According to the government of Alberta, a mortgage associate makes an average of $75,982 annually, higher than the median Canadian and Albertan salaries. The mortgage associate job is also something people tend to feel good about doing – you’re helping individuals and families become homeowners, sometimes for the first time. And you’re doing it in a way that helps people find the best lender for their particular circumstances. It’s a great job that’s both rewarding financially and emotionally. And the best part is, you only need a mortgage associate licence in Alberta to start!

While obtaining the licence requires some work, the good news is that it’s also relatively easy. In this brief guide, we’ll show you the nine easy steps to becoming a licensed mortgage associate in Alberta.

Ready to get started? Let’s go!

Step 1: Learn What a Mortgage Associate Does

Before getting too deep into the licensing aspect, it’s first essential to learn what a mortgage associate’s job entails.

Mortgaging is the art of structuring available financial resources of the clients to find the best financing solution for them, As a mortgage associate, you will not be lending any of your own money; instead, you’ll be acting as a matchmaker between lender products and the borrowers scenarios and needs.

Consider the following example. Let’s say someone wants to apply for a mortgage with average, but not-so-great credit. This person can apply directly to banks, one after the other, risking rejection and often being limited to products and policies of that one bank, before getting assessed by the second bank.

Every time the person applies, their credit is pulled and possibly lowering his or her credit score.

Or, they can contact a mortgage associate and have their credit pulled just once. The mortgage associate can review lending options from various banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions, selecting the best product for their needs, saving them the hassle of shopping with various financial institutions.

The mortgage broker serves banks and other lenders also by matching their products with appropriate customers. It truly is a win-win!

Step 2: Confirm Your Eligibility for a Mortgage Associate Licence in Alberta

Assuming that becoming a mortgage associate sounds like a good career path, you must confirm your eligibility to obtain a licence.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) issues these licences and requires that anyone interested in becoming a mortgage associate or broker must meet the following qualifications:

·   Applicants must be at least the age of majority (18).
·   Applicants must be eligible to study and work in Canada legally.
·   All applicants must have government-issued identification (driver’s licence, passport, etc.).
·   Applicants must have at least a high school education in Canada or equivalent you must have your educational degrees assessed from authorities like WES if you were not educated in Canada.
·   Lastly, applicants must be proficient in English..RECA website has list of the minimum score you need in English Proficiency Tests. In Alberta, proficiency in French is not a requirement.

If you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, you can move on to the following step! If not, you’ll need to work on completing the above requirements before you can proceed further.

Step 3: Complete the Application Process with the RECA

Once you’ve determined that you are eligible to become a mortgage associate in Alberta, the next step is to complete the application with the RECA.

You’ll first need to create an account with the RECA. MyRECA is the council’s account management page; you can create an account here.

DO NOT RUSH, the first time you login into your account with RECA is really important so gather the info before beginning the step.

Once you’ve created an account, three options are available, depending on your particular circumstances.

If you have a mortgage associate/broker licence in another jurisdiction, you may be eligible to complete a Labour Mobility application. You can complete this application if you already have a licence in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, or Quebec on RECA website.

If you do not have an existing licence but have any issues l that may appear on a background check,( Examples include being charged with a criminal offence, filing bankruptcy, having a judgment due to fraud or breach of trust, and receiving disciplinary action from a professional association)

You can address these through a Suitability Review, this is application process where RECA review your suitability to have the license based on the facts and your situation.

When you log in to myRECA for the first time, the system will ask if there is anything in your past that might prevent you from becoming licensed. If you answer yes, follow the system steps.

The Fee for a Suitability Review Application is $350.

You’ll need to upload supporting documents with your application, depending on your positive response to certain suitability questions.

If RECA reviews your application and finds that your circumstances won’t prevent you from getting a license, you can move on to the next step and begin an Education Eligibility Application.

You’ll need to provide evidence for each eligibility requirement listed in the step 2

All RECA applications cost around  $350, so if you need a suitability review, you’ll pay $700 total ($350 for the suitability review and $350 for the actual application).

Once your application (or applications, depending on your circumstances) receive approval, you can proceed to the next step!

Step 4: Complete the education

Now that you have RECA account and meet all the eligibly criteria to receive the pre-licensing education here are the steps involved in taking and completion of the courses…

The education path to licensing eligibility is as follows:

You will need to complete two courses to receive your mortgage associate licence in Alberta.

