agree that this varies. And we can
also agree that without this general
working knowledge of our industries
as a whole, we cannot become
professionals of any age or of any
tenure without constant interaction
with other working people.
As frustrating as it may be to deal
with a newcomer or someone
seasoned in the field because of
differences in age, what we all
want from one another is to gain
experience and knowledge while
working together for a common
cause. Stereotypically, someone who
is older in age would have more life
experiences, but they may not have
the same experience in a specific
industry (such as those who are in
their second career). Someone who
is younger in age could likely have
similar life experiences, but also have
more working experience.
A Young Professional could be a
24-year-old without a college degree
and two years of work experience. A
Young Professional could also be a
30-year-old with two college degrees
and six years of work experience. A
Young Professional could also be a
45-year-old mom or dad, changing
careers and with no experience
in their current field of work. The
possibilities are simply endless.
the YP group should not be exclusive
and should be welcoming to all ages.
Furthermore, fairness dictates that
discounts available to YPs should
also be extended to someone new to
the profession, as their finances likely
do not allow them to take all the
classes that are needed when getting
started.” However, there were just
as many responses which focused
on the amount of work experience.
For instance, one person described
a Young Professional as anyone
who had less than 10 years of work
experience. This definition implies
that age and education have less to
do with the term. Even more broad,
one individual stated, “A young
professional in my area is anyone
that does not just have knowledge of
the field he/she works in, but displays
competency in the manner by which
he/she carries themselves, performs
above and beyond standards, submits
to their superior, and continually
improves. Young professionals are
marked by their spirit to improve,
learn and adapt.” This response
emphasizes that one’s spirit and
ambition to improve is the true mark
of a Young Professional.
In Summary
Regardless of age, we all have to start
somewhere to gain experience to
become a true professional. Is this
10,000 hours as an appraiser? Is this
700 miles of pipeline right of way
acquisitions for an agent? We can all
Callie Howard is a Senior Appraiser at CBRE
in Houston where she specializes in right of way
and condemnation valuations. Callie has worked
extensively with large scale right of way projects
throughout Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
... there were a number of varying
opinions with some responders
focused on age while others were
focused on experience.
In the end, there isn’t a set definition
of what a Young Professional is in
any industry. Instead, the term exists
as a way to educate our industry
and remind others that we have to
support the varying ideals of this
niche in order to achieve the greater
good. Support your YPs and allow
them to learn from your experiences.
Engage in their activities and help
guide these individuals within our
industry. After all, they are the future
leaders. J