School Do's and Dont's

Over the course of my college career I have taken about 35 courses. I am a junior and thus far one of the most efficient courses I have taken would be my upper division business finance class. That is because in this class you are thought the basics of the financial calculator. This is very important for the field I want to get in because understanding the difference between a good and bad investment is crucial. I also learned a lot of finance jargon in this class as well. Before I wouldn't be able to tell you what APR or EAR stood for but now I do! That is very important in the professional world, no one wants to be the one in the meaning who dose not understand what things mean it also makes you seem less credible if you don't know your terms. But then there is the course geology I took in college as well. I didn't feel this was relevant for my major at all. I didn't feel it is important I learn to learn why volcanos explode, this isn't going to help me sell homes or study business reports. Another course that is efficient for my college career was my upper division information systems class. In this class I learned how to use excel and access. The reason I found it very relevant is because I will use this tool in real life to communicate with my clients and co-workers. Being able to design spreadsheets, charts and tons of other media at my fingertips is very useful and efficient.

"Money Sense"

           In the finance world there is a lot of communication. Much of your day can consist being spent reading and writing emails. To be a positive communicator when emailing the writer must always keep their audience in mind, this is because you don't  want to confuse the reader. Confusing the reader can cause them to be offend or lost which can result in a dead deal. Another aspect of emailing is also to keep up with a good response time; making sure the clients questions are answered in a timely manner is very important to the success of your business. (SimpleTips) This is a little website I found offering a number of tips on how to create an effective e-mail. But, some of the reasons e-mailing is a much more effective means of communication is because there is always a written statement so nothing can be forgotten or changed. By this I mean that in a e-mail the whole conversation is written out, if a date it forgotten the e-mail is always there to reflect on without being unprofessional and just forgetting.
Also is keeps a written statement of what clients are saying. by this it is much more easier to understand what they want and there is less confusion if say maybe some has a hard to understand accent.
             Finance also comes with the task of reading many business reports. These can be any sort of long tedious reading on the business report of a certain corporation, even looking over charts for how the stock price for a certain corporation has been fluctuating. I know that my mother always told me it is important to study your business environment . She is in real estate and the reading she does on her business environment helps her be able to value homes more precisely. Another aspect would be to read the facts and information about a company to see what their goals and values are. This is because no one wants to blindly invest in a company without going to these main facts.

              Reading online or printed professional finance magazines are very relevant to my job as well. These magazines like Kiplinger's, The Economist, MoneySense, Forbes, Money and many others are very beneficial to my knowledge. They help by giving the reader an update on the environment around them and all over the world, they discuss new and upcoming topics that have major and subtle effects of the spending habits of individuals, corporations and the world. You can also learn about the internal growth rate of certain companies and use this as a gear to expand your clients portfolios. So there are a number of sources of reading and writing that play a large roll in the world of finance. By fine tuning these reading and writing processes a professional would create a positive affect on their business and its productivity.

Real Life Dreams

            As human beings we strive to emulate those around us; friends, family, and role models. The most important of those role models being our parents. They teach us everything we know from a young age, values and life lessons that we incorporate into our own lives. After years of watching my mom work in real estate I quickly developed an interest myself. Watching her sell homes and deal with clients on a regular basis led me to want to learn more, with intentions of going in to the business. After I graduate with my degree I plan on pursuing my real estate license and following in my mother’s footsteps. So I interviewed her to get a closer look at what she does, because real estate is much more than just showing and selling a home.

            One of the biggest misconceptions about real estate agents is that they are only working when they are selling a home or showing clients new listings. There is a lot more at play than just that. It is my mom’s job to be constantly aware of how the real estate market is developing and changing. Her clients rely on her knowledge of the market so that they can make a smart decision when purchasing a new home. She needs to know whether it’s a buying or selling market, what homes are for sale, and changes in price. So every morning when my mom heads into her office, after checking voice and emails, she directly goes to the MLS. This stands for Multiple Listing Service and is a real estate agents’ holy grail. This website shows all of the real estate listings in a particular area including the price, details of the property, and how long the listing is active. By using this my mother is able to all the homes for sale and make decisions on what homes to show her clients. She constantly is checking the MLS to see price reductions and the time a house has been sitting so that she can let her clients stay in the loop. If she didn’t a potential house that she wanted could slip away.