The good news is that both programs have a relatively high program success rate (~70% or higher). However, you should know that these courses are not trivial and require genuine study.

Step A: Enroll in and successfully complete the Fundamentals of Mortgage Brokerage course (including passing a 100 question final exam with a score of 70% or higher).

You can enroll in this course with a course provided recognized by RECA

Currently these two providers are on RECA list for this course.

1. Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association (AMBA)
2. Alberta Real Estate School

– Timeline: Must complete the course and pass the final exam within 6 months of enrolment.

The Fundamentals of Mortgage Brokerage aims to touch upon all the required competencies defined by the RECA. In particular, you’ll learn about the following:
·   Real estate terminology
·   Mortgage terminology
·   Mortgage products
·   Credit analysis
·    RECA
·   Commercial vs. residential loans
·   Compliance with the law
·   Insurance
·   Contracts and disclosures
·   Ethical requirements

Step B: Successfully complete the Fundamentals of Mortgage Brokerage Pre-Licensing Exam (with RECA).
– Timeline: Must successfully complete the pre-licensing exam at RECA within 3 months of being authorized by the course provider for doing so. Authorization can be granted once you have passed the Fundamentals course final.

Step C: Enroll in and successfully complete the Practice of Mortgage Brokerage course Provided by Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association (AMBA)

(Including passing a 100-question final exam with a score of 70% or higher).

– Timeline: Must complete the course and pass the final exam within 6 months of enrolment.

As you may have already guessed, this course builds upon the previous one. Like the other course, this one is also courtesy of the AMBA, and it takes many of the concepts discussed previously and puts them into more practical terms. While the previous course is theoretical, this explains what you’ll need to know to succeed as a mortgage associate.

Some of the topics you’ll learn about in this course include:
·   Comparing mortgage products
·   Analyzing and assessing risk
·   Finding and maintaining clients
·   Understanding amortization schedules
·   Preparing a mortgage application (including the documents that are necessary)
·   Understanding concepts like debt service, holding periods, and mortgage default
·   Private lending
·   Regulatory requirements
·   Qualifying a buyer
·   Calculating principal and interest payments, as well as the loan-to-value ratio (LTV)
·   Like the previous course, The Practice of Mortgage Brokerage costs $1,500 plus GST.
·   A Canadian Qualifier Plus 4x calculator is required in the pre-licensing courses and to complete pre-licensing exams. You may download the app during your course, but you will not be permitted to use the app during your exam – only the physical calculator.  for this course, but assuming you bought one for the previous lesson, you can use the same one for this course.
·   You can purchase this calculator in person by appointment only from the Calgary office of AMBA or you can get it shipped anywhere in Canada.
·   Price: $75.00
Shipping within Alberta: $15
Shipping outside Alberta: $25

Address: Suite 310 – 7326 10th Street NE
Calgary, AB T2E 8W1

To request a tracking number, send an email info@amba.ca

Step D: Successfully complete the Practice of Mortgage Brokerage Pre-Licensing Exam (with RECA).
– Timeline: Must successfully complete the pre-licensing exam at RECA within 3 months of being authorized by course provider which is  AMBA. Authorization can be granted once you have passed the Practice course final.

And many more concepts! In short, this course will give you all the foundational theoretical knowledge you’ll need to work as a mortgage associate.

Once you have completed this course, you can take the first pre-licensing exam from the RECA (must be done within three months). You must take and pass this exam to go on to the next course.

Step 5: Provide a Criminal Background Check

With those courses out of the way, you’ll need to provide a criminal background check to the RECA. In particular, the RECA looks for a Certified Criminal Record Check (CCRC, for short).

You can contact a private, accredited fingerprint agency. You can search online to find a suitable agency and go to their offices to have your fingerprints taken.

The other option is to contact your local law enforcement division, which can also perform this check.

No matter which option you choose, the outcome is the same. The law enforcement agency or the accredited fingerprint agency will take your fingerprints and forward them to the RCMP in Ottawa. The RCMP will then compare those fingerprints to a national repository of Canadian criminal records.

