I have a 16 year commercial real estate sales background. Prior to
that I completed a Bachelor of Sceince Degree.What would be the best
career to switch to that would provide a $200,000 salary and would not
require additional education?

---

Request for Question Clarification by answerguru-ga on 19 Dec 2003 15:27 PST

Hi there,

A couple of follow-ups to your original question:

1. What field was the BSc obtained in?
2. Do you have any other skills that you haven't mentioned?
3. What region are you trying to obtain such a job in?
4. Do you have any areas of interest that you haven't mentioned?

Just as an aside, its probably quite unlikely that the $200,000 salary
figure is realistic. This question would probably be more beneficial
to you if you knew the salary ranges of professions with your skills,
so you may want to consider rephrasing the question :)

Thanks,
answerguru-ga

---

Clarification of Question by brookville-ga on 19 Dec 2003 19:00 PST

1.) The BSc was in Television Radio & Film Management.
2.) Some skills would be all elements of a commercial real estate
lease. Extensive knowledge of golf and other sports. I have knowledge
in corporate real estate where a company has many locations nationally
(even as high as 200 locations). Finally, I have been able to survive
on straight commission for 14 years and have averaged $150,000 so I am
resourceful.
3.) Long Island/New York City
4.) Sports, fitness and personal development.

Hello brookville-ga:

I decided to take a different approach and hunt for currently
available jobs that might be of interest to you. I thought that might
be the best way for you evaluate the possibilities: which types of
jobs interest you and the jobs that will pay your desired salary. (Re:
income, the scale seems tipped toward staying in real estate!)

I also found some companies that offer the kinds of jobs that should
interest you. Not all of those companies are hiring right now, but
they are companies that you should research and where you should try
to make an inside contact so that you're in good position to get a job
there when one is available.

I took your top skills and interests:
Commercial real estate (a great background that can transfer into
nearly any aspect of sales & marketing); a degree in TV/Communications
management; a love of sports; and a solid chance to earn $200,000 a
year, in the New York City, Long Island region.

I took all of those elements and began job hunting in areas of sports
and communication, and recreation and commercial real estate
development.

Note: like other commentators, I'm not sure that you can start any
sports or communications jobs at $200,000. There is potential in many
of these jobs for you to move up to the highest level of the executive
suite and get the big salaries and benefits. But if earning $200,000 a
year is your top priority, then you may end up choosing to stay right
where you are. The fact is, you've spent the past 16 years in real
estate; employers in the communications field may worry that those
skills have become rusty since your college days.

For instance, Filcro's guide to sports communications jobs in NYC
currently has a salary ceiling of $75,000 per year:
http://www.filcro.com/page10.htm

But consider this: taking a job you'll love, even if it has a lower
salary, may actually make sense for you, if you're also going to get
comprehensive medical coverage and a good pension plan.

First, I went to Wetfeet.com, which features executive-level and other
high-paying jobs:
http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/home.asp

There I filled in "sports, communications, sales" in the search box,
left the "City" field blank, and clicked  "NY" under state.

I came up with:
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?jrdid=&dv=dv&strCrit=QID%3dA6650285558339%3bst%3dA%3buse%3dALL%3brawWords%3dsports%2c+communications%2c+sales%3bCID%3dUS%3bSID%3dNY%3bTID%3d0%3bENR%3dNO%3bDTP%3dALL%3bYDI%3dYES%3bIND%3dALL%3bPDQ%3dAll%3bJN%3dAll%3bPAYL%3d0%3bPAYH%3dgt120%3bPOY%3dNO%3bETD%3dALL%3bRE%3dALL%3bMGT%3dDC%3bSUP%3dDC%3bFRE%3d30%3bCHL%3dAL%3bQS%3dSID_WETF01%3bSS%3
dNO%3bTITL%3d0%3bRAD%3d30%3bJQT%3dBID&lpage=1&jobcount=22&sfascc=sports%2c+communications%2c+sales&CiBookMark=1&Job_DID=J21KH6ZDDXX8KN77GD&sname=&lr=cbwetf

"Women's Sports Services (WomenSportsJobs.com)
Location:US-NY-New York
Base Pay:N/A
Employee Type:Full-Time Employee
Industry:Broadcasting - Radio - TV
Entertainment
Sales - Marketing
Women's Sports Services, WomenSportsJobs.com is currently assisting an
employer partner in the sports industry to immediately fill this
position. While we provide a special focus for women, we are an equal
employment opportunity company. ALL qualified candidates are
encouraged to apply.

Position Summary:

Develop and execute sports grass-roots advertising and marketing programs.

