How Being a Real Estate Assistant Has Prepared Me for the Future

After college, my goal is to go into the mass communications/journalism field. I originally wanted to be a TV Broadcaster like Katie Couric, but I’ve been told my voice is too high-pitched. (Oh well…starting broadcasters have to live in the middle of nowhere anyway and I don’t want that ) Then I decided I wanted to work as a reporter for a newspaper, but my experience on the college newspaper has changed my mind about that- I wouldn’t be able to deal with the intense deadlines and working into the wee hours of the night to get a story done. Plus, I want to be able to have a life outside of my work, and I’ve heard that is very difficult when you are a beginning reporter. So, I’ve changed my mind again, and currently I hope to go into public relations or marketing communications. Next I’ll probably want to be a magazine editor or a celebrity photographer…who knows?

Whatever path I chose to take in the field of journalism and mass communications though, I have found that my job as an assistant for Nicole has actually been very beneficial for my major and career goals. I find that I have the opportunity to do a lot of writing and even some editing at work. I’ve learned a lot about research, sourcing and marketing from helping Nicole with her e-books. I have even helped to transcribe tapes before, which gives me great practice for taking notes quickly, which comes in very handy during interviews.

In addition to preparation for my career goals, the job has given me a peek into the world of real estate and book writing, and a glimpse into what it is like to be your own boss (something I think I would definately enjoy ). So whichever path I end up taking, whether I become the next editor of Seventeen Magazine or I have a change of heart and go into selling homes, I will always be thankful for the wonderful opportunity Nicole has given me and the amazing array of things that I have learned!

A Day in the Life of Nicole’s Assistant

As an assitant for Nicole, I generally work three days a week out of her home office, and sometimes from my dorm room as well. Nicole generally has comps pulled by the time I arrive, so I usually start my day by entering subject and comp data into the BPO forms. A lot of people find this tedious, but I really enjoy data entry for some reason. It generally takes me between 30 minutes and 1 hour to do the data entry for each BPO, depending on which company the BPO is for (some companies, like Countrywide, have a much easier form than other companies). I usually upload photos for the BPOs after Nicole has taken them as well.

Most days, Nicole is working on other projects in addition to doing BPOs. Sometimes she will ask me to update an email list database or the payment log. Other times, I will help her out with a little bit of research for an e-book she is working on or help by organizing files.

The job is perfect for me, as Nicole is flexible and allows me to work around my school schedule, and I love what I do. It has been incredibly interesting to learn about real estate and properties around the area. I understand so much more about the housing market and buying and selling property. Being from an area south of Bellingham, the job has also helped me to get a feel for the area around me.  

This job is definately one that gets me excited in the morning. I love learning new things, facing new challenges and tasks, and entering data. And Nicole always adds fun stories and great food to make a great work experience even better!

My First Blog on Nicolesdreams eBooks by Jenny Seibert

Hey yall,

My name is Jenny and I am currently a sophomore at Western Washington University majoring in journalism with an emphasis in public relations. When I’m not in class, I work part-time as Nicole’s office assistant (the best job in the world). Generally, I help with BPO data entry, light book-keeping, research and other projects that come up.

This job has been an absolutely amazing opportunity for me. I love the job, I have learned a ton about BPOs and the real estate industry in general and have gained excellent work experience. In addition, the various projects, like helping to develop e-books, have helped to strengthen my writing skills. And of course, Nicole is an amazing employer!

So a little more about me: I was born and raised in Washington State, but spent my high school years in North Carolina and my first year of college at UNC Chapel Hill (I will forever be a tarheel fan!). When my family moved back to Washington, I decided to follow, which is how I landed here at Western. I am a huge animal lover and I enjoy spending time with family and friends. I also enjoy the sunshine, eating out, shopping, sleeping (probably the same as almost any college girl) and genealogy (well that one’s probably unique).

So that’s pretty much all there is to know about me. Keep checking back to find great tips from Nicole on BPOs and REOs and little blurbs from me about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff.

<3 Jenny