If you have reason to believe that the RCMP would find a match, disclose why in the Suitability Review (back in step 3) to avoid issues at this stage. After all, if the RECA declines your application after finding problems with your criminal background check, you’ll be out over $3,000 in fees! If those issues come up in step 3, you’ll only be out a few hundred.

Once the RECA approves your background check, you’re getting close to becoming a mortgage associate!

It’s also advisable to start your background check when you are preparing to take the final exam as the result may take some to reach RECA.

Step 6: Become Employed by a Mortgage Brokerage

To apply for your formal license from the RECA, you must have employment as a mortgage associate. In other words, you’ll need to find a licensed brokerage in Alberta and have them hire you. You’ll need a formal employment contract.

WAIT, THIS IS THE MOST CRUCIAL STEP YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE

You’re looking for the best place to launch your new career. As such, it’s essential to find a company that is supportive and willing to teach you the “ropes” to help you succeed.

What kind of training do they provide? How much volume do they do? How many lenders and products do they have access to? These are very important facts to consider and make or break a mortgage associates’ career.

If you would like to know why ENRICH is a great place to start your career click here…

Step 7: Apply for Your Mortgage Associate License Alberta

At last, you are finally ready to apply for your mortgage associate license in Alberta!

The actual license costs $475 + $100 towards an assurance fund. However, there are some instances where these fees can be significantly higher, depending on whether the brokerage is on any boards or belongs to any memberships.

Assuming they do, you or the brokerage will pay the licensing fee (depending on what you agreed to as part of your employment with the brokerage). Once the RECA receives the payment, you will have a valid mortgage associate license!

Step 8: Work as a Mortgage Associate in Alberta

Fortunately, being a mortgage associate in this province is a high-reward endeavour with many perks. Once you’ve made it this far, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy working to help people realize their dreams of homeownership!

Mortgage Associate Licence Alberta: A Recap
Becoming a mortgage associate is an exciting, rewarding career that genuinely adds a positive impact on customers. People utilize mortgage brokers to help them become homeowners with mortgage products that are accessible and affordable for them. And, in the process, mortgage associates receive excellent compensation! Plus, if you dream of running your own business, you can always become a mortgage broker after a minimum of two years in the industry.

Becoming a mortgage associate costs about $3,500 (assuming the brokerage pays the licensing fee). The time it takes to become one depends mainly on how fast you can study and pass the two courses, as well as how quickly you can find employment. If you have a full-time job already and are looking to become a mortgage associate, you may need six months or more to learn everything and pass the two exams. If you have more time to dedicate to studying, you might be able to get your licence faster!

Ultimately, choosing to be a mortgage associate is a fantastic career decision. If you’re interested in becoming an associate, please follow the nine steps outlined in this article. They represent the fastest, easiest way to launch your new career!

Many Canadians are mystified by the mortgage calculations. They will often find that they can figure out loan interest and payments, but mortgages baffle them. The simple explanation of this is that loans are usually very simple to deal with, since the interest is compounded with every payment. Therefore, a loan at 6%, with monthly payments and compounding simply requires using a rate of 0.5% per month (6%/12 = 0.5%).

 

Unfortunately, mortgages are not as simple. With the exception of variable rate mortgages, all mortgages are compounded semi-annually, by law. Therefore, if you are quoted a rate of 6% on a mortgage, the mortgage will actually have an effective annual rate of 6.09%, based on 3% semi-annually. However, you make your interest payments monthly, so your mortgage lender needs to use a monthly rate based on an annual rate that is less than 6%. Why? Because this rate will get compounded monthly. Therefore, we need to find the rate that compounded monthly, results in an effective annual rate of 6.09%. Mathematically, this would be:

 

(1+rM)12-1 = 0.0609

rM = (1.0609)1/12

rM = 0.493862…%

 

Notice, that the annual equivalent of his rate is slightly less than 6%, at 5.926% (0.493862 x 12 = 5.926%). In other words, 5.926% compounded monthly is 6.09% annually. By the way, I recommend to my students learning this for my university courses that they use 8 decimals in their interest rate to assure that they can be accurate to the penny.

 

(Now if you are starting to feel nauseated, and would like a simpler approach, skip to the bottom of his page and download the one of the simple mortgage calculator spreadsheets I have written.)

