Tired of the bashing! Vent

[Am_I_There_Yet]

In a recent Gallup Poll, my profession ranked one below used-car salesman and one above lawyers. I understand about feeling like you have to constantly defend what you do.

Yes, I am a real estate agent.

 

[mrsltg]

Wow - lawyers, real estate agents, oil employees (my dad is one), lobbyists - we should start our own DIS club! What could we call it? Something to do with theivery I suppose.... Anyone have any ideas???


Erin

 

[Maleficent13]

An interesting thought since a bunch have started talking about how they are a part of a "hated" profession...how do we get to that? Why do we all think lawyers, real estate agents, used car salesmen, insurance companies, etc, are evil?

 

[Sandy V.]

An interesting thought since a bunch have started talking about how they are a part of a "hated" profession...how do we get to that? Why do we all think lawyers, real estate agents, used car salesmen, insurance companies, etc, are evil?

Well, rarely do you go to a lawyer for a "happy" reason. And DH sees a lot of folks who want him to make all of their problems (that they've often contributed to but don't want to admit!) just "go away", and that's often difficult, if not impossible. So there's a lot of unrealistic expecations that lead to disappointment and frustration.

A lot of these professions deal with important things in our lives and the almightly dollar as well. That hits folks where they live!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I feel your pain. My husband works for AT&T (formerly SBC) and you should hear what we hear. Most people don't understand how the phone companies work and they love to spout all kinds of bad information and misinformed opinions.

Mine worked for SBC, now AT&T..at least this week!

All the mergers he has been through have sucked.

 

[Geoff_M]

Checking in with ~20 years experience working for evil "Big Pharma". I feel your pain. I bet you never knew there were so many experts with regard to your industry in the world before you popped on here, did you?

 

[bicker]

Really! I think, though, that the problem is that folks have a hard time understanding that a situation which is to their own personal detriment doesn't necessarily imply something is wrong or bad.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

An interesting thought since a bunch have started talking about how they are a part of a "hated" profession...how do we get to that? Why do we all think lawyers, real estate agents, used car salesmen, insurance companies, etc, are evil?

All I can answer for is my profession.

A lot of people think RE agents make a ton of money and that there job is simple. Hence, the FSBO's. It's the "anyone can do it" mentality. Plus, everyone thinks they can be a RE agent, and the field is overflowing. There are 28,000 alone in Houston.

The next one I think fits any profession. It's the unethical, bad apples that get the publicity. I hardly ever hear anyone talk about what a good RE agent they had, but they'll come of the woodwork to complain about a bad one.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

A lot of these professions deal with important things in our lives and the almightly dollar as well. That hits folks where they live!!

Exactly! Buying or selling a home is usually one of life's biggest financial transactions, and it can get very emotional.

This is why I love working with first-time homebuyers the best. They may need their hand held, but I love making it a fun, pleasant experience for them.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Wow - lawyers, real estate agents, oil employees (my dad is one), lobbyists - we should start our own DIS club! What could we call it? Something to do with theivery I suppose.... Anyone have any ideas???


Erin

I also used to work for Exxon. I'm a double-whammy.

 

[MzDiz]

Mine worked for SBC, now AT&T..at least this week!

All the mergers he has been through have sucked.

I keep saying that they have to change their name or merge with another company every few years so the guys that paint the trucks don't run out of work. It seems like once they have all the signs and such changed over, there's another name change.

 

[brerrabbit]

I work for one of the Big Oil companies and have been bashed several times for trying to defend them. It just doesn't seem worth it in the end. Some of the arguements presented are so far from reality that to even try and get people to understand would take several books worth of posting and even then they refuse to change their perceptions so I just gave up.

 

[bicker]

The problem is that in many people's minds, silence implies that what was said was true. If no one corrects these misconceptions, they become the basis on which some people will actually make their decisions.