In my last post, I talked about why I assign homework to Staging Diva students and how I approach it differently than many other staging training companies. Related to this, is a new phenomenon I’m dealing with as the operator of a home staging training program that I’ve never had to deal with before.
I’ve been receiving many teary phone calls from people who have taken another training program who “just” fell short of the 80% required to “qualify” for guaranteed employment as a home stager. Many of them find that no matter how educated or talented they are, or how long they’ve been staging homes on their own, they can’t get that elusive 80% needed to successfully complete the program for the “guaranteed job.”
This ends up destroying the stager’s confidence to the point that they feel like they don’t have what it takes to make it in this industry and often that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
When you have an organization offering guaranteed employment, you have to question the promise being made. I don’t know how anyone can guarantee employment in any field, anywhere in this economy.
Read the fine print attached to any claim that sounds too good to be true. If it has been set up so that only those that get 80% qualify for a guaranteed job, how easy do you think they’re going to make it for people to meet that mark? Isn’t it one giant loop hole?
If you’ve taken your training from one of these companies and have had your confidence shaken because you weren’t able to make the grade, please don’t let that stop you from pursuing your dream.
It doesn’t mean that you aren’t cut out to be a home stager and it doesn’t mean that you’ll never find work as a home stager. All it means is that you are one of many talented people who weren’t able to qualify for jobs that may or may not actually exist.
Read through some of these Staging Diva Graduate Success Stories and see how well others are doing without having to jump through hoops trying to attain a particular grade or holding out for “guaranteed jobs”.
Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging
Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love.
[tags]staging diva, home staging training, guaranteed home staging jobs, home staging courses, debra gould, home stagers[/tags]
I suppose this is the downside of no regulation of Home Staging. Mostly, I think the no regulation is a great thing, no fees, no exams, no bureaucracy to deal with! That said, like any entrepreneurial endeavor, common sense, talent, and hard work are what make it work, not unfulfillable promises or pipedreams like guaranteed employment. PT Barnum was right…a sucker born every minute…or something like that. Get real. Life offers NO guarantees!
In reference to the Staging Company that requires a passing grade of 75% before offering employment there are further requirements before employment is secured; resume, portfolio preparation, letter of introduction, cover letter, letters of reference, a photograph of self, and an interview with said company plus an agreement to to the terms of their Offer of Employment and the Employment Contract.
The Staging Company may offer secure employment (if such a thing exists) to some individuals. The homework required is intense and educational and may be just what some individuals need inorder to be a Company Stager.
For the individual with initiative and talent for staging and design, all of the required homework by the staging company may not be their “cup of tea”.
However, the most important aspect of staging for an independent and gifted “home decorator” is learning how to develope ones business, how to acquire cllients and to continue to develope as a stager, designer and business person.
The education of learning the business aspect of staging cannot be achieved while working for a company that is holding your hand.
Viva la Difference
There may be a financial reason for the hypothetical “grade”; the school wants you to keep taking courses in the hopes of passing. I expect that 3 times is the charm. Most folks wouldn’t try to push it past that, but that = 3x $.
I hate it when anyone gets ripped off, but especially a person who has taken the steps and done all the right things to move their life forward. If you have been given a gift of decorating from birth, as I have, that is God’s will for your life. With God as your business partner and the right business and marketing training, like I have received from Debra Gould, you will succeed. It’s only a matter of time.
As Debra’s training teaches us, you do step 1. Then you do step 2. And so on. It’s all planned out for us it the training courses. It’s not always easy. The good things in life all seem to require a great deal of effort. When things get hard I remember an old saying, “How do you eat an elephant?” Answer: “One bite at a time.” That’s what I have been doing with staging. And it’s working really well.
I would advise anyone who has been ripped off to not let that stop him or her from achieving his or her dream. The Staging Diva’s course will teach them how to succeed. Anyone who wants to ask me a few questions about the training can email me. I frequently get email asking questions and I am happy to get them! I have no competition.
There are a lot of people out there needing our help. Plenty for all of us!
I to have gone through the course that guarantee’s employment. I read the fine print and had no doubt I could get the marks required, I’ve always been an excellent student. To my surprise, I did not get the required marks… I almost gave up.
After a few months of working a regular job I decided I was going to be a stager with or without guaranteed employment. This was when I found the Staging Diva. Now I’m ready to grow my own business and never work for someone else again!