            After browsing the MLS and finding potential homes, then the real footwork begins. Seeing a house on a piece of paper is much different than experiencing a home in person. So its my mom’s job to go see these potential properties before she even shows her clients. She will drive out to each of the homes and make sure they would be a valid option. This requires a lot of driving and time. My mom was telling me on numerous occasions how she has shown up to properties and the other real estate agents were no shows. Many people don’t realize the amount of effort real estate agents put into finding the right house. Once she has found numerous properties to show, then she informs her clients and plans a time to show the homes.

            Real estate agents are all about interpersonal relationships. Building a trusting relationship with your clients is essential to this business. After all its very personal and purchasing a home is a major decision. The first and foremost most important goal is keeping your clients happy and finding them a home, not the potential commission. My mom constantly keeps in contact with her clients so that everyone is on the same page and they feel that their needs are being heard. If there is no communication then it could lead to issues in terms of purchasing a home. When my mother deals with clients, the relationship and work doesn’t end when they say goodbye for the day. My mom constantly keeps them in mind by checking the MLS and finding the best options. They are her priority and my mom pours everything she has until they are settled in their dream home. My mom knows details about her clients lives and cares which creates a significant bond. Clients are number one and their satisfaction is what matters most. My mom even takes them out for lunch when they are seeing homes or will bake and bring them what she made. She spends money out of her pocket before even getting paid.

            Once the home has finally been chosen my mother then has to close the deal, which can be one of the trickiest parts. She has to sit down with her clients, discuss what they want to pay, then draft an offer to present to the listing agent of the home. Sometimes this can be a fast process, other times not. Once the offer has been submitted my mom then waits for an acceptance or a counter offer. A counter offer is when the sellers of the home doesn’t accept the original offer, so they revise the offer to something more suitable for them. Yet again this can continue for a while until one party makes a decision. This doesn’t always end with positive results. If neither party accepts then the home stays on the market and my mom loses her potential commission. All of that hard work and effort to find the home, money spent out of pocket, and then no commission. It can be a frustrating field but my mom finds it to be fun and rewarding regardless. After interviewing my mom I have an even stronger drive to become a real estate agent.

Blog Reviews

Blog #1 Oblivious investor

(ObliviousInvestor)

The Oblivious investor blog is a blog that shares tips and information on low maintenance investing for the average investor. The blog has a general theme of investing your money in a smart manner, with a diversified portfolio, low returns, and the means to have confidence investing. This blog emphasizes the use of stock indexes in order to maximize profit and potential when investing in stocks and bonds. If one were to individually research each company before investing in them, not only would this be extremely time consuming, but it would also lead to a less diversified portfolio. The blog gives a lot of tips for safe investing, including choosing bonds over stocks. It might have a lower return but bonds are much safer and more stable in the long run. I liked this blog, it stayed within the genre it was supposed to, and gave clear information and tips for the average investor.

Blog #2 Studenomics

(StudyEconomics)

Studenomics is pretty self-explanatory. College students have been notoriously broke and dumb with their money. Mostly because there was no one ahead of them to show the way. College students are expected to go out and learn on their own. Sometimes, this can be counter-productive. This blog helps college students plan and become aware of their financial surroundings. One article I particularly like described what one could expect of each year of college and what one must accomplish in order to succeed and survive. The article talks about how freshmen year its wise to figure out career interests and then to find a mentor in said interest. By senior year it is important to be finishing your internship and planning your first career move after college. It’s a very helpful blog and sheds light on the fact a lot of students struggle in college due to poor financial planning.

