Advice for student / aspiring inspector

[alejandro741]

Good day folks, new to TIJ and really enjoying the wealth of information.

I'm a student currently completing my education towards HI in Toronto, I have been a contractor for 10 years and I look forward to this new challenge.

Any advice or words of wisdom towards shaping my new career would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[John Kogel]

There is much to learn and you will continue to learn as more mysteries reveal themselves.

Join an association that has regular meetings. That is where you can get guidelines for what is expected of you and local knowledge. The general stuff you get in school is the tip of the iceberg.

In Ontario today, you can start without a license, but that is about to change, so you may be writing a test for that too. And there will be entry requirements, not established yet. Ask your instructor.

[Marc]

Your education won't be complete when you finish HI school. Learn to teach yourself and don't ever stop. When you first think you know it all, you don't. The value of your service depends first on how much you know and how hard you're willing to work for your clients.

Shadow the best inspector you can find, at least for a few inspections, you'll see it's value when you've done it. Find the best inspector by reading sample reports, dozens of them. Authors are judged by their novels. Not much different with inspectors.

Don't cheat your clients by marketing to agents.

Take typing lessons. Check out typingweb.com. It doesn't cost you. A generous WPM, coupled with any ordinary word processor, homemade boilerplate and template, is better than any HI reporting software you can buy. Took me years to learn that.

Marc

[kurt]

From what I read over at the ASHI site, there seems to be a lot of conflict in Canada over licensing, control of the professional societies, personality conflicts, and Lord knows what else that seems to have the Ontario folks panties in a wad.

I'd like you to infiltrate, take notes, and report back. It would be nice to hear an unbiased opinion from a northern brother.

[alejandro741]

Thank you gentlemen.