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May 27, 2005
Finding a Good Manager
The joke is old - "The best manager is a former kindergarten teacher because they're used to dealing with unruly children who don't play well together". Anyone who has ever managed a condo or HOA association is probably nodding agreement right now while remembering one or two associations they once managed. The fact is that most associations have decent boards that try to do the right thing, and a good manager provides the guidance to accomplish that. But finding that manager is apparently a constant challenge.
A management company looking to find new managers will often talk to others about where to find good ones. The conversation will focus around which service industries attract the type of people who can easily slide into a community association role. Hotels, city management, travel, retail sales, etc.--those industries that train people to deal with customers. But then, they have to be re-trained into community management.
Rather than look to others why not let them come to you. Why wouldn't a group of friendly management company competitors set up an associate degree program in community association management at a local community college? Teach the industry basics to people who are at least interested and evaluate potential emloyees at the same time. They get a degree, you get someone who knows how spell condominium. The curriculum wouldn't be hard to set up. There's plenty of examples out there and you could adapt it to your specific marketplace.
Why not?
Posted by joewest at May 27, 2005 10:46 AM