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Employee AssessmentImproves Hiring, Performance

Apartment industry executivesshare human-resource strategiesthat are showing results.

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Pinnacle is learning moreevery day aboutwho the “A”candidate is for

working in the multifamilyhousing industry.

The apartment manage-ment company, which hasmore than 150,000 units and3,600 employees this year,began revising its job descriptions andoverall hiring process through the assis-tance of PeopleAnswers, an online softwareapplication and assessment tool that helpscompanies with hiring and various otherhuman resource-related functions.

“Identifying qualified candidates is crit-ical,” says Ed Wolff, Chief AdministrativeOfficer, Pinnacle. “If you don’t hire theright person up front, nothing else works.This system has helped us revise the jobdescriptions for the positions where wehave experienced the most turnover. Thisresults in a more efficient process and hasenabled us to identify the most qualifiedcandidates for these openings.”

Pinnacle invested approximately$250,000 toward the implementation ofthe system. Wolff says Pinnacle reviewsapproximately 50 applications per week,or 200 per month. “With every applicant,we learn something,” he says.

Wolff emphasizes that PeopleAnswers isnot a test, but rather an assessment thatfocuses on defining applicants’ behav-ioral strengths and weaknesses and howthey carry over to a particular position’sjob description.

The assessment “scores” each applicant based on a formula where cer-tain answers to certain questions areweighted. The system then assigns a“thumbs up” or “thumbs down” ratingthat determines if the candidate can per-form the essential functions of the job.

“It’s kind of like our revenue manage-ment system that we use to crunch thenumbers and determine what rent tocharge—except here, it’s for hiring,”Wolff says. “You do what the system tellsyou, or you suffer the consequences if theapplicant does not work out.”

He says Pinnacle’s turnover rate for busi-ness managers, investment managers, leas-

ing agents and maintenancetechnicians had been plus orminus 5 percent from the industrynorm of approximately 50 percentto 55 percent. “We’re now hopingto reduce our turnover by 20 per-cent across the board,” Wolff says.“And in this case, it would behealthy turnover as we will be ableto better identify and hire the bestcandidates.”

Regional-level staff are assisting with the job description revisions,which Wolff says helped to reduce 400 dif-ferent job categories into less than 100 asjob responsibilities were betterdefined. Wolff says Pinnacle willconduct this process annually.

“Today, we require that staffmembers sign off on the jobdescriptions, acknowledgingthat they have read and understand their role andresponsibilities,” Wolff says.“This process ensures that everyassociate knows what is expect-ed of them.” – NAA’s Paul Bergeron

Managers Look to Hire Tech-Savvy Applicants

As technology evolves and changes sodoes the way people do business. Forexample, as social media becomes a staple of society, more and more peopleare being hired because of their skillsrelating to Twitter and Facebook.

This trend in social media has spreadto the multifamily housing industry,where managers are looking to hire tech-savvy employees with a flair for onlinecommunication.

“I have seen the creation of new posi-tions designed specially to manage theorganizations social media relationship,which creates the need for additional jobdescriptions and training,” says TonjaMorris, Vice President of Associate Servicesat Lane Management in Atlanta.

Lenora Carpenter, Regional Managerof Lincoln Property Company, agrees,saying online software and social mediaskills are both key when it comes to hiring employees in the ever-changingmultifamily housing industry.

“When I interview I am always inquiring

to see what potential hires know about thelatest trends, and if they are using them intheir day-to-day job,” Carpenter ex plains.“I expect my current staff to be computersavvy and have more skills in things likeExcel workbooks and formulas.”

Carpenter and her staff go one step further when it comes to technology anduse iPads during the leasing program. Shehires people who are computer literate andhas her staff use the tablet to show floorplans, photos and other information topotential residents. Because the iPad iswireless, Carpenter’s staff is able to carry thecomputer from apartment to apartment.

“It is giving us the leasingedge on our competitors as itshows we are not afraid toembrace technology and newtrends in the market,” Carpenter says.

While adapting to new tech-nology is key, Mike Beirne,Executive Vice President of theKamson Corporation, says itisn’t the most important thing

to look for in potential employees.“The ability to adapt rapidly to change

and absorb new techniques and technology is important, but customerservice skills and organization still rulethe day,” he says. – NAA’s Ali McSherry

Good Time to Build Your BenchThere has never been a better time to

build your bench in terms of hiring,according to Bozzuto’s President of Property Management Julie Smith.

“I’ve read that only 58 percent of col-lege graduates have jobs and only aboutone-third are working in their chosenfield,” Smith says. “To help recruit, weare contacting the deans of nearby colleges and telling them that we havejob openings in leasing, for example, andto send any recent graduates our way.”

– NAA’s Paul Bergeron

Camden Scholarship ProgramEmployees’ ‘Dream’ Come True

Camden offers its employees a generous scholarship program that helpsmake attending college more affordablefor its employees’ children.

As many as 30 recipients are chosen

Ed Wolff, Pinnacle

Tonja Morris, Lane

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each year based on achievement–both aca-demic and extra-curricular–and other fac-tors including references, work history andcivic participation. Scholarships of up to$2,000 per semester, or $4,000 per year, areawarded for four-year colleges or universi-ties and up to $1,000 per semester, or

$2,000 per year, are awarded for study at atwo-year community college.

Students may receive Camden scholarshipassistance for a maximum of four years. Thescholarship funds are paid directly by theGreater Houston Community Foundation tothe student’s college or university and can beapplied toward tuition, books, room andboard, meal tickets and other fees.

“These scholarships can make going to college a dream come true for the stu-dent—and their parents,” says Sarah Barletta, Vice President of Employee Benefits.

High-school seniors or undergraduatestudents under the age of 25 may apply forscholarships each spring for enrollment thatfall. A parent or guardian must be a full-time Camden employee and must havecompleted at least two years of active servicewith Camden by the scholarship award date.

Applications, available on the compa-ny’s website or through its humanresources department, are evaluated andrecipients selected by a Scholarship Adviso-ry Committee made up of GHCF volun-teers, board members and staff.

Camden executives personally fundedThe Camden Property Trust ScholarshipFund. Since the program began in 2007,Camden has awarded 178 scholarshipstotaling more than $600,000.

“After 22 years with the company,Camden never ceases to amaze me inhow they continually show the employeeshow much they care about them andtheir families,” says Lauren Tarlton,Senior Administrative Assistant. “Provid-ing the opportunity to help with theexpenses of our children’s college educa-tion goes above and beyond the call ofduty.”

The Camden scholarship assisted oneemployee’s daughter in realizing her goalof attending nursing school. “This schol-arship helps to ensure that the financialburden has been lightened by this gener-ous scholarship,” says Kathy Whittaker,Property Services Manager. “As a Camdenemployee, I am thankful that Camdennot only values their employees throughvarious benefits, but values our familiesand is investing in our children’sfutures.” – NAA’s Paul Bergeron

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Shirley Register, Community Manager atCamden Overlook in Raleigh, N.C., and herdaughter, Paisley, received a scholarship in2011 to East Carolina University.

Jean Harding, Real Estate InvestmentDepartment in Houston, and her son,Christopher Harding, received a scholarshipin 2007 to University of Texas and her son,Jonathan, received a scholarship in 2009 toTexas A&M.

For additional resources on hiring decisions, see theHuman Resources Library in the Online ResourceCenter at http://community.naahq.org.

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