Major Responsibilities:

Manage various event marketing, production, promotions, advertising
and sponsorship projects.

Develop and manage marketing budgets. 

Execute marketing and advertising programs for grass-roots marketing
programs. . . ."

Pay isn't listed, but appears to be negotiable. 

I again tried searching at Wetfeet.com's main page (btw,Wetfeet's
engine is powered by CareerBuilder.com), this time with "sports,
communications, 'real estate,'" but  I came up empty.

So I tried researching with the string " commercial real estate" -- nothing.

So I tried searching Wetfeet again with just the term "sports" and it
brought up several intriguing listings:
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobResults.aspx?strCrit=QID%3DA6650285559595%3Bst%3Da%3Buse%3DALL%3BrawWords%3Dsports%3BCID%3DUS%3BSID%3DNY%3BTID%3D0%3BENR%3DNO%3BDTP%3DALL%3BYDI%3DYES%3BIND%3DAll%3BPDQ%3DAll%3BJN%3DAll%3BPOY%3DNO%3BETD%3DALL%3BRE%3DALL%3BMGT%3DDC%3BSUP%3DDC%3BFRE%3D30%3BCHL%3DAL%3BQS%3Dsid%5Fwetf01%3BSS%3DNO&ch=AL&lr=cbwetf

Those jobs include:

Workinsports.com currently has openings:
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?jrdid=&dv=dv&strCrit=QID%3dA6650285559595%3bst%3dA%3buse%3dALL%3brawWords%3dsports%3bCID%3dUS%3bSID%3dNY%3bTID%3d0%3bENR%3dNO%3bDTP%3dALL%3bYDI%3dYES%3bIND%3dALL%3bPDQ%3dAll%3bJN%3dAll%3bPAYL%3d0%3bPAYH%3dgt120%3bPOY%3dNO%3bETD%3dALL%3bRE%3dALL%3bMGT%3dDC%3bSUP%3dDC%3bFRE%3d30%3bCHL%3dAL%3bQS%3dSID_WETF01%3bSS%3dNO%3bTITL%3d0%3bRAD%3d30%3
bJQT%3dBID&lpage=4&jobcount=91&sfascc=sports&CiBookMark=1&Job_DID=J374N65K3Q1N1WKQCY&sname=&lr=cbwetf

"WorkInSports.com is currently seeking individuals to fill over 1,000
available positions in the sports industry in the following fields:

* Sports Marketing
* Sports Sales, Advertising & Promotions
* Public Relations & Sports Media
* Sports Broadcasting
* Sports Finance, Administration & Management
* Facilities, Sports Events & Operations [your background in real
estate may be a big plus here]
* Recreation, Health & Fitness
* Website, Technology & Computers
* Internships

In addition to working as the leader in the sports employment
industry, WorkInSports.com also works with professional sports teams
and leagues to organize and promote sports industry career fairs."

You can apply for jobs with Workinsports.com, by sending your cover
letter and resume to this address:
J374N65K3Q1N1WKQCY_cbwetf@apply.careerbuilder.com

Here's a nearly identical ad from another company:
"Sports Careers is currently working with hundreds of teams, leagues
and organizations in the sports industry, looking for qualified
candidates to immediately fill over 1,000 sports job openings. These
opportunities are located within our nationwide job database and can
be searched by state or sports career area of interest. . . .

Sports Careers has been selected as the preferred Sports Job Board and
Employment Resource by Foxsports.com.

SportsCareers also offers many services to assist individuals and
employers in addition to job listings. We provide a resume bank,
industry contacts, industry overviews, job descriptions, and salary
information.

Some of our registered employers include NCAA Athletic Departments,
NHL, NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS and WNBA teams, minor league teams, and other
leaders in the sports industry including Fox Sports, NIKE, Calloway,
IMG, USA Hockey, Sporting News, Trek Bicycle Corporation and many
more!!

We are currently seeking individuals interested in working in the following fields:

Sports Marketing 

Event Management 

Sports Sales, Advertising & Promotions 

Public Relations & Sports Media 

Sports Broadcasting 

Coaching, Athletic Administration 

Sports Finance, Administration & Management 

Facilities, Sports Events & Operations 

Recreation, Health & Fitness 

Sports Medicine 

Website, Technology & Computers" 

E:mail: MJ32F26CX0MCMTF4Y5Z_cbwetf@apply.careerbuilder.com 
 
Some of the jobs I found at Wetfeet using those search terms brought
up jobs that pay $120,000-$180,000, but the ones I saw with that
salary range were all outside the greater New York area.

MEDIA BISTRO:

This is a great site for media-related jobs, and registration is free.

