In order to achieve sustainable success in your property management company, it’s crucial that you hire individuals who are not only qualified but are also closely aligned with your organizational culture. Many business leaders fail in this area simply because they focus primarily on hard skills and forget about the critical soft skills that they’re truly looking for. And these skills aren’t just applicable in property management. They’re things many hiring managers in every industry are starting to actively seek.
Here are four such skills that you may want to start circling on your candidates’ resumes.
The ability to tell a story
We’re not talking about making up a fairytale. We’re referring to the art of storytelling in business – that is, the ability to tell compelling stories across both internal and external channels. These “stories” are what will bring your property management brand to life and allow you to connect with your customers through emotion and reason. Storytelling ability is also important from a company performance perspective. The right approach can effectively gain employee buy-in and keep morale high.
Tip: You can often identify someone with storytelling skills by the way they word their resume and cover letter. Look for those who don’t use the same old boring clichés but instead inject drama or emotion.
The ability to collaborate effectively
Even if you are hiring for a remote position, singling out candidates who have good written and verbal communication, problem solving and teamwork skills is highly recommended. By staffing your property management firm with individuals who possess these skills, you’ll indirectly facilitate a much more collaborative and innovative environment. This can help position your brand as a leader in the industry and steps ahead of the competition.
Tip: Look for candidates who have a history of participation in cross-functional teams and with a track record of working with others to make projects succeed.
The ability to manage projects
Obviously if the position you’re trying to fill happens to be for a project manager, you’ll get a mountain of resumes that showcase this skill, but what about for other roles? The fact is, project management goes hand in hand with collaboration and is crucial in almost every other job function. Team-based projects require leaders who can manage progress, set and meet objectives and keep everyone motivated and on track.
Tip: Shortlist candidates who demonstrate project management skills regardless of the role they’re applying for.
The ability to manage conflict
We recently shared some tips on how to deal with conflict in the property management C-suite, but in reality, these skills are valuable regardless of department or career level. Individuals with high emotional intelligence (EQ) and conflict-resolution skills can help ensure that the company operates smoothly and without costly disruptions. They can also help keep employee engagement at an all-time high, which means better retention.
Tip: In addition to those who list this skill outright on their resumes, you might be able to identify candidates with strengths in this area by the way they communicate both verbally and electronically.
Do you need to hire candidates who have experience in whatever role you’re trying to fill? Sure. But the soft skills listed above can mean the difference between an employee simply surviving and truly thriving. The better your team of workers perform at their positions, the more successful your property management company will become. It’s that simple!
