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For RPM Careers Month, HAA encourages you to recruit, hire and retain job candidates with strong, transferable skills. By
KATHY CLEM, AAA Staffing
How to Hire without Industry Experience The apartment industry can do its part to boost the Houston employment rate by considering candidates who lack direct multifamily experience but who have strong applicable skills. Really, promoting RPM Careers Month is more about strengthening our industry by recruiting, hiring and retaining quality candidates.
www.haaonline.org
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pril is Residential Property Management Careers Month. Every April, the National Apartment Association reaches out to job seekers to promote the apartment industry as a viable career. RPM Careers Month is also targeted to hiring personnel within our industry to evaluate talent more effectively by exploring what NAA calls core competencies, rather than previous industry experience. Supply in the Houston-area’s markets need to increase by 15,000 units each year to keep up with demand according to www.weareapartments.org. The growing supply and demand for rental housing in the Houston area creates an ongoing need to staff our apartment communities in management, leasing and maintenance positions. While researching information for this article, I went to an online job website and searched for leasing consultant and assistant manager job openings within 25 mile-radius of Houston. There were 416 open positions. When I completed a similar search for apartment maintenance jobs, there were over 1,200 open positions. The data shows the apartment industry needs employees. It’s time apartment owners and managers embrace transferable skills. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an unemployment rate in the Houston area of 3.6% in December 2019. The apartment industry can do its part to boost the Houston employment rate by considering candidates who lack direct multifamily experience but who have strong applicable skills. Really, promoting RPM Careers
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