Blog #3 Punch debt in the face

(PunchDebt)

This blog was probably my favorite. This blog helps share insight into a problem that plagues many Americans, debt. The author reveals the importance of constantly checking and rechecking bank accounts. This is important to not only track your spending, but is also important so that you know the balance of your accounts and can make sure one account isn’t inflated over another. Planning is another major component of debt management and having a goal each month can help eliminate stress and debt at the same time. I like this blog because you can really connect with the person writing the blog. It makes you feel comforted knowing that many other people face the same issues, and there are solutions.

Insight to Finance

Throughout my childhood and into my teenage years, I have had the opportunity to watch my mother operate in the fields of real estate and finances, particularly loans. On many occasions I helped my mother with these transactions and had a first hand look into how the business world operated. Numbers and business deals caught my intrigue from a young age and is a major factor of why I choose finance for my major. In the upcoming year when I graduate, I plan on entering the field of corporate real estate or potentially handling mortgages at a bank maybe even an entry-level analyst position! The best part of finance is closing the deals because that is when you get the check. And your commission is usually based upon a percentage to the total amount.
                   There are also many other jobs to pursue in the field of finance. Finance opens up a variety of work options and career paths after college and is a huge factor as to why I choose this as my major. After obtaining work experience and knowledge I then aspire to opening up my own brokerage firm. The other great thing about the finance field is that there are many opportunities to create your own business. I found this attractive because I would love to work for myself. You can make your own hours , hire staff that reflect your business model and ideals and even work from home! By owning my own business I will be able to manage myself and hopefully push me towards the level of success I hope to achieve. Our society, the world, the economy relies on business so I feel that my choice as a finance major is perfect. Another super cool link I found online gives you six simple steps to follow for creating your own finance business from the ground up (StartUpBusiness). In this portal you can search and find jobs in the field who are hiring! Finances are an essential part of ones everyday life so, even if you don't want to go into the finance field it's important to make smart spending decision.
              I also found an awesome web sight that can give you much more information about all kind of jobs in the field, (CareersInFinanceWebsite). The website offers a couple of other perks. One is that they also have a ton of blogs and other financial information from professionals working in the field. Another wonderful aid they provided was a job search section (JobSearch). I plan on finding my first job in the city f San Francisco! One reason is that majors in the finance field make a little over thirty percent more in their salary than most places elsewhere in the United States, so consider taking this into consideration when looking for your job as well. Another great idea would be to search Craigslist, Monster, CareerBuilder, SnagAJob, Indeed and many other aids you can find online. It  is also a smart idea to create a Linkedin.com account to connect to other working professionals. Linkedin.com is like a Facebook but, the kind you'd use to find a job.
But, where ever your career path takes you in life always make sure to do the right thing. Not what may be right to you or your co-worker but, what you would do if your mother was watching you. Another piece of advice I also have to offer is choose a career that will make you happy. Do not get stuck in a career choice that you dread because most likely this is going to be the job that pays the bills and you will be stuck for the rest of your life.  Life is short do something you will find enjoyable and interesting!

Smart Investing

In an economy that is as unstable as ours is today, it’s important to make smart investments with your money to be able to ensure cash flow for the future and secure financial stability. I believe our economy has slipped due to a high number of bad investments particularly, due to the real estate market.  This had an impact on small businesses and their capabilities to invest properly. In this article, nine steps are explained about small businesses and investment advice. One of the biggest pieces of advice this article has to offer is to keep things simple. Try to invest in multiple stocks and spread your money around so that if an investment falls through, “ all your eggs aren’t in one basket and won’t find yourself bankrupt ” (nytimes). Two of the more solid investments are mutual funds and extended traded funds. Several smart funds to invest in are Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund and Charles Schwab, which follow the trends of the entire U.S. Stock market. The Index fund tends to be a more stable portfolio than an actively managed fund due to the fact actively managed funds tend to go for the next hot stock and eventually the investor cannot keep up with the trends of the market. According to this article the single most important factor of investing success is asset allocation, which is the mix of stocks, cash, and bonds in a portfolio. Roughly 50% of your portfolio should be bonds, enough cash for a year of expenses, and the rest then allocated to stock. Another thing small businesses need to keep in mind is saving money and planning for the month. With no capital, then no investments can be made.

