Archive for the ‘Houston Apartment News’ Category
Hire Me: Getting Hired for that NEXT LEVEL Position!
Interacting with likeminded professionals in the multifamily industry has never been easier.
Christine Schoellhorn, one of my mentors and managing director of Real Estate at Greystar, told me a long time ago that “Presentation is everything.” I took that advice to heart and think about it with just about everything I do, especially sharing or posting on social media, for good reason. Everything I put out in the world is a reflection of my character, work ethic and professionalism. I want it to be the best representation possible.
Connect with people and do it with flair! When asking to connect on LinkedIn, don’t use their pre-written “connect” message. Craft your own to make it personal—this is a huge area of opportunity to stand out from the crowd. The same goes for other sites you connect on. If they’ve accepted, go ahead and engage them because there’s nothing worse than connecting for the sake of connecting. Why not be proactive and start a dialogue, especially if it’s someone you’d like to work for.
When considering a leap to the next level, do it cautiously. Do what makes you happy because coming to work every day in a position you aren’t passionate about takes its toll on you. Think about what you want your career to look like and craft a plan to make it happen.
Before jumping into a new role at a new company, do your homework to know the company and be sure it’ll also be a good cultural fit. Some companies require a suit every day—is this you? If you’re someone who likes to have a voice within the company, be sure it’s a company that’s receptive to new ideas. Never be shy about asking questions about the culture and atmosphere of an organization, because spending you’re work week within the confines of a culture that doesn’t mesh with yours will lead to unhappiness.
Every company and every position has its own personality. When trying to get to the next level, make sure that your personality and that of the company and position is a match. Forcing a match will only result in being dissatisfied and you’ll be back to looking once more.
Celebrate Your Apartment Career
February means different things to different people. Some people think of Valentine’s Day. Others think of Presidents’ Day. For NAAEI, February marks Apartment Careers Month, which is when we remind others of the exciting job opportunities offered by our industry.
We’ve all heard stories about how the recent recession has impacted the job market. Many of us probably know someone who either lost their job or is struggling to find one – even as our economy starts to recover and unemployment rates start to fall. Those of us who work in the apartment industry have been fortunate as our industry has continued to grow, creating strong demand for new employees. But, many job seekers still don’t realize the wide variety of career opportunities available in multifamily housing.
Few industries offer a portable career with ample opportunity for advancement. Think about it, almost every town in America has at least one apartment community with each requiring a team of people to professionally manage it. We’re also an industry that caters to people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. From marketing to maintenance, we need people who can perform many different types of jobs. And, we are also one of the few industries that provides new college graduates with jobs that many will decide to turn into long-term, rewarding careers.
I travel around the country a lot visiting our affiliates and their members. I have the chance to hear how people came to the apartment industry and why they chose to make it their career. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that few people set out one day to pursue a career in the apartment industry. The ways in which they came to the industry are as diverse as the people themselves. Some may have heard about the job opportunity from a friend while others may have come across an entry-level job opening and decided to apply. They stayed in the industry because of the advancement opportunities, the people and the fact that every day is different.
I encourage you to share your own stories with others who may be looking for a new career or who are simply wanting to try something different. I shared apartment career information with my niece, nephew and cousin, and they all started their careers in the apartment industry after college.
It’s not too late to plan your own activity for Apartment Careers Month. We even offer a toolkit to help you. We also are offering free webinars on “Introduction to Careers in the Apartment Industry” (Feb. 16) and “How to Find that Apartment Job and Ace your Interview” (Feb. 29). I also encourage you to take a look at our new website targeting recent college graduates.
Above all, I hope you take this month to celebrate the fact that you are working in a vibrant industry that serves more than 53 million Americans on a daily basis. Share your enthusiasm with others. Maybe you will help a friend, family member or neighbor find their Apartment Career!
Super Bowl, Super Sad
The wound is still fresh, the pain still very real. I put on a brave face at work but I often find myself in bed at night, staring up at the ceiling and thinking, “What if?”
Such is the life of a Baltimore Ravens football fan.
For those of you who don’t follow professional football, nearly two weeks ago the Ravens lost the AFC Championship to the New England Patriots. It—along with the news of Ali and Roberto’s post-Bachelorette split—was the definition of heartbreaking.
Down by just three points, the Ravens were in a position to win. Then, in a 60-second period of time that will most definitely be responsible for the heart attack I have at 30, Baltimore’s Lee Evans dropped what would have been a game-winning touchdown and kicker Billy Cundiff missed a field goal that my 9-year-old cousin, Kayla, could have made.
And with that, Justin Bieber’s older brother (Tom Brady) and his heinous team won the game, 23-20.
While Patriots’ fans were out celebrating, I was driving home in an enraged stupor. When I finally shed my tears at a Shell gas station a few minutes later, I couldn’t help but think, “We could have gone to the SUPER BOWL.”
As time has passed, I’ve begun the slow and steady process to recovery. No longer am I questioning how I would mark my timesheet (bereavement, sick or holiday?) if I took a weekday trip to Billy Cundiff’s home to express to him my feelings of rage. No longer am I pretending I’m in one of those really, really long dreams, like the series finale of “Newhart.” No longer am I asking for a Florida-style “recount.”
But it still hurts. For every sports fan out there who doesn’t root for the Patriots or Giants, this time of year just hurts. Fortunately, there’s a way to ease the pain. Or at least make some money.
Indianapolis-based management firm Buckingham Companies will be serving the needs of nearly 200 short-term out-of-towners this weekend when they descend upon Indianapolis for the Super Bowl. The majority of the fans will be housed at The Avenue—a brand-new, 146-unit downtown student housing community that was just delivered in December. Buckingham’s local team, the Colts, may have had the worst record in the NFL this year, but I wouldn’t feel too sorry for them. They’re leasing 83 of these four-bedroom apartment homes for $350 per night.
Buckingham is also expected to rent approximately 30 other apartment homes of various sizes at its other downtown and outlying area communities for the Super Bowl, most likely through NFL-affiliated group Fan Experience.
The property management team—who began gearing up for these short stays months before NFL training camps opened late last summer—is also leasing the parking lot of one of their other communities to NFL sponsor Anheuser-Busch for game-day celebrations.
And while only one city each year gets to capitalize on the Super Bowl crowd, apartment management companies can explore short-term housing opportunities for other local events.
I, on the other hand, will be exploring opportunities to erase Jan. 22nd from my memory.
For information on arranging short-term stays for major events, check out the article, “Buckingham’s ‘Super’ Opportunity,” in the February issue of units, which mails Feb. 8.
Such is the life of a Baltimore Ravens football fan.
