WEEK     JOB: REAL ESTATE AGENT

LOCATION: BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA

EMPLOYER: VICTORIA, COLDWELL BANKER

WAGE: $54,410 YEAR (VARIES WIDELY BASED ON AMOUNT OF SALES AND COMMISSION) [Source: BLS]

INDUSTRY IQ:

• Even though Victoria works under the umbrella of a large real estate branch, she’s more or less running her own business—she sets her own hours, is responsible for her own paycheck, and must prospect for clients.

• The majority of a real estate agent’s time is not spent visiting houses and meeting with clients. Victoria spends most of her time researching online listings for properties that match her clients’ needs.

WHAT I LEARNED: “Ooh-la-la-ing” skills will make or break you.

Apparently, in Hollywood Hills, the “ooh-la-la-ing the family pet” selling technique is a valuable one to master: “This just might be the deciding factor that will help you win over a potential client,” Victoria said. “So I don’t care how ugly the thing is, or that it’s rubbing up against you and covering your pant leg in fur. You smile, bend down, and pet the thing.”