Apartment Trends Magazine September 2014 | Page 17

THE SEARCH FOR

TALENT
Finding & Retaining the
Perfect Talent For Your Team
BY LYNETT BROCKMAN, CAREER OPTIONS

M

any of us have a “story” about our
entry into property management.
We were recruited when looking
for a new apartment or retail hours
were just too crazy. We brought our engineering
skills to maintenance and construction, accounting
skills to assistant manager positions and learned to
manage. We were team leaders in industries that
were downsizing or changing – In some instances;
we took different positions to get into property
management and assumed leadership roles again!

HIRE FOR ATTITUDE – TRAIN FOR
SKILL

We didn’t have degrees in property management
and possibly didn’t even know that the industry
existed. But we had skills that transferred well and
sensibilities that matched.

Internships are a great way to find talent
amongst those soon to graduate – both high school
grads and college grads. We don’t have to wait
until graduation to meet these potential candidates
as they can be put into internship positions a few
summers prior to graduation. You’ll know if you
really want to offer a long term opportunity.

Lately, strong contributors have become tougher to find than ever before. The shortage in trained
people for our teams is a result of many factors
including the extraordinary growth in the industry.
So where do you find people? Quickly?!
Industry growth affects the age old practice of
courting talent away from competitors. Companies have become mindful of the happiness, training, overall career development and compensation
of their key players. Greener pastures may not look
so appealing anymore.
As an industry, we still fall short on delivering
an appealing message about careers in Property
Management. We absolutely must do a better job
of crafting the message and relaying the message.
www.aamdhq.org

We miss amazing talent because it’s easy to get
in mindset of looking only for those who have done
“it” before, and though certain skills, degrees and
training is important, the right attitude is key.
Graduates who are fresh out of college have
amazing degrees and even more amazing student
loan debt, but they aren’t finding jobs. Do they
know we exist? Do they even know what we do?

On the other side of the spectrum, retirees
returning to the work force are having a problem
finding meaningful jobs. Why is this happening?
Experienced workers from any industry may likely have valuable leadership skills and the right
attitude that can enhance your team.
There are many other avenues to explore and
engage. The need is urgent. It’s time for pioneering efforts and results!
Lynett Brockman is the founder and CEO of Career Options
- Recruiting Solutions.
SEPTEMBER 2014 • TRENDS | 15