Industry professionals share their top ways for searching for talent across the brokerage, development and property management trades.
Recruiting in the multifamily business has evolved way beyond simply posting an opening on a recruiting website and waiting for resumes to flow in. In today’s job market, firms of all shapes and sizes are combining online recruitment with professional networks and hands-on training programs to attract the next generation of talent.
While online job boards and social media have widened the applicant pool and strengthened network connections, higher application numbers have also reshaped how companies evaluate candidates. In conversations with Multi-Housing News, recruiters said that curiosity, initiative and communication about culture and growth opportunities now play a larger role in both standing out as a company to the talent pool and the selection of those candidates.
Rethinking the tried-and-true
In recent years, job boards have shifted from Monster and CareerBuilder to platforms such as Indeed and LinkedIn, which remain some companies’ preferred method to source talent. Gladys Pagan, assistant vice president of human resources at Draper & Kramer, said that most of the firm’s applicants come from Indeed.
She attributes these patterns to the platforms’ ease of use and quick one-click applications, which speed up the process.
While applying has become easier, resumes and cover letters begin to look similar with the evolution of AI tools, Pagan pointed out. “Don’t lose that extra touch,” she advised. “Use your critical thinking skills, and don’t rely on tools.”
Despite the increase in applicant volumes, Draper & Kramer continues to prioritize customer service and sales experience when evaluating candidates, particularly for entry-level positions, which are typically leasing roles that can lead to property management positions.
READ ALSO: MHN Executive Council: The Multifamily Industry is Changing. Here’s How Professionals Need to Adapt.
While national-scale firms such as Draper & Kramer are managing higher volumes of online applicants via recruiting networks, others are using their social media presence to attract talent. An employer’s online presence plays a growing role in how candidates evaluate where they want to work, according to Lori Flaska, vice president of human resources at Habitat.
“We take a multichannel approach to recruiting that blends digital tools with relationship-driven sourcing,” she said.
Platforms such as LinkedIn have expanded Habitat’s access to prospective talent. To compete in the Chicagoland market, the firm emphasizes its reputation and growth opportunities while also strengthening its employer brand online to stand out to potential hires.
Hubbell Realty’s recruiting strategy increasingly depends on the role at hand. “One size does not fit all in our world,” observed Rick Tollakson, the firm’s CEO. For technology and corporate development positions, Hubbell sees the most engagement from LinkedIn, targeted job boards and social media campaigns. For construction positions, these are sourced through trade schools, apprenticeships and industry connections.
Leaning on networks
Professional networks also continue to play a role in multifamily hiring. Jon Morgan, co-founder and managing principal at Interra Realty, said that referrals have become the preferred recruitment method in today’s environment.
“When I started, there were a lot of job boards that have morphed into Indeed and others,” he said. “With AI-driven technology out there, the quality of leads and candidates isn’t as good as it used to be. A big source of our recruitment comes from referrals.”
Morgan noted that many of those referrals come from repeat clients and longstanding relationships. He added that those who do their homework by researching Interra on social media stand out in the process. Persistent interest in a position is a quality recruiters value in applicants.
On the property management side, Habitat also identifies quality candidates from industry networks. “This allows us to identify emerging talent and professionals who are already invested in the industry,” Flaska reported. “That combination helps us attract candidates who are both qualified and aligned with our culture.”
In-house and client referrals have also been successful channels for JLL. “With referrals, our team still goes through the proper vetting process to make sure candidates have the tangible skills for the role,” noted Katie Norman, recruitment lead for JLL Capital Markets and Risk Advisory.
Hands-on experiences
Building experience through internships, mentorship and hands-on training has become another key supplier for multifamily industry talent. JLL hosts a 10-week internship program every summer, designed to train potential employees for multiple roles. The end goal is a job offer for students and interns, which the company typically hires at the one- to five-year experience level.
The firm promotes this program through college career fairs and online job listings. Norman listed the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Illinois as two schools JLL sends recruitment teams to, but the firm also hosts virtual events to inform candidates across the U.S. about the program and encourage them to apply. For context, JLL receives roughly 40,000 applicants for about 350 internship spots each year.
“The standout candidates are really the ones that can speak to why JLL, why commercial real estate, and have a macroeconomic understanding of what’s happening in the real estate industry,” Norman said.
READ ALSO: Hire Smart, Retain Smarter: Gen Z Employee Retention Strategies
Each year Interra hires one or two interns, who eventually become strong employees for the firm. The program acts as a “Brokerage 101” course, with interns working closely with a mentor and gaining hands-on experience similar to a first-year broker’s.
“They get to do everything from helping our brokers clean up their databases to putting together call lists, doing market analysis and research and full underwriting,” Morgan said.
Interns who stay plugged into the process, ask questions and demonstrate leadership skills are the most successful, he added.
Helen Marshall, executive vice president & chief people officer at Campus Apartments, said the company sees success through university co-op partnerships that give students early exposure to development in student housing. Related and relevant coursework in real estate, finance, construction or engineering can signal a long-term commitment to the industry.
For development and other construction-related roles, that hands-on experience goes past internships into apprenticeships and school partnerships, including trade schools, community colleges and workforce development programs.
“In today’s market, you have to show up where the next generation already is,” Tollakson observed.
Read more on 301 Moved Permanently
