Hiring executives is no easy feat. Not only do you have to keep the well being of your property management organization in mind, but you also have to strive for candidates that will succeed and flourish in their roles for the long term. Some studies indicate that nearly half of executives who either take a new job or get promoted fail within the first 18 months. That means higher turnover, which is costly for your firm. To improve the chances of recruiting (and keeping) the best candidates for your leadership positions, here are a few specific questions to ask during the interview process.
Handling Unforeseen Challenges
One of the biggest reasons someone in an executive or C-Suite role fails to thrive is because he or she isn’t prepared to handle the unexpected. The truth is, the property management industry can be volatile. You want to hire leaders that are up to the challenge and able to navigate difficult situations to produce positive results. Ask candidates to describe how they’ve handled such a scenario in the past and evaluate their response accordingly.
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Dealing with Conflict
Like it or not, being in management inevitably involves conflict from time to time, whether it’s dealing with a difficult colleague or having to terminate a toxic employee. It’s critical that the executives you hire to run your company possess the ability to handle stressful situations with poise and confidence. Ask your prospects to share specific examples of how they successfully leverage conflict resolution skills to handle these types of uncomfortable situations.
The Power of Persuasion
It’s been said that managers direct and delegate while leaders motivate and inspire. It’s a distinct difference and an important factor to consider when interviewing executive candidates for your company. To assess whether each prospect has the leadership skills needed to influence and empower employees, ask a few pointed questions about scenarios in which they had to persuade others and how they did so effectively.
Forward-Thinking
Finally, you want to find candidates that are not only prepared to jump in and get their feet wet right away, but also have long-term goals and objectives for both their career and the employer for which they’ll end up working. Visionaries are typically creative and innovative, which means ongoing improvement and growth for your property management company. To determine which prospects have what it takes to drive your business forward, ask them outright what their plan is for making your organization better.
Another important word of advice – hire the candidates that would be the best fit with your company culture. Skills can be trained, but the ability to connect and collaborate effectively with others in your firm cannot. By focusing on this, along with the characteristics above, you’ll be more likely to attract and retain executives that will contribute well to the success of your organization.
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Get the full scoop on How to Build an Extraordinary Property Management Team. Download our free resource guide.
