Certifications Mean Nothing

True, I once thought certifications made a difference.  What an accredited organization claimed they could provide you, which was basically human approval and recognition that you can pass a series of tests, once appealed to me and was even believed to be needed in order to succeed.

I suppose they could make a difference to someone who doesn’t know the difference, and in some industries they do matter…but I can tell you from personal experience, there are two things that realtors seem to hold dear to their hearts for no good reason.  1)  The brokerage they are with, and 2) the little letters that follow their name.

In this business, the experience you bring to the table, and the trust relationships that you build with your clients is what matters.  I don’t need a four-letter designation trailing my name to prove I can do what I do.  I also can’t condone putting a designation behind my name that represents a few hours of video conferences and the ability to answer 50 questions on a fairly simple test.

Designations are proof of one thing.  They are proof that the person holding them paid someone else to tell them they’re important.  It frustrates me to no end that someone can take a little test and claim they are a short sale expert when they haven’t completed a single short sale.

If we want designations to carry more weight, we should make them much more difficult to attain, and require apprenticeship under a seasoned veteran.

Other articles of interest:

• October 30, 2009 -- Read or Watch: Shifting From Text to Video
• September 17, 2008 -- 3rd Annual Nathan Tempe Triathlon
• March 18, 2011 -- When Would I Be Ready to Buy an $80,000 Home?
• September 17, 2010 -- It’s Not the Bank Who Pays the Short Sale Fees
• December 30, 2008 -- How to Clean Up a Floor with Photo Editing Software