What are the steps I need to take in order to move up to an Assistant Property Manager role?

Hey everyone. Just a quick question. I am still fairly new in the industry as I started as a leasing consultant on April 17th of this year. I came from the food service industry where I was Assistant GM.

Basically my question is what are the steps I need to take in order to move up to an Assistant PM role?

Any advice is helpful.

Thanks in advance!

Find your local IREM Chapter. Take the ARM course. It can be taken online. Some PM companies will pay for it and pay your annual dues.

Wow, two months in the industry. Look into your local apartment association classes and take as many as you can. You might ask your manager if the property is willing to pay for some of them. Take any free webinars available on line. Get very familiar with your lease documents.

Ask your PM for things to do.

Sydney Williams best advice. And so true. ✔️

This is correct. And then do them, quickly.

I would second this but please be really solid at your current position first and make sure you’re completing all of those duties on time and well and then ask for things to do.

Bloom where your planted and you will grow. Don’t rush it. Let your PM know about your goals.

Learn everything you can. Leasing is the absolute foundation to every position upward.
Realize it can take time to get where you need to go!! Its worth the wait.

IREM, read and know your lease, learn everything possible about Yardi / Realpage & Entrada systems, learn the financials, always look & sound the part, learn basic maintenance, be collaborative, find a great mentor, network, most importantly love what you do.

Jeff Lawson I know yardi and I’m just a Inn housekeeper. lol

Tammy 'Ayler' Short ok that's 1 of many listed. Keep learning.
I come from a family of PM's. Worked my way up by knowledge and opening myself up to need to learn. Found great mentors. Started at bottom to Directorof Asset Mgmt & Residential. From minimum wage to 6 figures. Aptitude & Attitude!
Even now I look for things I don't know. Learn it, practice it, then look for opportunities.

Learn everything you can! Take the time to find out everything you can about your position now and master it!! Initiative is key!

PM is a great career to grow in, jump in and help manager as much as possible. Job shadow is a great way to learn. You will move up before you know it, especially if you have the determination to succeed.

IREM & your local apartment association will offer things such as CAM. Please make yourself comfortable with Fair Housing. While you may practice this in your day to day, I always tell the newbies it’s important that they get that knowledge under their belt ASAP. If you have the opportunity to mentor with a great PM that can and will be your best experience. Good Luck.

Don’t lose site of what you were hired for. Master that craft to perfection. Start with cross training with the APM and understanding what they do as most of the APM’S work is making sure leasing is on point

you dont need all the classes to be an Assistant. All you need to do lease, express your desire to learn more and ask for more responsibility. If your a great leaser and your files are great your work will show. I came into the business by accident no experience and after leasing for 2 months I was promoted. Your actions will lead to promotions.
Great leasing
Great attitude
Desire to grow
confidance
Attitude
You got this.

You’re doing it.....ask questions and learn all you can. Offer to assist where you can and continue to communicate to your manager you want to cross train. Lean in where you can with a smile and know you are working towards your future.

Make sure you are excelling at your position first. I would talk to your PM to see if there is anything that they feel you need to improve on. If they don't have anything ask to start learning about processing money, adjusting ledgers, closing out accounts. See if there are any items that you can take the lead on.

I came from management background in another industry as well and was able to move up to AM from leasing in about 9 months and then into PM about 6 months after that.
Make yourself valuable. Communicate your long term goals to your manager and ask what things you can help them with, but make sure your tasks and responsibilities are done 110%. Show leadership with your teammates by offering to help them or doing things to improve the office flow. When I was in that role, I created training documents for the leasing team on some more difficult tasks we had.
A lot of getting recognized is about showing initiative and making your managers life easier. It is also about when positions become available. If you work in a small company, it can definitely take longer because the opportunities don't open as often, so try to have reasonable expectations or give it at least 6 months and explore other larger companies.
Good luck to you and sounds like you are headed in the right direction by asking this question!

Stay as a leasing consultant as long as possible... Trust me ????

Great comments Heather Williams. You are exactly right

Learn the lease inside and out. Learn what the Landlord/Tenant law is in your state. Be dependable and reliable. Take the initiative to learn and to be the best. Be there for your residents and team.

Experience takes time. Most Residents only want two things, they want their stuff fixed right the first time and they want someone to Listen to them. It's really not hard.

Experience and maturity

You can’t be a good assistant until your a great leasing agent ???? experience will be on your side when it’s time!

Every company is looking for something different in an AM.
Some companies move great leasing people up - total waste of talent in my opinion.
Others move strong analytical people up.
But here’s some advice:
Forget about being an assistant manager and focus on the role you really want - property manager, regional, training, marketing, or other support roles and learn those skills.
Some basics - Learn to read a financial statement; learn Excel; learn to read a financial statement!!; learn a some basic accounting; learning about different marketing channels and how to calculate cost per lead, cost per lease, cost per move in; learn about vacancy loss and turnover costs; learn some basic maintence skills.