If you have been reading my status updates on LinkedIn and Facebook, as well as following me on Twitter, you have read all about the studying and cramming I have been doing for months in preparation for the Certified Relocation Professionals Exam. Now that the CRP Exam is only 5 short days away, I thought it would be appropriate to say a few words about my journey.
I have been a relocation professional for nearly a decade, and at the beginning of this study process, I thought that I knew a tremendous amount about the industry, the processes, the evolution, the changes, the players, etc. In fact, I thought that I was an expert. I can tell you now with great humility, that I didn’t realize what I didn’t know and how much I had yet to learn. The truth is, learning wasn’t enough; I needed to master the information. There is so much more that goes into relocation than merely the real estate services that we provide. While real estate assistance is a vital element, it is only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
One of the greatest benefits in going through this learning process is that I now have a much more well-rounded, holistic understanding of the many elements that are involved in the relocation process. Not only that, but I now know the evolution of why and how things came into being, as well as the history, and feel confident that I can provide a much higher level of service to our relocation clients as a result.
My goal is always to provide the very best in real estate relocation services, which relies on my knowledge, my experience, my personal training and education, as well as the on-going training that I develop and provide to our Relocation Team of agents. I incorporate everything that I learn, including the terminology, the trends, the policies, the nuances, the tax implications, etc., into our agent Relocation Training and Certification Program. I believe that it is equally important for our agents to know more than just the real estate side of relocation. As they say, information is power, and I want to empower my agents by making sure that they have a deeper understanding of the relocation process. All in all, this has been very well received. Agents who are really serious about relocation and want to provide the highest level of service to their relocation clients, are very eager to learn and want to stay up-to-date on the various issues affecting the industry, which in turn also gives them a competitive edge.
As for my own studying, I have been applying daily what I have been learning. It was just yesterday that a document hit my desk from a Relocation Management Company, that made reference to the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. (For more information on the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarbanes-Oxley_Act). Although I had heard of the Act before, I didn’t really understand much about it or why it was important in relocation. In studying for the exam, this particular issue, as well as a bevy of others were highlighted and made clear.
Lastly, I want to thank my company, John Daugherty, Realtors, for giving me the solid support, encouragement and time needed in prepare for this all important exam.
The goals of the Certified Relocation Professional® Program include:
(From the Worldwide ERC)
