Answer Upon - Business

China is Kicking Americas Butt, the US is Out of Quarters
China is kicking America’s butt and will easily surpass our economic output. And you know what they deserve to win. Do you know why? Because we are so caught up in our BS and political correctness; so quick to over regulate and condemn our corporations and business leaders that we have put in place an unworkable situation for increasing industrial output. Further more we have cut off the necks of those entrepreneurs and innovators who were running at breakneck speed.Some say the shift in the economic powerhouses of the world. The United States which has 5 times the GNP of the next five countries combined is about to get passed and then lapped by China. As an entrepreneur in the current greatest country in the world it is obvious, oh, so right out in the open it sometimes amazes me no one else can see it. The hoops you have to jump thru to sell a product or deliver a ser

g scale, with the percentage you earn increasing as you bring more income to the firm?
• Are commissions paid immediately upon closing?
• Does the firm pay a higher percentage for 'in house' transactions? (Where both the listing agent and selling agent work for the firm.)
• If the firm is part of a franchise, what percentage of each commission earned is retained as a franchise fee?
• Ask to review a sample commission settlement statement, so that you can see exactly how commissions are recorded and distributed.
Typical First-Year Income
When you ask the broker to give you an idea about an average first-year income, keep in mind that it is truly just an average.
Some agents come to the office every day, even if they aren't on duty. You'd be surprised how many leads they receive on those days, sometimes because the duty agents are on the telephone, or have left to show property to walk-in clients.
Other new agents only show up when they are scheduled for duty. Which type of agent do you think might have a higher first-year income?
Office Expenses
• Who pays for long distance telephone calls made from the office?
• How about stamps, photocopies, a

The TV Shoot, The Spoiled Brat, And A Painful Lesson
It was two days before our shoot. I was in the office with the client going over the story boards and filling him in on all the details for his latest television campaign. At that time, with my agency being in its infancy stage, we were taking in any client we could, which is why I was seated across from the “Redneck Crazy Man” as I liked to refer to him. He owned a string of low end rental car shops and his only redeeming quality was that he was a quick pay.For this particular shoot, my script involved an NBA star and a good looking young boy I had cast through a local talent agency. The boy had been in a few commercials and he knew how to take direction which is crucial when it comes to working with children.As I was going over the script, the client stopped me mid-sentence, put a picture of a boy in front of me and said, “What ya think about this kid?”

Real estate brokers-in-charge are nearly always in the recruiting mode. If they have desk space available, many will take on anyone with a valid license and a desire to work.

Some firms may require that you commit to a full time job in real estate, and not hold other jobs. Others have agents who work part time. A few allow agents to be associated with the firm, even if they don't work on a regular basis. This allows someone with a salesperson's license to remain on active status, rather than go inactive, since they are technically under the supervision of a broker.
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How To Select a Real Estate Firm

Even if you think you know which real estate firm you wish to work for, we suggest you interview with several before you make the final decision. If you're not sure where to start, try these tips.

1. Which firm's For Sale signs are most common in the area you wish to work in? The firm with the most listings isn't necessarily the 'best' place for a new agent, but since they have a good presence in the local market it's certainly an agency you should talk with.

2. Pick up local real estate publications--the free magazines you see at supermarkets and other businesses.

3. Make a trip to the Chamber of Commerce--or a visitor's center if you have one. Which firms provide handouts for potential residents? Are there promotions for individual agents (most likely at their expense) or for the agency in general (which benefit all agents)?

4. What about television, radio, and other advertising. Do any agencies dominate those areas?

5. Do you know any local agents? Ask them which agencies they recommend (keeping in mind that real estate agents tend to be somewhat biased).
6. If you're in a small market, talk to them all.
Maintain Control of the Interview

During most job interviews, you are in the position of convincing the interviewer you are the best person for the job. In real estate, the agent must interview the broker.

The majority of real estate agents are independent contractors, not employees. That status gives us a fair amount of freedom, but it also means we are responsible for most of the expenses of doing business. You should know exactly what kinds of training and other benefits a firm offers before you accept a position.