After registering, click "Find A Job:" I filled in "New York" under
state, USA  category "radio/TV," and brought up this listing:

Conference Coordinator for a real estate trade magazine:
http://www.mediabistro.com/joblistings/jobview.asp?joid=14312&page=1

I didn't get any applicable results searching with the key word
"sports," but keep checking that site periodically, as I have seen
sports media jobs posted there in the past.

SPORTS-RELATED COMPANIES/JOB SERVICES:
 
LLC WomenSportsJobs.com, which I'd found via Wetfeet:
http://www.womensportsjobs.com/default.htm
which advertises itself as " Not Just a Job Board, the Leading Online
Career Center in Sports! Sales, Marketing, Broadcasting, Public
Relations, Coaching, Officiating, Health & Fitness, Athletic
Administration, Event Management, Journalism, Sporting Goods Jobs &
more."

There I clicked on "Jobs of the Week." That brought up an ad for "VP
Corporate Sponsor Service
 - Pro Sports," but that job is in CA. Still, it's proof that this
site offers high-level job opportunities.

I tried this page:
http://www.womensportsjobs.com/default.htm
(and if you scroll to the bottom you'll see a box advertising
"Networking Nights" with a 2004 calendar soon to be announced. You can
also explore the box at left: 2004 Seminars Series." Hit "Click for
more information" and learn how you can call into teleconferences for
as little as $29, or attend some seminars in person for $99. The
subjects covered in these seminars include:

"Sports Career Direction 
Sports Career Transition 
Resume Preparation 
Interviewing Skills 
Salary Negotiating 
Networking Events 
Sports Career Resources "

Be aware that LLC WomenSportsJobs.com also assists male job seekers:
http://www.womensportsjobs.com/default.htm

I also looked up WorkInSports.com, also found via Wetfeet:
http://www.workinsports.com/home.asp

Which advertises itself as having:  
"Access to the #1 Job Board in the Sports Industry featuring the most
current and up-to-date sports jobs and internships

Ability to post resume for registered employers to search

Access to contact information for hundreds of teams, leagues and
organizations in the sports industry."

You can review the list of clients who have posted jobs at this site at:
http://www.workinsports.com/employers.asp

This is a paid membership site, so you'll have to decide if the fee is
worth it to you.

Please re-check all of the above sites frequently as job listings do
change from week-to-week.

OTHER SPORTS/REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:

I tried searching several Web engines with the string "'real estate
developers' AND sports AND recreation AND New York":

Developer George Klein of New York's Park Tower Group, discusses how
his group won the job to oversee development for the New York 2012
Olympic Committee:
http://www.gwapp.org/NYC_Waterfront/observerarticle5122002.html

Park Tower Group's site is under construction at
http://www.parktowergroup.com, but I'm sure you can easily find them
in the NY Yellow Pages. Your knowledge of real estate and love of
sports may make you a compelling candidate if they need to add to
their team.

That same background makes you a good candidate to work for the New
York Olympic Committee:
http://www.nyc2012.com/news.20020425.1.html
Even if only volunteer work is currently available, volunteering may
work to your advantage as it will allow you to network with people who
are connected to communications, development, and sports.

This Oct. 2000 issue of "Real Estate Weekly" contains an article about
a community sports center that was built in Brooklyn:
http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m3601/27_46/59705038/p1/article.jhtml 
" . . .Basketball City, a company that runs successful multi-sport
recreational facilities in New York City and Boston, will operate the
facility."

I looked up Basketball City's New York Web site for you, it's:
http://www.basketballcity.com/newyork/index.html
(They aren't advertising jobs at the moment, but that doesn't mean you
shouldn't contact them.)

I also urge you to contact sports teams in your region, including any
farm teams. Any team that may be considering refurbishing its existing
stadium or that's about to start scouting for a location for a new
facility, may well be interested in someone with your experience. You
may also have the credentials needed for a job a team's "Events
Management" department.

In fact, you can even go to sports leagues' Web sites, such as
http//:www.nfl.com, and search for job listings. You can apply for
jobs with the NFL at:
http://footballjobs.teamworkonline.com/teamwork/jobs/default.cfm
(These job categories include: "Broadcast Communications, Community
Relations, and Facility Operations . . . .")
  
MEDIA MGT. JOBS:

I then tried the search string: "film AND TV AND management AND jobs AND New York."

Again, your lack of recent experience in media may work against you.
Since your emphasis apparently was more on the management side of
media (as opposed to say being a camera operator), you need to stress
that your career in real estate has taught you management and
leadership skills. Certainly by working in real estate you've learned
risk management -- a highly valued asset in any prospective manager!
You also need to stress the selling skills and people skills you've
acquired in working in real estate and that these are skills you can
transfer to a job in a different field.

