Many experienced home inspectors offer their time and skills to new inspectors who need on the job training.
Doctors do a residency, architects do an internship, and home inspectors should go through a mentoring period. Most career-focused education programs teach students what they need to know about how to perform the work. But real life know-how doesn’t come until after completing the course.
A mentor might not be required where you live. But it’s a smart idea find one, and devote some time to learning from a home inspector with plenty of experience.
Late nights studying gets you to one checkpoint in your training, and a mentor can take you further.
Mentoring Teaches You How to Use Your Knowledge
While working your way through the ICA School home inspection course, you’ll have an advantage over some students. Where some competitor courses give students plenty to read, our course has plenty of instructor-led video lessons where you can see exactly how the work is done.
But it’s different working out in the field. You’ll encounter unusual situations – all inspectors do – and being on the job with another inspector gives you the opportunity to see, learn and ask questions as you go. A mentor can show you how to apply what you’ve learned in your training and use it in different scenarios. It’s sort of like working with a personal trainer, except instead of working out your abs you’ll be working out your brain.
Some States Require Mentoring Before Licensure
Some states have very few regulations about home inspections at all. Many do not require licensure. But others require specific education plus a minimum number of hours doing “ride alongs” with a mentor before a license is issued.
If your state requires mentoring, that hurdle comes after you receive your ICA School certification. Once fulfilled, your hours are reported to the state licensing board, who will likely have a few more requirements for you to meet, such as applying for licensure and paying license fees. You may also be required to fulfill a certain number of continuing education credits periodically to keep your license current.
Don’t be too anxious to go it alone; there’ll be plenty of time for that later.
A Home Inspector Association Can Help You Find a Mentor
Mentoring sounds simple enough, but the tricky part is finding one. It’s logical to assume that some inspectors aren’t keen on training someone who will ultimately be direct competition. If you look for a mentor in your immediate area, you might face more of a challenge than if you look elsewhere.
Home inspection associations at the local chapter, state and national levels are a great resource for networking and finding the all-important mentor. If you network, you could find at least one who wants to help. But NAHI strives to make it a bit easier by offering a list of NAHI Certified Real Estate Inspector members who offer their services as mentors to new inspectors.
Mentoring isn’t required for everyone, but anyone can benefit from it. There’s a big difference between watching a recording of a person inspecting a home and being there in person to witness it firsthand and ask questions along the way. Even if your state doesn’t require it, a mentor can help you fine-tune your skills so that you can become the best inspector that you can be.
ICA School gives you the education that you need to prepare you for the next phase of your home inspector training. Once you receive your certification, you’re ready to find a mentor. If you’re ready to begin this journey toward your next career, enroll now and start working in your own timeframe and at your own pace.