A successful real estate career is dependent on your desire to succeed, and your willingness to hang in there until things start to take off. Just how fast things start moving depends a lot on your work habits, but choosing the right agency can help jump-start the process.
What You Need to Know

There are many things you should know before deciding which firm to associate yourself with.

Training
• What type of training is offered for new agents? If a broker's answer is 'none,' that agency is probably not the best place to begin a real estate career.
• Does the firm have a designated trainer, perhaps the broker or another experienced agent who acts as a mentor for new agents?
• If part of a franchise, are there local or regional training sessions for new agents? If so, who pays for the training?
• How many new agents has the firm hired during the past year? How many of those agents are still with the firm? A revolving-door of agents alerts you that something isn't quite right.
Floor Duty
Sometimes creatively called 'Opportunity Duty,' it refers to times you are scheduled to work at the real estate office.
• Are all agents scheduled for floor duty, and if so, how often?
• Are phone leads, walk-in customers, and referrals given to the agents on duty when those leads come in? If not, how are they distributed?
Advertising
Advertising is a major expense for real estate agents, so anything the agency pays for is a plus.
• Does the firm pay for the typical agency ad, where listings are showcased, or are you required to pay for the space occupied by your listings?
• Does the firm pay for any portion of personal ads? (Ads designed to promote you, not your listings.)
• What types of advertising does the firm do? For instance, newspaper, radio, television, Internet, for-sale publications, bulk mailings, chamber of commerce, and other promotions.
• Does the firm have a bulk mail permit? (The expense of a bulk mailing is typically yours, but many firms pay the yearly permit feet.)
Computer Equipment, Digital Cameras, Other Tech Gear
• Does the firm have computer equipment for all agents to use, or are you expected to bring your own to the office?
• What types of software are loaded on office computers? Are all agents allowed to use the existing software?
Estimate your expenses and potential income
Commission Percentage and Payments
• What commission rate do they offer? Are commissions paid on a sliding scale, with the percentage you earn increasing as you bring more income to the firm?
• Are commissions paid immediately upon closing?
• Does the firm pay a higher percentage for 'in house' transactions? (Where both the listing agent and selling agent work for the firm.)
• If the firm is part of a franchise, what percentage of each commission earned is retained as a franchise fee?
• Ask to review a sample commission settlement statement, so that you can see exactly how commissions are recorded and distributed.
Typical First-Year Income
When you ask the broker to give you an idea about an average first-year income, keep in mind that it is truly just an average.
Some agents come to the office every day, even if they aren't on duty. You'd be surprised how many leads they receive on those days, sometimes because the duty agents are on the telephone, or have left to show property to walk-in clients.
Other new agents only show up when they are scheduled for duty. Which type of agent do you think might have a higher first-year income?
Office Expenses
• Who pays for long distance telephone calls made from the office?
• How about stamps, photocopies, an

California Background Check Procedures
A California background check is carried out by an employer for a number of reasons, though the major reason is probably the increase in the number of negligent hiring lawsuits being brought before the courts. However, employee screening in California has specific restrictions that all employers should be aware of.If an employee harms anybody in some way as result of their employment, and it can be shown that the employer could reasonably have been expected to have foreseen the problem, then the employer can be held legally responsible for the act that caused the harm.Examples of such harm are assault in the workplace by someone with a history of violent conduct, injury through negligence or poor training by somebody that falsified their resumes to lead an employer to believe that they were suitably qualified for a job, and even injury to shareholders of a company

4. What about television, radio, and other advertising. Do any agencies dominate those areas?

During most job interviews, you are in the position of convincing the interviewer you are the best person for the job. In real estate, the agent must interview the broker.

There are many things you should know before deciding which firm to associate yourself with.

Medical Billing - Dealing With Support
It's a medical biller's worst nightmare. He or she is in the process of doing medical billing for their largest carrier and suddenly their software stops functioning as it should. Maybe you're posting batch payments and you get an error message. Of you're electronically transmitting a claim file and you get a message "no response from host". The number of problems that can go wrong with your medical billing procedures are countless. So what do you do when something goes south on you?Your first choice is to try to fix the problem yourself. Since most software packages come with decent manuals, you might actually be able to troubleshoot most problems. But what happens if you run into something that you just can't figure out no matter what you try? Well, fortunately, most software packages for medical billing also come with live support. How good this support is de

gness to hang in there until things start to take off. Just how fast things start moving depends a lot on your work habits, but choosing the right agency can help jump-start the process.
What You Need to Know

There are many things you should know before deciding which firm to associate yourself with.

