Social media plays large role in RPM Careers Week 2023. 

Residential Property Management (RPM) Careers Week held April 17-21, 2023, was a momentous success. Thank you to each one of you who contributed in some way. This success can be directly attributed to all industry professionals who shared and reshared daily challenge content for Dream Team Monday, Maintenance Tuesday, and Thank a Teammate Thursday, as well as those who contributed their personal testimony about why you love your RPM career on Friday. 

The passion felt about the rental housing industry and the sentiments of the RPM Careers Week award winners are overwhelmingly apparent in the challenge submissions for each day of the week. 

The winners for Dream Team Monday, members of the Atlantic Marine Corps Community (WinnCompanies) in Camp LeJeune, N.C., indicated that “[their] community would not be what it is without [the team]. All [of them] come from a military background which helps [them] better understand [their] residents when they are faced with a difficult move or a deployed spouse.” 

The fact that this team had the power and determination to share their story across social media allowed for others—in and out of the industry—to learn about the services that are available to individuals, such as those living in military communities and how a collective network of similarly situated people are available for support. 

Social media provides a vast scope of value for projects and initiatives. It also allows users to develop and foster relationships with customers, residents and other stakeholders interested in you as a company or property. It generates a level of trust that may not otherwise be realized. Take the RPM Careers Week Challenge Winner for Maintenance Tuesday, Victor Gonzalez, Maintenance Supervisor at Pearl Washington. His nominator, Michele Swilley, Senior Community Manager, CAM, CAPS, with Pearl Washington (a Morgan Group property), indicated that “Victor is a valued member of [their] team, and he has overseen the community for 7 years—since construction. No one knows this property like Victor does. He has a great rapport with his team and is highly respected by them. Victor is a team player and will not hesitate to perform any duty that is needed for the good of the property.” 

Social media provided a platform for the Pearl Washington community in Richmond, Texas, to demonstrate the significance that their team member has on the overall wellbeing of their community, which could generate leads for residents to consider the property; knowing there is a dedicated and knowledgeable maintenance professional onsite. 

There are additional benefits of social media in marketing, such as the opportunity to boost impressions about a company or property. Social media is a place for finding out all about a brand. In fact, according to Sprout Social, 55% of consumers learn about brands or companies on social media, and that translates to being able to communicate the strength and support offered by the Thank a Teammate Thursday Challenge winner, Laura Perret, Administrative Assistant with 1st Lake Properties. Her nominator, Lisa North, CALP, Receptionist with 1st Lake Properties, indicated that “working with Laura is awesome; she takes the time to assist in every way she can. Laura can be super busy with multiple tasks at 1st Lake Properties, in Metairie,  and will stop to help everyone with their respective needs.” 

Additionally, North indicated that “she loves having Laura as a co-worker and friend, and Laura makes coming to work more pleasurable.” She concluded that “Laura is the backbone of their administrative team!” These characteristics are important to convey to potential residents as they are considering a community, because potential residents value and appreciate an attentive and dependable administrative team. 

Additional social media presence was demonstrated by so many industry professionals posting and reposting personal and heartfelt testimonies related to why they love their RPM careers on Friday. By sharing compelling and organic content, the challenge contributors added value for the target audience and made the rental housing industry more relatable and accessible, leading to more individuals who are interested in a career in the industry. The RPM Careers Week Challenge Winner for Why I Love My RPM Career Friday, Tasha Payamps, Property Manager, NALP, ARM, of Lake Arbor Towers (a Dolben Company property) shared that the reason she loves her RPM career at Lake Arbor Towers in Mitchellville, Md., is because “[she] never knows what the day may hold. The variety of people [she] meets everyday varies and it always challenges [her] to continue to develop [her] communication and people skills. [She] enjoys seeing [her] residents’ smile when [she] has helped them solve an issue or concern.” Payamps concluded by stating that “[she] wouldn’t change her career in RPM for anything… RPM is home for [her].” 

Details are being finalized about RPM Careers Week 2024, so please be sure to visit rpm.naahq.org for more information about each of this year’s winners and additional information about RPM careers. 

Terreline (Shellie) Sims, MS, is NAAEI’s Director of Workforce Development.