Why Apartments?
The Apartment Industry is a Growing, Fun and Rewarding Career
A Growing Industry
The apartment industry is a dependable, growing industry. More than 1/3 Americans rent their home. Since people always need homes, there is stability and job security even in a fluctuating economy.
A Rewarding Challenge
The apartment industry is challenging, but also extremely rewarding. The people you work with become an extended family and you have the opportunity to meet and impact the lives of different people every day.
Location Flexibility
It doesn’t matter where you live, there are apartment careers ready for you anywhere you plan on living.. Some companies offer discounts on rent for their employees, which eliminates commuting and keeps you close to home.
Skill Diversity
Make use of a number of skills - marketing, maintenance, finance, customer service, management, conflict resolution, hospitality and more as you develop your career in the apartment industry.
Continuing Education
To create short and long term goals to strive for on a tangible career path, there are nationally recognized designations in management, leasing, maintenance and more to help propel your career.
It’s About the People
Working in apartments means working with people. Team-oriented environments provide a fun sense of camaraderie as you greet people you work with and interact with those who live at your community.
Frequently Asked Questions
What growth opportunities are there?
There are multiple positions within property management that allow continued growth and promotion! In the office, you can start as a leasing consultant and work your way up to an assistant manager and then become a property manager. What many people don’t realize with large property management companies is that are many opportunities aside from working onsite at a community. There are marketing positions, accounting positions, and operational positions just to name a few.
Do you just show apartments all day to people?
Showing apartments is only a small part of what we do on a daily basis. Almost every day is comprised of something different. Whether you are walking vacant apartments and making sure they are prepared for an upcoming move-in or communicating with vendors about upcoming community projects, there is a lot more to do than just show apartments.
Is it a rewarding job?
Absolutely. Property management allows people to take pride in their work. Being able to meet someone brand new who is looking for an apartment home and then helping them find just what they are looking for is an extremely rewarding experience. You find yourself taking ownership of many situations and wanting to make sure that you are providing your residents with the best living experience possible.
What kind of interaction do you have with people during the day?
Each day provides an opportunity for you to interact with somebody different. You may be speaking with vendors and trying to set up appointments to fix an issue on the property or you may be interacting with residents and trying to find solutions that will help them enjoy their stay in your community. There will always be frequent engagements of conversation with someone at your property each and every day. Our industry is built upon communication that happens daily between the office staff and their residents or potential residents.
What are the benefits of property management?
Property management will help you grow as a person inside and out. You will build long lasting relationships with your teams and with your residents. Property Management is a nationwide industry that is continuing to grow which allows for many different opportunities in one’s career. Many companies do offer great benefit programs that help with insurance coverages and even education funding. Property management offers you an opportunity to make an impact on someone’s life in more ways than one.
Will commissions be consistent throughout the year?
There is definitely seasonality when working in property management. Traditionally the summer months will produce higher commissions structure as that is when the majority of the residents are moving. Most companies do have a renewal bonus structure that can help offset income in the slower months.
Maintenance Related F.A.Q.s
Do I need to know how to complete all tasks to become a maintenance technician?
The majority of companies have a training program that will teach you how to handle basic job requirements. There will also be the ability to have on the job training as situations come up.
What type of advancement opportunities are there for maintenance?
Entry level positions are groundskeepers, painters, make ready technicians that can lead into service technicians, assistant maintenance supervisors, and maintenance supervisors. These can also lead to construction and facilities opportunities.
What type of tools will I be working with and what will I need to have?
Maintenance employees should have basic household tools such as hand tools, battery powered drill, 10-n-1, socket set, multi-meter, hammers, and painting supplies and general plumbing tools. The property will supply larger tools such as table saws and any specialty tools that will be needed.
How much will I interact with people?
While maintenance can sometimes be a job where you are working alone there will be times that you are working with your team members to complete larger jobs. You will also be interacting with the residents, vendors, and contractors on a daily basis. The majority of the interaction will be with the residents inside of their apartments when completing service requests. Having good people skills and being able to interact with all types of people will be required.