Really need career advice. (tips, employers, work, company)

[strikefirefall]

Originally Posted by MPowering1

Your bosses know you work more than 20 hours a week and are only willing to pay you for 20.
If you ask for a raise they may fire you.
You really like your bosses and would be uncomfortable resigning.

Something is wrong with this picture.

I'm only part time because of certain things going on with the building that lessen the amount of money brought in. I like them because they're overall nice people. They're not rude or condescending.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGal1

I agree with those that suggested you put the hours of operation on your door and office door. maybe hand it out to tenants explaining that you are paid for a certain hours per week and stick to that. Put an open and closed sign on the office and leave your phone number in case of immediate emergencies. Place another sign saying to knock on your door only in cases of emergency. Otherwise you will handle it during business hours. If you have a woman over, and some silly person comes a knockin, tell them you have company and don't appreciate the intrusion. That emergencies wait for the following day. Put your foot down, but be polite

The hours of operation change every week depending on what is being done in the building.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGal1

If you live in a low income apartment complex, expect them to accuse you of all sort of things. It's part of the job. They are often in that situation often due to mental illness or mental issues in general. If you can just be polite and handle it, that would be best. They do not own you, you are employed by someone and need to stick to your paid hours as much as possible while maintaining your privacy. good luck

I'm always polite to them but lately I've felt like I'm going to snap. A lot of the people here hate the owners so they're willing to say anything to try and get paid.

Originally Posted by MPowering1

Your problem is you aren't assertive. Why be afraid that if you don't answer your phone they'll accuse you of ignoring them? You need to explain to them that you work 20 hours a week and unless it's an emergency, you won't be answering the phone. If they come to your door because they don't have a phone, and it's not an emergency, just keep repeating, "This is not an emergency. I am off the clock and will take care of it as soon as I begin work tomorrow at X:00." And gently close the door.

Because I've already been accused of ignoring someone. Another time I was already on the phone when someone called me, so I let it go to the voicemail for them. On the voice mail, they grilled me about why I wasn't picking up the phone. Putting a sign on my door won't do anything, I'm sure of it.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaGal1

Also if you think you may be fired, I'd try to get a contract in writing. Pretend you need it to refer to, say you'd be more comfortable having one onhand to refer to. Also take photos of your signs.

Prepare to prove your case at the unemployment office because if you are fired, my bet is she will contest any unemployment you may be entitled to.

I do have a contract. My bosses have told me that I can get another job, but I already know that if I do get one and it keeps me away from the building at certain times when they'll end up needing me, they'll probably fire me or ask me to give up the other job.

[thedwightguy]

Advice: same as job sites
Contractors: Indicate that text you is their protocol upon arrival, and you expect them on a time window within reason
Tenants: Indicate you general hours means calls after normal work time are an emergency

sign on our door: the problem being brought to me after normal work time means that's the person taking me to lunch tomorrow

[hunterseat]

This is a great career field! Jobs everywhere but you need at least a year in your position. (go to USAJobs and do a search for 1640) This is great. Trial by fire. (I'm an adventurer.)

I'm changing tack on you. You're spending a lot of misplaced energy and getting burnt out. First, do you get to live there for free? If so, that's a HUGE benefit so add that expense to your pay.

Second, you're in a great position to get the whole complex on your side. You already have a fondness for the tenants so this is going to be easy. But you have to step out on a limb. Be creative. Get them on your side.

Either send out notices (risky cuz people don't always read well or they misunderstand), or hold some meetings to pass information. This alone will let them know you care. (bake cheap cookies and serve punch - this rewards residents who want to participate). You can hear their complaints, take notes and try to get things taken care of. Sometimes it's worth paying $1 for a receptacle plate and installing it yourself.

See if you can get one person to be the building rep. There are helpers everywhere. Each building rep can do walk-arounds (maybe create a form for an informal walk-around looking at landscaping, windows, gutters/downspouts, trip-hazards, stairs). You may develop a way of reporting problems that would eliminate the knocking on doors at all hours, such as having a drop box outside your door with forms (gotta get creative) for them to fill out and drop. You have to promise to check the box daily. If it's your day off, grab them out and wait to go through them the next business day. Make sure everyone knows what a genuine emergency is (huge water leaks, sparking, no HVAC if the climate is extreme, etc) and you should handle genuine emergencies asap.

Develop a relationship with your repair people and get a clear description of what their processes are. Are they employed by the same people you work for? There may be a reason they don't always keep appt's. You can use your bldg. reps to meet them if it's after your working hours. Would it help if you schedule interior inspections to comb through their dwellings for peeling paint, leaking windows, dripping faucets, anything that requires attention to make their homes better? You might have a group of repairs ("Units x,y,z have toilets that run continuously") that would make one trip to your property more productive for the repairmen.

