Forgive? Maybe. Forget? Never.
As many of you know, I have worked for my father in this crazy biz we call real estate since 1999. I am considered his licensed assistant and this entails a whole myriad of things such as showings, listings, open houses, marketing, going to closings, writing offers; so I may be his assistant but I am a licensed real estate agent in the state of Wisconsin. And I'm good at it. I know a lot about the laws and how things are to be done. In fact, agents in the office will often come to me to ask questions on things and if I'm not sure of the answer, I'll find a way to get the answer.
A few years ago, after we'd won the Pillow Fight, an agent in the office (who shall remain nameless and genderless for the purpose of this post) said to me, "The Foundation is really lucky you're 'just an assistant' and have time to do this."
I was stunned silent by that statement. Stunned and hurt. I didn't speak to this agent for several months after this statement was made. I've been in the business longer than this agent, work more hours than this agent and know a crapton more about real estate than this agent yet I am regarded as "just an assistant" by this person.
That statement cut like a f*cking knife.
Fast forward a year and again, it's right after Pillow Fight and this agent does it AGAIN but adds a little extra dig: "They're so lucky you're just an assistant and not a real agent so you have time for this."
What. The. Everloving. F*ck.
This time, I wasn't struck mute; I shot back.
"So I'm not a real agent? Let's see; I believe I do showings, open houses, sell houses and list houses, go to closings and do everything else all the 'real agents' around here do or should be doing so tell me again how I'm not a 'real agent'." And I walked away. To say I was pissed is a huge understatement. At the time, we had a new BVP (branch vice president aka office manager) and I emailed him while my anger was still at an all-time high and it went something like this:
"I am sick and tired of being disrespected around here. For the second year in a row, someone told me that the Foundation was lucky that I'm 'just an assistant' and 'not a real agent'. If this happens again, you'd better be ready to come wash blood off the walls as I will go off and that person will lose a limb or worse."
I don't mince words, people. I will cut a bitch, too.
The BVP replied immediately with "Who in the world said that to you? Give me a name and I'll address it."
I wouldn't give him the name. I just wanted him to know what kind of sh*t was going down and there just could be a small (or large) amount of blood being spilled in the future. You signed up for this office so prepare yourself for when sh*t gets real.
The thing is, this is how I get treated by some people in the industry and even people I'm on the Foundation board with treat me like I'm beneath them; I can feel it. It's like they think they can slack on stuff because "Sara will do it; she's got more time because she's 'just an assistant'."
Yes, my job title is Licensed Real Estate Assistant to Tom Nielsen but that L word right there says it all: Licensed. I've had my real estate license for 20 years and I am an agent. Do I list and sell as much as some? No but you can bet your ass I'm better at my job then a helluva lot of people in this industry who think they're better than me.
We all have said things that we later regret but it's usually a one & done situation. What does it say when someone says something twice? Does it say that they meant to put me down twice or that they're just stupid? Or both?
You may wonder why I let this bother me. Ask yourself this question: How would you react if someone said you were "just a" and not a "real" whatever?
"Oh, you're just an LPN not a real nurse."
"Oh, you're just a server."
"Oh, you're just a teacher."
They may just be words but they sure can cut like a knife. Be mindful, be kind and just don't be a dickhead.
A few years ago, after we'd won the Pillow Fight, an agent in the office (who shall remain nameless and genderless for the purpose of this post) said to me, "The Foundation is really lucky you're 'just an assistant' and have time to do this."
I was stunned silent by that statement. Stunned and hurt. I didn't speak to this agent for several months after this statement was made. I've been in the business longer than this agent, work more hours than this agent and know a crapton more about real estate than this agent yet I am regarded as "just an assistant" by this person.
That statement cut like a f*cking knife.
Fast forward a year and again, it's right after Pillow Fight and this agent does it AGAIN but adds a little extra dig: "They're so lucky you're just an assistant and not a real agent so you have time for this."
What. The. Everloving. F*ck.
This time, I wasn't struck mute; I shot back.
"So I'm not a real agent? Let's see; I believe I do showings, open houses, sell houses and list houses, go to closings and do everything else all the 'real agents' around here do or should be doing so tell me again how I'm not a 'real agent'." And I walked away. To say I was pissed is a huge understatement. At the time, we had a new BVP (branch vice president aka office manager) and I emailed him while my anger was still at an all-time high and it went something like this:
"I am sick and tired of being disrespected around here. For the second year in a row, someone told me that the Foundation was lucky that I'm 'just an assistant' and 'not a real agent'. If this happens again, you'd better be ready to come wash blood off the walls as I will go off and that person will lose a limb or worse."
I don't mince words, people. I will cut a bitch, too.
The BVP replied immediately with "Who in the world said that to you? Give me a name and I'll address it."
I wouldn't give him the name. I just wanted him to know what kind of sh*t was going down and there just could be a small (or large) amount of blood being spilled in the future. You signed up for this office so prepare yourself for when sh*t gets real.
The thing is, this is how I get treated by some people in the industry and even people I'm on the Foundation board with treat me like I'm beneath them; I can feel it. It's like they think they can slack on stuff because "Sara will do it; she's got more time because she's 'just an assistant'."
Yes, my job title is Licensed Real Estate Assistant to Tom Nielsen but that L word right there says it all: Licensed. I've had my real estate license for 20 years and I am an agent. Do I list and sell as much as some? No but you can bet your ass I'm better at my job then a helluva lot of people in this industry who think they're better than me.
We all have said things that we later regret but it's usually a one & done situation. What does it say when someone says something twice? Does it say that they meant to put me down twice or that they're just stupid? Or both?
You may wonder why I let this bother me. Ask yourself this question: How would you react if someone said you were "just a" and not a "real" whatever?
"Oh, you're just an LPN not a real nurse."
"Oh, you're just a server."
"Oh, you're just a teacher."
They may just be words but they sure can cut like a knife. Be mindful, be kind and just don't be a dickhead.
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