Screening Your Employees
Many companies screen the employees before recruiting them. This helps them weed out undesirable candidates at the outset. It also protects them from litigation, regulators and the risk of high turnover. Besides verifying the details on your resume, employers most commonly screen for criminal behavior, drug abuse, regulatory violations, and appearances on a terrorist watch list. They also keep a check on employees’ tax liens, bankruptcy filings, ongoing divorce or custody proceedings, driving violations or bounced checks. Employers are also concerned that someone with monetary problems, health issues or family concerns may not be fully focused on the job. During the screening process, companies gauge a candidate’s temper, social skills, and reaction to stress, attitudes and how they handle tough situations.Screening Parameters: Employers generally screen employees

gents on duty when those leads come in? If not, how are they distributed?
Advertising
Advertising is a major expense for real estate agents, so anything the agency pays for is a plus.
• Does the firm pay for the typical agency ad, where listings are showcased, or are you required to pay for the space occupied by your listings?
• Does the firm pay for any portion of personal ads? (Ads designed to promote you, not your listings.)
• What types of advertising does the firm do? For instance, newspaper, radio, television, Internet, for-sale publications, bulk mailings, chamber of commerce, and other promotions.
• Does the firm have a bulk mail permit? (The expense of a bulk mailing is typically yours, but many firms pay the yearly permit feet.)
Computer Equipment, Digital Cameras, Other Tech Gear
• Does the firm have computer equipment for all agents to use, or are you expected to bring your own to the office?
• What types of software are loaded on office computers? Are all agents allowed to use the existing software?
Estimate your expenses and potential income
Commission Percentage and Payments
• What commission rate do they offer? Are commissions paid on a sliding scale, with the percentage you earn increasing as you bring more income to the firm?
• Are commissions paid immediately upon closing?
• Does the firm pay a higher percentage for 'in house' transactions? (Where both the listing agent and selling agent work for the firm.)
• If the firm is part of a franchise, what percentage of each commission earned is retained as a franchise fee?
• Ask to review a sample commission settlement statement, so that you can see exactly how commissions are recorded and distributed.
Typical First-Year Income
When you ask the broker to give you an idea about an average first-year income, keep in mind that it is truly just an average.
Some agents come to the office every day, even if they aren't on duty. You'd be surprised how many leads they receive on those days, sometimes because the duty agents are on the telephone, or have left to show property to walk-in clients.
Other new agents only show up when they are scheduled for duty. Which type of agent do you think might have a higher first-year income?
Office Expenses
• Who pays for long distance telephone calls made from the office?
• How about stamps, photocopies, a

12 Things About Business I Learned While On Jury Duty
I sat on two juries (felony cases) during three weeks of jury duty. I saw nearly thirty witnesses and heard four different attorneys argue their cases. In between attorneys and witnesses there was plenty of time to think over what I had seen and heard. After I reviewed the evidence, testimonies, and arguments and then deliberated with my fellow jury members I reflected on my knowledge of business communications and found a direct parallel.Here are 12 Things About Business I Learned While On Jury Duty:1. Don’t believe everything you see.2. Don’t believe everything you hear.3. You don’t always have the facts you need, but you need to make a decision based on what evidence you have on hand.4. There are more than two sides to each story.5. Unanimous decisions are made up of compromises and hard won small victories.6. Expression

Errors & Omissions Insurance

Does the firm carry E&O Insurance for its agents, or are you expected to purchase this liability insurance yourself?

Multiple Listing Service Fees

You may be required to join the local Multiple Listing Service to work for the firm. In some cases, you may need to join a second, or even third MLS office to work effectively in the community. Ask about the expenses associated with each membership.

One final tip: Make a list of the questions above before your interview, and add any others you feel are important. Sure, you can change agencies if the first one doesn't work out, but that's a waste of time and money. Getting the answers to your questions before you start working helps you make the best choice the first time around!

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