Try the aforementioned: http://www.filcro.com/page10.htm for film and
TV gigs in NYC, but at the moment, nothing above $75,000 is available.

Try "Craig's List" of  tv/film/video/radio jobs in Manhattan:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/tfr/
Craig's is legendary for being comprehensive and up-to-date, but as
you'll see, the production jobs listed there aren't especially high
paying.

The New York State Broadcasters' Association Job Bank:
http://www.nysbroadcastersassn.org/jobbank/index.cfm

Also try New York Jobs Online, which has listings in numerous
category, listed by town and city:
http://www.jobs-by-city.com/state/New-York.html

Getting back to sports:

You can also try ESPN's job listings (though nearly all are in Bristol, CT):
http://www.espn.go.com/sitetools/s/help/jobs.html

And check out Fox Sports Network, which is part of  Fox Cable Networks Group, at:
http://www.recruitingcenter.net/clients/fox/publicjobs/
But currently, there aren't any openings in New York.

You may want to consider moving into the advertising side of real
estate. See this article from National Real Estate Investor's Oct. 3,
2003 issue:
http://www.nreionline.com/ar/real_estate_developers_learn_ds/ 
which profiles who  "Company 39 Inc., a Denver-based visual
communications and information technology firm," helps real estate
developers see how their plans will look, thanks to vivid, 3-D
presentation.

If this interests you, search for New York and Long Island advertising
agencies that list real estate developers among their clients.

I also went to the What Color Is Your Parachute? site:
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/
which is run by author Dick Bolles, and is based on his popular book
of the same name (Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA; first published in
1972, The 2004 edition is now available).

I then went to the menu at left and clicked on "Job-Hunters & Career-Changers":
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/library/hunters/library.shtml 
At left on that page see links for "Contacts" and "Where The Jobs Are."

This site not only gives advice about how to land your dream job, its
many articles compel you to examine what it is you want most from your
work.

I hope I've given you some good leads and some good ideas to mull. 

Overall, there's no question: there's more money to be made in
commercial real estate than in sports (unless you're Michael Jordan)
or broadcasting. If you're persistent and network as much as you
possibly can and do your homework on the jobs/companies that appeal to
you, you may well finally land that dream job that combines two, or
maybe even all three career interests.  But you may have to settle for
less than $200,000 per year -- at least at first.

I hope my research is of help to you. Please post a "Request For
Clarification" if you need help navigating any of the above links, or if you
need me to clarify any of the information I've given you, prior to rating my
answer.

Regards,
nancylynn-ga

I was very impressed with the amount of effort put into the question
and the options outlined. The question was very difficult if not
impossible to answer.

Other types of jobs at that salary level include:

CEO/Pres of mid-sized company
Executive VP of sales or marketing for a technology or manufacturing company
Division General Manager of a diversified manufacturing or industrical company
Lawyer
Doctor
... etc.

Given that it takes many years for people in more corporate-business
roles to achieve that level of income, and given that it's unlikely
that anyone would hire you in at that compensation level with no
experience outside of real estate, I would recommend that you consider
self-employment.

There is a chance that as an entrepreneur you can earn somewhere in
that range after years (just as it took you years to get to that level
in real estate)

My first year as a full time entrepreneur brought me in around $150K,
but after all the expenses, I was down to about $90K... and I have
over 20 years of experience in my field (high-tech marketing) in
corporate and entrepreneurial environments.

I suggest a career coach if you are unfulfilled professionally.  Many
folks GO INTO the real estate business because it's one of the few
where you can work independently and make that kind of money.

I wish you much success in your search for career nirvana :-)

Thank you for the kind rating and tip! 

Best of luck to you. Many people have made successful career changes
and I'm sure you will too.

Jay Abraham was talking about a real estate broker that had sold her
business in his "Your Secret Wealth" tape series. The woman was very
successful, now she was missing the business and had mentioned it to
him. She was bound by a "non-compete contract" for like 5 years. She
also loved the area and did not wish to move.

Jay asked, "What were the things that made you so successful in your business?"

Evidently she kicked but at obtaining listings. So he asked her, "Do
you think you could teach this skill to others?" Her reply was,
"Definitely!"

Long story short she started offering her services to companies in the
form of seminars, charged a premium price. Now she was still in the
game and making a ton.

How many people at $1000 dollars per head would it take to replace your income?

How many commercial property areas are there in the U.S.A.?

Would your skills at commercial be useable by residential agents?

What are you still doing here?

Get going!