What a newbie needs is straightforward. A mentor. A supervisor. But, as most newbies know, getting one can be difficult. In fact, getting one may the the hardest part of becoming an appraiser. So, let’s talk about this. Let’s see if we can narrow down this challenge to some more manageable. Take a huge challenge, then turn it into a series of small challenges. That’s how to solve this type of problem.

So, what a newbie needs to bring to the table is a solution. A solution to what, you ask? How about a solution to that supervisor’s problems? A supervisor does not need another drain on cash-flow. Those are easy to find. But what happens when that newbie brings solutions to the table? Consider the newbie who is already familiar with the advanced capacities of Excel. This means a basic knowledge of algebra. Why algebra? You need a basic knowledge of algebra to write formulas to make Excel work. Otherwise, nothing more than a calculator is necessary. How about the horizontal- and vertical-lookup functions? Those are real timesavers some experienced appraisers don’t yet have. Can you work a pivot-table? That’s an intermediate-level function that lets you look at data in a different way. How about natural-log functions? A log-function takes widely dispersed data and compresses it. Sometimes treating data this way makes it easier to interpret. Understand, not of these is really difficult (when Excel does them). But, to master them takes some training and practice. These help solve problems. So, the newbie how brings these capabilities to the table is ahead of the one who does not.

What a newbie needs is, therefore, not a job. She needs a skill set superior to the skill set those merely looking for a job haven’t taken the time to get.