dull moment. The constantly changing, fast paced environment makes this career challenging and rewarding. Steady hours, great pay and the opportunity to meet and work with many professionals are a major benefit. I’ve also been blessed with the best employer. Not only do I choose my hours, I have the flexibility to take days off to enjoy holiday time. If you’re fortunate to find an employer with whom you are completely compatible (like I have) this is one of the best careers you could ever ask for. I feel appreciated and valued, and I look forward to work every day!
PRA Training would have been very valuable to me had it existed at the time I began my career. PRAs are a key component of any real estate related business - the backbone of the support structure. They need training. New untrained PRAs often flounder and experienced PRAs often have gaps in their knowledge base.
PRA training for new comers and PRA advanced training for working PRAs increases professional standards, ethics and credibility. I look forward to the day that as a result of PRA training, PRAs get the professional recognition they deserve. Talk to me at Jesseca@PRAtraining.com
Jesseca Egan
