I have a baby face. I am quite happy with my baby face, and as I watch old Fraternity buddies, and high school friends put on weight, and start to represent that we are quickly approaching our 30's, I become more and more pleased with the aforementioned babyface. I can get the student rate without flashing an id at the movies. When it comes to my real estate career, my babyface is a daily frustration.
Other industries embrace youth. Theo Epstein became general manager of the Boston Red Sox at 28 years old, and within a few years took them to the World Series. Oil companies are handing out 5 figure signing bonuses to College graduates who just very recently realized there are other forms of footwear than flip flops. Internet and Creative industries are recruiting at the High School level, realising that tech-savvy youth of this country have the creative imaginations to not just keep up with, but attack a world changing every second.
I entered residential Real Estate when I was 23, and am about to finish my second year. Luckily I chose a broker who is comitted to staying ahead of the times, and realized I brought value to his company outside of day to day sales activities. He was able to see past the babyface, and instead see the adult (ok YOUNG-adult) who had sold million dollar advertising spaces for a major newspaper, who had sold million dollar events with a sports-marketing company, and now wanted to sell million dollar homes. The broker also realized that I borught value to his company in that I could help his company grow, and have recently been named the company recruiter.
Yet here another day has gone by, that i sit in an interview with a prospective new agent, and I'M the one trying to qualify that I belong. I wear a suit everyday. i keep myself appropriately groomed. As a former Journalism major, I'm careful with my words, and have a good sense as to what I project of myself to others. I had a relocation client from a major oil company, whom i worked with for two months over daily phone calls and emails. When his home buying trip arrived, i picked him up at his hotel, and then had to spend the next 30 minutes convincing him I was old enough to drive. I finally asked him, "Have you been pleased with my service, my information, my presentations, and my communication up to the point we first met?" He answered yes immediately. "So what's changed now that we're face to face?" And that was the end of it. But it seems more people want to fixate on my age.
Am I the only agent, recruiter, manager, etc. experiencing this??? How are you coping??? I've started only shaving every other day to see if a little scruff helps, but would love to hear some other strategies!
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