This Is Why I Wouldn't Hire You, Ms. D

Recently there was a discussion thread on the Multifamily Insiders site regarding this Post:

“I have been a leasing consultant for 4 months now. After one month I felt like this wasn't the place for me. My assistant manager and property manager are both very fond of me but I have to consider my future. Is it too early to start looking else where?” ~Danielle

“It depends on if you see a future in this industry. When I was a leasing agent, I was overqualified (in my opinion) and felt that I could be the property manager because at the time, I already had a college degree and a real estate license--both of which my property manager didn't have.” ~Nathan Borne

“Thank you Nathan!! I feel so much better after reading your response; mostly because I can relate. I felt the same way when I got hired. I felt overqualified and the pay is too low. I have a 4 year degree and my manager does not. The only thing they have over me is the experience in this field. But I have very many transferable skills from working in the education, staffing, and non profit markets. Not to mention I was a Resident Assistant in college for two years!” ~Danielle

Here’s the thing, Danielle. You have been in the industry for about a minute and already you think you can do the job of managing a multimillion dollar company better than the person in place. And maybe you can. However, DON’T come to me and ask me to hire you. This is why.

1. Attitude. I think your attitude is questionable, to say the least.
2. Ego. Please check your ego at the door. Property Management is a team sport. Yes, of course there are stand-out players, but even the Star Players need to control their egos.
3. Attitude. Sorry, I can’t get past this one.
4. Closing Ratio. What is yours? If it is less than 65%, you cannot qualify to lease for me because right now you think you know it all.
5. Trainability. Your attitude will prevent you from being open-minded about learning new things.

I suppose this sounds harsh. However, I invest a lot of time and money in whomever I hire for any property management position. I don’t want someone to come on-site who has no experience at MY PROPERTY or with MY COMPANY and feels she/he knows more than I do about MY PROPERTY or MY COMPANY.

This is not to say that after two weeks on the job, you won’t be able to be promoted. This is not to say that after a month on the job you couldn’t run the whole show. More power to you! But there’s a way to show me you can do it. Come in every morning embracing a new leasing strategy, a new technique for turning the units, a method that will save the company money, or do something simple like set a goal for leasing a certain number of apartments that week and then achieve it.

What I don’t want to see is you sitting at your desk texting your friends but not the Prospects. I don’t want to hear you answer the phone in a dull, listless monotone. I don’t want to know that you are rolling your eyes every time I say something, the Assistant Manager says something, or the Maintenance Techs do. I don’t want to hear you muttering in your cell phone to your mother about how bored you are and how you should be running the company because you are so much smarter than everyone here and at the Corporate Office. You may well be very qualified to do that. However, while you are working at XYZ Property you owe it to yourself and to every person there to do the best work you are capable of producing without complaining and posting how much you hate your job.