Career Roadmap
Michael's work combines: Business, Politics, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Organizational Communication, General
Ohio University-Main Campus
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Real Estate Sales Agents:
High School
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree: Organizational Communication, General
Graduate Degree: Real Estate
Doctorate: Real Estate
Certification: Art/Art Studies, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
My father quit his job in order to be self employed setting an early example.
2.
A teacher took special interest and helped me get my first full time job.
3.
I worked and put myself through college.
4.
An older mentor from my scouting days gave me a career start after college.
5.
I moved to Arizona because that is where things were happening.
6.
I pursued the best in the industry for jobs as an appraiser & consultant.
7.
I returned to Ohio, and re-careered a couple of times.
8.
I took some business risk that did not all pan out and started over, back to real estate.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
I repeatedly considered working for the Boy Scouts as a professional. Friends discouraged me from the idea. In the appraisal business and later as a financial planner I often came to conclusions and recommendations different from the majority opinions.
How I responded:
Target where you want to be and go for it. Aim High! Don't be the one to tell yourself no, preventing your own progress. Plenty of others will try to do that for you. Do your homework and don't accept anything as fact just because others think it is so. Form your own opinions and be prepared to defend them with good reasoning. Don't be cocky about it but take the chance that you just might be right and they might be wrong. Stick to your ethics, even when it costs you to do so.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I was independent early, started my career during down cycles of the economy, had 5 kids and 20 yrs as a single income household. I took risk, had some successes and failures and I went through a bankruptcy to start fresh again.
Apparently I'm adult ADD, not ADHD. I've always thought I was just diverse & eclectic. ADD often also means you're pretty bright but you have to find ways to cope. I tried meds but did not like them. I'm a great worker, maybe not a great employee.
I got lucky when a high school teacher helped me to get employment that allowed me to start college. I worked my way through (6 years for undergrad). Family thought I was wasting my time but I wanted the knowledge & education. I had a thirst for it.