Article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/16/business/smallbusiness/16investing.html?pagewanted=2&_r=2&ref=personalfinance& 

Blogging; the upcoming genre of choice

Why Blogs have Evolved:

Genres have long been construed as constraining labels to distinguish between different categories of literature, art, media, and music. However, I believe otherwise. What most people forget is that humans group together memories and past experiences to shape the way they interpret the world and approach decision making. Association is another component of genres. Linking memories or previous information has not only allowed humans (and other animals) to adapt and evolve, but is a safety mechanism as well. If we didn’t use association and grouping to create genres, then essentially it would be hard for any person to master one task. In the context of literature, genres have helped us choose categories that are of interest and the reader has prior experience and knowledge on the subject. So if someone were well versed in the Renaissance they wouldn’t have difficulty understanding related topics or new information on the subject. If someone was more interested in the genre of Science Fiction you could assume certain concepts or the language used would be difficult to understand or would be relatively uninteresting. What we expect to find in a particular genre is called genre conventions. Genre can affect the form, structure, style, and content of literature (englishbiz). Genres essentially are shortcuts our minds use in order to categorize and use past experience to interpret what we are reading. Genres lead to expectations of what your going to read which then develop into a trust (englishbiz). Therefore these categorizations are much deeper and important than most realize.

Genre Creates Catarogies:          

 In the context of blogs, genres are extremely vital. Since a blog is expressing your personal opinion it is important to be able to quickly distinguish a genre or theme of the topic. It is important to do this so that your argument and thoughts are cohesive. Otherwise your blog might sound like a long rant or word vomit. In writing and literature it is important to be able to speak to your audience and connect with them. By being well versed in a particular genre you have inside knowledge and experience to write to your target audience. We live in the age of the “blogosphere” and where the Internet is becoming the largest tool for networking, information sharing, and of course opinions. In order to be able to navigate through countless blogs and posts, genres can help categorize posts so that endless searching will not be required. Genres can also help blogs allow readers to scan through the information to find the key concepts. It’s also important to understand that genres can be an important tool for attracting a particular audience, but the writer does not need to center their entire content over it. Great writing, particularly in blogs incorporates a genre and then explores new ideas as well.

Evolving Way to Connecting and Sharing:

            Blogs are becoming a genre of their own because they are a new form of literature in the online world, and over time have grown into great popularity. Blogs are considered a genre of their own because they are relatively different than websites and other networking sites. This is largely due to blogs being very personal. A blog is collection of someone’s’ thoughts and opinions expressed on the Internet for a mass amount of people to see. Blogs became popular so quickly because it allowed people with similar interests to comment on topics of interest or send readers to other places on the web to further their searches. It’s another sign of the expansion of the Internet and media. People want access to information at the click of the button, and answers to follow that click, so blogs provide the solution. Blogging is now connecting people through the Internet and new communities of like-minded thinkers are formed. “Because the personal form of the blog is what seems to both motivate and satisfy the readers and writers of blogs and thus to have particular evolutionary survival value, we expect that the generic exigence that motivates bloggers is related less to the need for information than to the self and relations between selves” (blog). Just as literature started as a way to inform, then transformed to a way to connect with people, so did blogging. It began as a way of information sharing and sure enough led for a way for people to interact and connect. After all human beings strive to connect with one another and to find others with similar interests. The genre of blogging is quickly the biggest form of networking and information and I believe it will be the number one way to do so in the next couple of years. Who knows with the emergence of blogging and the growing popularity surrounding it, newspapers and the opinion columns will continue to diminish and the Internet will be the sole source of information and communication.

How to Connect on Blogs:

Articles: 

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/blogging_as_social_action_a_genre_analysis_of_the_weblog.html

http://www.englishbiz.co.uk/popups/genre4.htm