I read my first REM – picked up at the Toronto OREA office – and found it both interesting and informative. It was with interest that I read your commentary on recruiting new members into the profession. I believe that you are incorrect in stating that the brokers and sales reps should not be involved.
Most people do not know that OREA or CREA exist. I am 30 years old and a chartered accountant. I would consider myself a well-educated and informed person. I bought a house through a broker and always look with interest at the real estate section in the newspaper each weekend. When considering a career change this past year, I gave consideration to real estate. I did not phone OREA or the Toronto Real Estate Board or CREA. I phoned a real estate broker in the local area. My interest was in what a sales rep goes through on a day-to-day basis and I wanted to talk to a broker about the industry and experience “a day in the life”.
I personally never did get my information from the source. I contacted a few brokerages. One called back and told me to register with OREA (first I had heard of it). I asked about coming into an office and was told to register for Phase 1 first and then call back. I did register, but my call back was met with little interest. My husband's comment was, “Why bother? You have a good job now and they don't seem to be looking for new people.” Why indeed.
While I do agree that an organized push at the university level would be most effectively conducted by the provincial associations, you need to have the active sales representative and brokers involved in the recruitment. That's who new recruits want to talk to. I know when we recruited for new accountants at the CA firm where I worked, we did not send the national office or the partners. We sent the fresh faces that came out of their respective universities the year before. That was the most effective way to reach the new prospects. They want to know the real story from someone in the trenches, not someone in a head office or administrative organization.
M. Inkster Markham, Ont.