 

On the other hand, if you want another more conceptual explanation, you can follow the following link. This file requires a PDF reader, such as Adobe Reader.

 

 

If you are comfortable using the formula to calculate the present value of an annuity, this is the rate you will use, and the number of months in the amortization (300 for 25 years, 240 for 20 years, etc.) is the number of payments. For a 25-year mortgage at this monthly rate, the present value factor is 156.297225….

 

Let do an example. Let’s assume a mortgage of $100,000 at a quoted rate of 6%. The principal of the mortgage is the present value. So we know:

 

Principal = (PV Factor)x(Payment)

so

Payment = (Principal)/(PV Factor)

Payment = ($100,000)/(156.297225…)

Payment = $639.81

 

You can do this quite easily on a financial calculator. Assuming that you have the calculator properly cleared, you can enter:

 

Value Entered Button Pushed
100000 [PV]
300 [n]
0.493862 [i]

 

Pushing [COMP][PMT] will return -639.81.

 

You can get more information about using two of the more popular financal calculators here:

 

These files require a PDF reader, such as Adobe Reader.

Remember, these calculations are for the mortgage itself, and do not include any life insurance premiums added to the payment or property taxes that may get added. Also, some lenders will round up the payment to the next dollar. This simply means that the mortgage gets paid down slightly faster, since those extra pennies are applied to principal.

 

Some Mortgage Calculators – Excel files

Monthly Payment Mortgage Calculator – No Amortization Table This spreadsheet file allows you to compare up to five mortgages – different rates, principals, amortization terms, etc.

 

Monthly Payment Mortgage Calculator – With Amortization Table This spreadsheet file calculates the payment given the principal, amortization term and nominal or quoted rate and computes the amortiztion table for five years. You can get a longer amortization table by simply copying the last line as many times as necessary. You can also study the impact of making extra payments on any monthly payment date.

 

Weekly Payment Mortgage Calculator – With Amortization Table This spreadsheet file calculates the payment given the principal, amortization term and nominal or quoted rate and computes the amortiztion table for 261 weeks (five years). You can get a longer amortization table by simply copying the last line as many times as necessary. You can also study the impact of making extra payments on any weekly payment date. Note that the assumption is that this is the typical weekly-pay mortgage with the payment based on one-quarter the monthly payment on the nominal amortization. The actual amortiztion term is provided as well.

 

Extra Payments

What is the impact of an extra, lump-sum payment? Every penny of an extra payment will reduce your principal outstanding and start saving you interest immediately. The spreadsheets above that have amortization tables allow you you determine the impact of lump-sum extra payments made on any payment date.

 

Let’s extend the example that we used above. Suppose one year after taking out the $100,000, 6%, 5-year mortgage, you received an unexpected $2000 windfall and decided to apply half of this to your mortgage. Without the extra payment, you would be owing $89,836.47 at renewal after five years. With the extra payment this is reduced by $1,266.76 to $88,569.71. It should not surprise to you to learn that this is a 6.09% compound annual return on your $1000, since that is the effective annual rate on the mortgage. This 6.09% is tax-free, which is roughly equivalent to a 9.5-10% rate of return on a pre-tax basis for people earning interest outside an RRSP or other tax-sheilding vehicle. That is excellent, considering that it is close to a risk-free return.

 

Feedback and Comments

I will be adding to this page and I welcome your suggestions and comments. You can email me at amarshal@yorku.ca

According to the government of Alberta, a mortgage associate makes an average of $75,982 annually, higher than the median Canadian and Albertan salaries. The mortgage associate job is also something people tend to feel good about doing – you’re helping individuals and families become homeowners, sometimes for the first time. And you’re doing it in a way that helps people find the best lender for their particular circumstances. It’s a great job that’s both rewarding financially and emotionally. And the best part is, you only need a mortgage associate licence in Alberta to start!

While obtaining the licence requires some work, the good news is that it’s also relatively easy. In this brief guide, we’ll show you the nine easy steps to becoming a licensed mortgage associate in Alberta.

Ready to get started? Let’s go!

 

Step 1: Learn What a Mortgage Associate Does

Before getting too deep into the licensing aspect, it’s first essential to learn what a mortgage associate’s job entails.

