How College Graduates Can Start Their Career In Property Management

One way building owners can ensure tenants and owners have a high-quality experience is to bring a property manager on board. Property managers facilitate the daily responsibilities and communication in a building. Their tasks include onboarding tenants and addressing their needs and concerns, handling maintenance and repairs for the building, overseeing leases and managing the building’s finances.

College graduates interested in pursuing a property management career may be required to pass their state’s real estate licensing exam. They can also earn additional certifications to upskill and move up in their career. Graduates can come from a variety of majors, including real estate, business administration, finance, accounting, communications, hospitality management and marketing.

Property Management Specialties

1. Assistant Property Manager: Support property managers with administrative tasks such as communicating information to tenants, answering questions and concerns, arranging maintenance with vendors and keeping organized records.
2. Property Manager: Carry out daily responsibilities for the owner, including overseeing the building’s finances and marketing, evaluating potential tenants and managing tenant requests and concerns.
3. Leasing Coordinator: Manage and review lease agreements for tenants looking to rent, renew or end their lease, communicate updates to tenants and helps with setting up site visits.

Property Management Skills

1. Marketing: Create captivating and detailed listings to showcase available properties.
2. Communication: Answer tenants’ questions and concerns in a timely manner, share building updates with owners and liaise with vendors about performing services.
3. Organization: Keep records about tenant applications and leases, correspondences and finances.
4. Conflict resolution: Embrace strategies that address issues such as disagreements among tenants or between landlords and tenants.

What Comes After Graduation

College graduates can start as an assistant property manager or property manager for a building and move up into regional property manager or portfolio manager roles, which can entail managing properties within one or multiple states. They can then secure an executive-level role, which entails managing each aspect of operations.

College graduates who are starting their careers can visit SelectLeaders to connect with a hiring manager, view resources for hiring and apply for open roles on its job board.