Right of Way - January/February2019

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.