Mortgage associates act as licensed intermediaries between lenders and homebuyers. As a mortgage associate, you will not be lending any of your own money; instead, you’ll be assessing other people’s finances and seeing if there is a suitable mortgage product for their situation.

Consider the following example. Let’s say someone wants to apply for a mortgage with ok, but not great, credit. This person can apply directly to banks, risking rejection or lousy interest rates. And, as they apply directly to the banks, they may be lowering their credit score. Or, they can contact a mortgage associate (working for a mortgage broker) and have their credit run just once. The mortgage associate can review lending options from banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions, selecting the best product for their needs.

Therefore, a mortgage associate’s job solves two issues: it helps streamline the lending process for banks (who have brokers pre-vet potential borrowers), and it allows borrowers access to the best lending product for their situation. It truly is a win-win!

 

Step 2: Confirm Your Eligibility for a Mortgage Associate Licence in Alberta

Assuming that becoming a mortgage associate sounds like a good career path, you must confirm your eligibility to obtain a licence.

The Real Estate Council of Alberta (RECA) issues these licences and requires that anyone interested in becoming a mortgage associate or broker must meet the following qualifications:

 

 

If you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, you can move on to the following step! If not, you’ll need to work on completing the above criteria before you can proceed further.

 

Step 3: Complete the Application Process with the RECA
Once you’ve determined that you are eligible to become a mortgage associate in Alberta, the next step is to complete the application with the RECA.

You’ll first need to create an account with the RECA. MyRECA is the council’s account management page; you can create an account here.

Once you’ve created an account, three options are available, depending on your particular circumstances.

If you have a mortgage associate/broker licence in another jurisdiction, you may be eligible to complete a Labour Mobility application. You can complete this application if you already have a licence in BC, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, or Quebec.

If you do not have an existing licence but have any issues that may appear on a background check, you can address these through a Suitability Review. Example issues you may want to disclose as early as possible include being charged with a criminal offence, filing bankruptcy, having a judgment due to fraud or breach of trust, and receiving disciplinary action from a professional association.

Finally, suppose you don’t have any previous issues that may prevent you from successfully applying for your licence, and you don’t have a licence from another reciprocal jurisdiction. In that case, you can apply for a new one! You’ll need to provide evidence for each eligibility requirement listed in the previous step.

All RECA applications cost $350, so if you need a suitability review, you’ll pay $700 total ($350 for the suitability review and $350 for the actual application).

Once your application (or applications, depending on your circumstances) receive approval, you can proceed to the next step!

 

Steps 4 & 5: Complete Two Courses
You will need to complete two courses to receive your mortgage associate licence in Alberta.

The good news is that both programs have a relatively high program success rate (~70% or higher). However, you should know that these courses are not trivial and require genuine study.

 

Step 4: The Fundamentals of Mortgage Brokerage
Administered by the Alberta Mortgage Brokers Association, this course provides an overview of what mortgages mean in Canada and Alberta. It is a self-paced program, and you’ll have nine months to complete the course from the start date. You can pay a fee if you need to extend your available time.

The Fundamentals of Mortgage Brokerage aims to touch upon all the required competencies defined by the RECA. In particular, you’ll learn about the following:

And many more concepts! In short, this course will give you all the foundational theoretical knowledge you’ll need to work as a mortgage associate.

This course costs $1,500 (plus GST). You will also need a Canadian Qualifier Plus calculator, which costs $70 if you order it from the AMBA website. However, if you go online, you can buy one for less.

Once you have completed this course, you can take the first pre-licensing exam from the RECA (must be done within three months). You must take and pass this exam to go on to the next course.

 

Step 5: The Practice of Mortgage Brokerage
As you may have already guessed, this course builds upon the previous one. Like the other course, this one is also courtesy of the AMBA, and it takes many of the concepts discussed previously and puts them into more practical terms. While the previous course is theoretical, this explains what you’ll need to know to succeed as a mortgage associate.

Some of the topics you’ll learn about in this course include:

 

Of course, many other vital concepts exist in this course, but this is a sample of what you’ll learn.

Like the previous course, The Practice of Mortgage Brokerage costs $1,500 plus GST. You will need a Canadian Qualifier Plus calculator for this course, but assuming you bought one for the previous lesson, you can use the same one for this course.

