Property Management is here to stay. At least in all of our lifetimes! According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 33,300 openings for property managers are projected each year between now and 2031. They attribute this demand to an increase in the number of people living in buildings that property managers need to operate.

Let these facts remind you how important attracting and retaining employees in this industry really is. Hiring managers and recruiters in this industry can become crucial players in the long game of keeping great talent in the industry for years to come. They can do this by merging their proven skills to source great talent with initiatives to retain them at the very same time!

Employee retention efforts in Property Management CAN begin during the hiring process. But how?

There is an opportunity that exists while sourcing entry-level positions to not only recruit them to the position or the company that you are recruiting for but to recruit them to the industry in general.

I would like to suggest 2 techniques that I recommend you include in the recruitment process that will help to seize this opportunity:

1. Include verbiage in your entry-level job descriptions to communicate the opportunities of pursuing a career in Property Management. Click here to copy and paste a paragraph to your entry-level job descriptions to inform applicants why they should consider a career in property management
2. When you are communicating with someone you recognize to be a promising entry-level candidate who hasn't worked in the property management industry before taking the time to have a conversation with them that goes beyond the specifics of the job or the company they are applying for. Let them know why they should consider that they are applying for more than a job but for a potential lifelong career by highlighting the opportunities that are available. Here are my 3 go-to's:

• The opportunity for professional and income growth. I like to use real examples of people that I know who started their careers in entry-level positions like maintenance technicians or leasing agents and are now maintenance directors and Regional Managers. Also mention the income associated with promotions like these.
  
• The rewarding experience of improving the living conditions of tenants
• The resilience of the industry. Point out the obvious truths that there will always be renters and there will always be a need for people to manage these rentals.

You can forward a great link to promising candidates that will validate these benefits

Of course, there are challenges. It is fast-paced and interpersonal conflicts with tenants, vendors, and even team members can push one out of their…we'll call it…comfort zone. But even that fact offers growth opportunities and a lot of skills that could be transferable to other industries if and when they decide to make a change. And some people thrive when facing these challenges.

Good luck on matching future entry-level property management candidates not just with their next job but with their next career.