These are ideas off the top of my head. I've been in property management for many years. Your job is do-able. Organize on your own. You don't need more money. You need more know-how. Okay, more money would be nice but you have to be worth it. Be sure to add all your new implementations to your resume!

[macroy]

Originally Posted by hunterseat

This is a great career field! Jobs everywhere but you need at least a year in your position. (go to USAJobs and do a search for 1640) This is great. Trial by fire. (I'm an adventurer.)

I'm changing tack on you. You're spending a lot of misplaced energy and getting burnt out. First, do you get to live there for free? If so, that's a HUGE benefit so add that expense to your pay.

Second, you're in a great position to get the whole complex on your side. You already have a fondness for the tenants so this is going to be easy. But you have to step out on a limb. Be creative. Get them on your side.

Either send out notices (risky cuz people don't always read well or they misunderstand), or hold some meetings to pass information. This alone will let them know you care. (bake cheap cookies and serve punch - this rewards residents who want to participate). You can hear their complaints, take notes and try to get things taken care of. Sometimes it's worth paying $1 for a receptacle plate and installing it yourself.

See if you can get one person to be the building rep. There are helpers everywhere. Each building rep can do walk-arounds (maybe create a form for an informal walk-around looking at landscaping, windows, gutters/downspouts, trip-hazards, stairs). You may develop a way of reporting problems that would eliminate the knocking on doors at all hours, such as having a drop box outside your door with forms (gotta get creative) for them to fill out and drop. You have to promise to check the box daily. If it's your day off, grab them out and wait to go through them the next business day. Make sure everyone knows what a genuine emergency is (huge water leaks, sparking, no HVAC if the climate is extreme, etc) and you should handle genuine emergencies asap.

Develop a relationship with your repair people and get a clear description of what their processes are. Are they employed by the same people you work for? There may be a reason they don't always keep appt's. You can use your bldg. reps to meet them if it's after your working hours. Would it help if you schedule interior inspections to comb through their dwellings for peeling paint, leaking windows, dripping faucets, anything that requires attention to make their homes better? You might have a group of repairs ("Units x,y,z have toilets that run continuously") that would make one trip to your property more productive for the repairmen.

These are ideas off the top of my head. I've been in property management for many years. Your job is do-able. Organize on your own. You don't need more money. You need more know-how. Okay, more money would be nice but you have to be worth it. Be sure to add all your new implementations to your resume!

^^ this. Basically be an advocate for the tenants. You may need to spend some extra hours in the beginning. But the experience/skills you gain from it will be worth it. In the end, basically figure out ways to solve the problems. Not just deal with the outcomes.

Put that effort in, and you'll likely be working less than 20 hours if you average it out over a longer time frame. Of course, maybe it won't matter if you really excel - as you'll be working full time. Commercial Real Estate can be super rewarding. Assuming that is what you want to do.

[LordSquidworth]

Originally Posted by strikefirefall

The building is a low income building with a lot of older people, so the tenants here very different from what you'd see in a regular building, which is the main reason for all the problems I have. I can tell them something, but they'll completely disregard it and tell me that they'll sue for discrimination.

My bosses know I work far more than 20 hours a week.

In property management, you have to set your foot down and hold the line. Especially with older ones. You give them the chance to walk on you, and they will.

I receive a lawsuit threat from time to time, it doesn't bother me. I've read the laws. I know what I'm doing. I'm doing it right. They're often just bluffing, especially if you're young. To them, it's an easy way to get what they want.

Originally Posted by MPowering1

Your problem is you aren't assertive. Why be afraid that if you don't answer your phone they'll accuse you of ignoring them? You need to explain to them that you work 20 hours a week and unless it's an emergency, you won't be answering the phone. If they come to your door because they don't have a phone, and it's not an emergency, just keep repeating, "This is not an emergency. I am off the clock and will take care of it as soon as I begin work tomorrow at X:00." And gently close the door.

^^

I let all tenant calls go to a voice mail. If it's urgent they'll say so in the voice mail, otherwise I get back to them when I decide to do so.

There are certain things that need to be fixed asap, and other things that are to be fixed in a timely manner. Learn the difference and don't cave to them.

[MPowering1]

Because I've already been accused of ignoring someone. Another time I was already on the phone when someone called me, so I let it go to the voicemail for them. On the voice mail, they grilled me about why I wasn't picking up the phone. Putting a sign on my door won't do anything, I'm sure of it.

If your bosses are accusing you of ignoring someone, you might want to remind them that you're working more than 20 hours a week and only being paid for 20.

If it was a tenant - who cares? And someone grilled you - why is that an issue?

If things like this bother you - and you feel you have no hand in your situation - then nothing any of us suggest is going to help you.

When you have a job like this you have to do what you can to reassure people you'll help them within the parameters that you set, which means you have to have a backbone. Lacking that, this job isn't a good fit.

