Apartment Jobs: Identifying the “Red Flags” When Going Through the Hiring Process and Other “Unspoken” Interviewing Tips

As I have said time and time again after being in Property Management for 7 years and interviewing thousands of job applicants, " Our jobs are not rocket science, but not everyone can be successful in this industry either."

I often repeat this to myself when doing a phone screen with a person who may have graduated with an Accounting or Finance Degree who wants to do a 180 in their career and give Property Management "a whirl."
It is no secret that our industry is that of the ‘people-person.' People who succeed in our field, are those that are positive, exude good energy and those who just are magnetic.

That being said, there are definitely things that stick out to me when I phone screen a candidate for one of our apartment jobs. Even more things that become apparent after an "in-person" interview. Below are my observations as well as little tips I use to "weed" out applicants that look almost-perfect on paper.

• How soon does the prospect return the phone call or voicemail? When they answer the number that is not recognized, how professional are they?

(Not that I think anyone who is in the market for a new job or getting back in the job market should be a slave to their phone, but I think if you are eager, you need to return a call within a few hours. Otherwise, us as recruiters can barely remember you from the other 100 people we screened that day. Also, if you are serious about looking for a job, how can I take you seriously when your ring-back tone is some offensive or off-the-wall song? I also am frequently turned off when applicants answer the phone one way and when you tell them who you are, their whole demeanor changes. I constantly think of how they will be greeting our customers on properties.)

• In-person interview: How does the job candidate present themselves both in appearance and poise?

(Even though I have recruited for apartment jobs in multiple states in many different parts of the country, this question always is the one that still creates a stir. What are the no-no's of interview attire? Without going into a whole other topic, I simply will say you should ALWAYS wear a suit unless instructed to do otherwise. Even then, I would wear a suit!!! I think we all know first impressions are imperative and especially in our industry. Open-toed shoes are debatable, but sandals to me are unacceptable on a first interview as well as cardigans and sweaters. We do not to use the Miss America (or Mr. America)code for hiring, but I think it is important our future hires look put-together and like they made the extra effort to interview.)

• The Property hopper: Experience is always better... or is it?

( For us as recruiters, of course we LOVE to see people come across our desk with 2+ experience in apartment leasing. And of course, we definitely need experienced managers. However, I often find in our industry that those that are calloused are constantly looking. I like to call this the "Grass is Greener" syndrome. I am always digging into current manager's reasons for leaving a property. Are they really unhappy? Is the property management company one with a good reputation or are the employees really mistreated? I think this is important to do on the front end so you aren't having to spend your time on the same hire less than a year later. Believe, me the extra effort will be worth it.
As for leasing folks, I LOVE stealing people from the teaching and retail industries. They already know what to expect with long hours and the essence of staying calm in not-so-fun situations. Sometimes those leasers who have worked for 4 and 5 companies have a tendency to just want a "change" or the one I get a lot these days is "growth." I feel it is important to read more into this answer as well; growth means something different for everyone.

I hope these are a few good starter tips. For those of you who do not have the luxury of having an internal Recruitment Department, I feel they come in most handy. I also like to tell my hiring managers to simply trust their gut; they are the ones who have to work with this person the most. That being said, we tend to want to hire those much like ourselves, so "mixing it up" is key to providing a good balanced property. Feel free, as a Regional or hiring manager, to interject if you feel your managers have a tendency to hire their "friends."

Find Greystar jobs on Multifamily Insiders