And, like the previous course, once you have completed it, you’ll need to register and take the final pre-licensing exam with the RECA. You’ll have three months to take that licensing exam from when you finish this course.

 

Step 6: Provide a Criminal Background Check
With those courses out of the way, you’ll need to provide a criminal background check to the RECA. In particular, the RECA looks for a Certified Criminal Record Check (CCRC, for short).

If you have never needed to provide a criminal background check (and most people haven’t), you should know that there are two ways to provide this information.

First, you can contact a private, accredited fingerprint agency. You can search online to find a suitable agency and go to their offices to have your fingerprints taken.

The other option is to contact your local law enforcement division, which can also perform this check.

No matter which option you choose, the outcome is the same. The law enforcement agency or the accredited fingerprint agency will take your fingerprints and forward them to the RCMP in Ottawa. The RCMP will then compare those fingerprints to a national repository of Canadian criminal records.

If you have reason to believe that the RCMP would find a match, disclose why in the Suitability Review (back in step 3) to avoid issues at this stage. After all, if the RECA declines your application after finding problems with your criminal background check, you’ll be out over $3,000 in fees! If those issues come up in step 3, you’ll only be out a few hundred.

Once the RECA approves your background check, you’re getting close to becoming a mortgage associate!

 

Step 7: Become Employed by a Mortgage Brokerage
The next step is to find employment! You have all the classroom training necessary to be a mortgage associate. You’ve proven to the RECA that you meet all the qualifications and are of good moral character.

However, you’re still not quite a mortgage associate. You don’t have the license to be one just yet.

Mortgage licensing works a little bit counterintuitively in this regard. To apply for your formal license from the RECA, you must have employment as a mortgage associate. In other words, you’ll need to find a licensed brokerage in Alberta and have them hire you. You’ll need a formal employment contract.

There are no special tips for finding a job with a brokerage that wouldn’t apply to most jobs. When looking for brokerages, remember that you’re not merely looking for a single job – you’re looking for the best place to launch your new career. As such, it’s essential to find a company that is supportive and willing to teach you the “ropes” to help you succeed. After all, the better you do as a mortgage associate, the better the brokerage does as a whole!

If you want a starter list of questions to ask a prospective brokerage, look at the document the RECA provides on this subject. It contains valuable information to help you discover the perfect place to launch your new career!

 

Step 8: Apply for Your Mortgage Associate Licence Alberta
At last, you are finally ready to apply for your mortgage associate licence in Alberta!

The actual licence costs $475 + $100 towards an assurance fund. However, there are some instances where these fees can be significantly higher, depending on whether the brokerage is on any boards or belongs to any memberships.

This process can be rapid. The brokerage begins an application in their myRECA account based on your username within the system. Once they initiate the process, you’ll need to complete your portion of the application. Afterwards, you’ll submit your section back to the broker. The broker will review your application and decide if they want to approve it.

Assuming they do, you or the brokerage will pay the licensing fee (depending on what you agreed to as part of your employment with the brokerage). Once the RECA receives the payment, you will have a valid mortgage associate license!

 

Step 9: Work as a Mortgage Associate in Alberta
Of course, the last (and final) step is to do the work as a mortgage associate!

Fortunately, being a mortgage associate in this province is a high-reward endeavour with many perks. Once you’ve made it this far, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy working to help people realize their dreams of homeownership!

 

Mortgage Associate Licence Alberta: A Recap

Becoming a mortgage associate is an exciting, rewarding career that genuinely adds a positive impact on customers. People utilize mortgage brokers to help them become homeowners with mortgage products that are accessible and affordable for them. And, in the process, mortgage associates receive an excellent salary! Plus, if you dream of being your own boss one day, you can always become a mortgage broker after a minimum of two years in the industry.

Becoming a mortgage broker costs about $3,500 (assuming the brokerage pays the licensing fee). The time it takes to become one depends mainly on how fast you can study and pass the two courses, as well as how quickly you can find employment. If you have a full-time job already and are looking to become a mortgage associate, you may need six months or more to learn everything and pass the two exams. If you have more time to dedicate to studying, you might be able to get your licence faster!

Ultimately, choosing to be a mortgage associate is a fantastic career decision. If you’re interested in becoming an associate, please follow the nine steps outlined in this article. They represent the fastest, easiest way to launch your new career!