I know this is all theoretical right now but for me I have to come up with a theory and a plan before I can actually do something so this is that.
Dean.
I'm going to answer this from the viewpoint of an employer and I hope it does serve as useful advice.
First, what was your college major? Why did you study religion and psychology in grad school?
Here would be my concern. Why hire you when you can't make up your mind what you want to do, going to grad school even with no profession in mind.
Now, personally, I do think we push young people to decide on their life pursuit before they have the knowledge to do so. Still I'm not at all convinced just reading this that you'll stick with a plan. You mention needing a theory and plan. I'd say you need the right theory and plan for you and then you need to actually start executing it.
You talk about building your knowledge and then getting into a brokerage. Seems to me you've built a lot of knowledge so far and not using any of it. Do you know what it's like to work as a salesman in a brokerage? How long as a new salesman can you and are you willing to go with no sales and commission? Selling small boats for a lake is one thing, but selling larger boats in a coastal brokerage is much like real estate. There are a lot of dry periods, plus it's very difficult when new to compete with the brokers who are established and know everyone. The real money, just as in real estate, requires listings too. Half of the average broker's income is listing, not selling.
Do you know what the average broker makes? Not a lot. Successful make very good money. Average makes decent. But for every successful broker, there are many who aren't successful. What sales experience do you have? As a new broker you're dependent on walk in or call in traffic and that's a very small piece of the market. Now once you gather information on brokering, then if that's what you really want to do, set a plan specifically for that.
You say "I'm thinking that a marina or dock in the Area just needing general yard/dock hands is looking most likely." That's a college kid taking a summer job. That's not someone serious about being a broker. That's just wanting to be around the water. It's also not the sound of a very ambitious person. 5 to 6, maybe 7 years of college and you're talking about taking a job as a dock hand or yard man. Why am I making a point of this? Brokers, like any good sales people, must be ambitious to be successful. They must be driven to make sales. It's a competitive, performance rewarding business. In hiring someone into it, one would typically be looking for hunger...people hungry for success, for money.
If you want to get experience that might one day lead to brokering then get it in a field that you can grow in. As an example, you could go to Maritime School, get a job on a yacht as a deck hand, targeting becoming a captain. Actually easier to break in through the commercial route for many. But that takes time too. You need 360 sea days for a 6 pack and 720 sea days for a Master. Are you willing to commit 5 years to that pursuit?
If there's any aspect you'd prefer to discuss privately, message me.
In passing out resumes at dealerships and docks, I can tell you the first thought people get if they even look at them. "Overqualified." I assume you'll have a Master's when you graduate. They look and say, "Why is someone with a Master's applying for a job on a dock." Further thought, "he's desperate but as soon as he can find a better job, he's gone." I don't know what your cover letter says, but if it says dock job to build knowledge to be a broker, many businesses shy away from being used as a stepping stone.
With all your education have you gotten any professional career counseling, including testing of your likes and dislikes, aptitude, to help you determine what you'd really like to do? If not, I'd strongly recommend it. One place it can be excellent if you answer honestly is telling you if you're cut out for sales. You may well be a future sales star. I don't know. I'd just say you've done a lot of vacillating career wise and direction wise and it could be very helpful. You mention experience in manual work, administration and service. Three entirely different directions. Now, I recognize some may have been summer or afternoon jobs, but the question is which is right for you.
Now, I never believe education or the pursuit of knowledge is a waste, so I don't agree with the philosophy of many. But you go for a dock job or even an entry sales assistant of some sort and the reaction of many will be that you've either wasted your time getting the education or you're now wasting the education. You need a real understanding of how you've gotten to this point and then where you want to go. Then whatever you do can be directed toward that.
I do wish you the best of luck.