[CaliforniaGal1]

Originally Posted by strikefirefall

I'm only part time because of certain things going on with the building that lessen the amount of money brought in. I like them because they're overall nice people. They're not rude or condescending.

Well they shouldn't be, you're a gem

The hours of operation change every week depending on what is being done in the building.

Still maybe set your hours accordingly and have the tenants refer to the owners in times you are not on the job

I do have a contract. My bosses have told me that I can get another job, but I already know that if I do get one and it keeps me away from the building at certain times when they'll end up needing me, they'll probably fire me or ask me to give up the other job.

What they say orally, isn't worth anything. Honestly they sound dishonest...and know how to keep you happy so they can keep you around. Why not? It's true these positions are hard to come by, so if you have a years experience, it may end up being what you do for a living permanently. College age kids just aren't getting the jobs as expected anymore. So keep that in mind. I'd try looking for another job right now, if you have some time there under your belt like maybe 6 months. You have valuable experience. And regarding the interview, just find some other excuse as to why you are applying, try not to say anything negative about the place your at. You are actually in a good spot. We have friends who run a storage facility who also, are stressed out all the time. The owner of course, is very sweet to them. She knows what the job entails and they work more than their pay and rent (value) so she's got it made.

[strikefirefall]

Originally Posted by hunterseat

I'm changing tack on you. You're spending a lot of misplaced energy and getting burnt out. First, do you get to live there for free? If so, that's a HUGE benefit so add that expense to your pay.

Second, you're in a great position to get the whole complex on your side. You already have a fondness for the tenants so this is going to be easy. But you have to step out on a limb. Be creative. Get them on your side.

See if you can get one person to be the building rep. There are helpers everywhere. Each building rep can do walk-arounds (maybe create a form for an informal walk-around looking at landscaping, windows, gutters/downspouts, trip-hazards, stairs). You may develop a way of reporting problems that would eliminate the knocking on doors at all hours, such as having a drop box outside your door with forms (gotta get creative) for them to fill out and drop.

Develop a relationship with your repair people and get a clear description of what their processes are. Are they employed by the same people you work for? There may be a reason they don't always keep appt's. You can use your bldg. reps to meet them if it's after your working hours.

I do get to live her for free, but I barely get by with the amount they pay me. I make close to minimum wage.

None of these people will be a building rep. It’s my job to do building walkthroughs. Plus I already have 2 drop boxes that they all know about but refuse to use.

The maintenance men do work for the same company as men but they refuse to call or text me. I’ve already asked them to do so.

Originally Posted by macroy

Put that effort in, and you'll likely be working less than 20 hours if you average it out over a longer time frame. Of course, maybe it won't matter if you really excel - as you'll be working full time. Commercial Real Estate can be super rewarding. Assuming that is what you want to do.

I have thought about commercial real estate, and considered making the transition. I apply to jobs but never hear back.

Originally Posted by LordSquidworth

In property management, you have to set your foot down and hold the line. Especially with older ones. You give them the chance to walk on you, and they will.

I receive a lawsuit threat from time to time, it doesn't bother me. I've read the laws. I know what I'm doing. I'm doing it right. They're often just bluffing, especially if you're young. To them, it's an easy way to get what they want.


I let all tenant calls go to a voice mail. If it's urgent they'll say so in the voice mail, otherwise I get back to them when I decide to do so.

There are certain things that need to be fixed asap, and other things that are to be fixed in a timely manner. Learn the difference and don't cave to them.

I don’t let any tenants walk all over me. I’m not a pushover. When I got this job, my bosses told me that I always needed to be there when the residents needed me for something. I know that I never break the law and their threat of a lawsuit has no real value, but it’s just tiring.

Originally Posted by MPowering1

If your bosses are accusing you of ignoring someone, you might want to remind them that you're working more than 20 hours a week and only being paid for 20.

If it was a tenant - who cares? And someone grilled you - why is that an issue?

If things like this bother you - and you feel you have no hand in your situation - then nothing any of us suggest is going to help you.

When you have a job like this you have to do what you can to reassure people you'll help them within the parameters that you set, which means you have to have a backbone. Lacking that, this job isn't a good fit.

My bosses have never accused me of ignoring them; a resident did. I do have a backbone, but I’m not going to yell back at an elderly person when they come to my door or call my phone screaming.

[duttygal86]

Your 20's is when as women, we learn how to be assertive and direct. Get a part time job, waiting tables or at walmart or something to disconnect yourself from the property. At your age you should definitely be out having fun and making friends. You will regret spending these years coupe'd up, I promise. When I was your age I had a first-grader and all I did was go from work to home. Live your life!!

[strikefirefall]

I would really love to have another job, bu haven't had any success so far. I'm actually considering relocating out of California. I want to go somewhere such as Arizona or Nevada, where cost of living is a lot less.