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From what I have seen, having a gig on the side would help until you get hooked up with a firm (or firms).  This is a very competitve industry and many people with experience and connections will be called up way before many eager new people unless an 04, Katrina or an Ike trype storm hits.  If chance has it that you work a nice Hurricane, save as much money as you can.  Don't buy the new bass boat, harley, ect.  Be prepared to have many months of down time or working temp jobs,ect.  If you have a business on the side, that would be ideal-something you can get away from for short to medium stints.    If your wife, ect. can accompany you, your marriage will likely not be engaged in an uphill battle... Network and learn as much as you can my friend....

Oh, Goodie! Yet another rainbow chaser. Okay, here is the secret path to joining we select few at the big pot-o-gold at rainbows end. Ya might oughta want to writes this down with this here crayon on the inside flap of a Cheerio box.

1. Stomp wildly thru the minefield of thrown away money at the all the 2-bit instant adjuster training schools. It's fun to watch all your folding money blowed-up into confetti and then be bestowed a fancy certificate.
2. Dance blindly amongst the quicksand pools of empty promise vendors with worn down fingers from constantly revising your resume that boasts of determination and committment to excellence.
3. Gaze in wide wonder at the unending succesion of days, weeks, and months filled with bright sunshine, light breezes, and infinitly calm weather.

By ridgidly following this secret path, only then will your dreams come to fruition.

Or, you can do what everyone else does and get a stockboy job down at the Adult Megaplex store. It won't be much in the way of monetary riches, but there are a few fringe benefits. And, on your first day you'll get to mop down the 'Clean & Jerk' booths. Doesn't that sound like a whole lot of fun?

Ol' Ghost



 

Ditto. If you live in Arkansas the way to get your feet wet is go to a rice field barefooted and stand in the water. Be sure and watch out for water mocassins though, they are similar to some of the people you might work for, very dangerous.

All kidding aside, this is a tough field to just enter with no background. Try getting on with a staff company like most of the ol timers did, then regress into cat adjusting. It pays really good, at times. You must be prepared to tell you family however, why there is no money in the bank.

The insurance restoration biz. is a good route to get into cat. or public adjusting. Public adjusting has been around a long time and they perform a service and get paid for it. Just like lawyers and catastrophe adjusters.

Ehen you have been handed your head on a platter one or two times by a good PA, your respect level will be elevated a bit. You will be taken off a loss when the PA begins to eat your lunch and you should be. These guys know the game and were in your place 10-20 years ago.

WOW!  You guys are ruthless.  A bit scared of the competition, as usual.  I'm SO glad that I didn't listen to the "advice" given on this very board when I was getting started.  I probably would have given up before really giving it my honest effort.  That would have been a travesty.  Now, I just LOVE  adjusting.

Some really great penmanship, I must say though.

Posted By TXAD on 07 Sep 2009 07:02 PM
  A bit scared of the competition, as usual.

I really don't think these guys are scared of the competition. Most are well established with there respective employers and will work while most of us set home twiddling our thumbs. But what they do realize is that there are many that post here after hearing how easy the money flows in this field. Just take a three day, seven day, or two week course and expect a call. Yes that sometimes happens, and someone also wins the lotto from time to time. I have no hard stats, but I would bet that the roster #'s have not grown significantley in the years since I have been in this business, yet the classes are churning out adjusters by the hundreds every year. What does that suggest? Maybe this is not quite the pot of gold that many thought it was.  I have talked to many ex adjusters that started,  could not stand being away from home for 2,3,4 months at a time, could not pay the hotel bills and wait on the billing to catch up, could not handle the feast or famin nature of the business. A lot of these ex adjusters left a storm sight and left a pile of claims for those of us who stayed to clean up or totally rewrite.

Just know if the sarcasm and fun poking humor on this sight stings a little, its nothing compared what you will face in the real world. You haven't lived till you get a good finger shaking, head bobbing, butt chewing from an old country gal who cannot understand why she not getting enough from her hail damage to buy a newer larger doublewide.

JWG