The job market was slim pickings when Erinn Ford received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington back in the early 1990s. Fortunately, her father — who was involved in the formation of the first REIT in the state of Washington, and subsequently founded a broker/dealer — had an opening for a receptionist. When his daughter expressed interest in the job, she was told she would need Series 7 and Series 24 designations to qualify, credentials not listed on the job posting and certainly not required of any receptionist in the broker/dealer business.