How to crack into the strata management industry for new licensees

What can I do as a newbie to break into the strata industry?

So you’ve just finished writing your Strata Management licensing exam, and are ready to take on the world!

Although there is a huge shortage of qualified strata managers in the market right now, most strata management companies are looking to hire experienced Strata agents so that they can hit the ground running with very little training required.

If everyone is looking for experienced strata managers, how does a new licensee get their foot in the door in order to obtain the necessary experience?

Below are a couple of ideas that might help you to crack into the Strata Management industry:

Building manager. Starting as a building manager or concierge is a great way to get a large amount of relevant industry experience from the very ground level. You will learn customer service skills, how to deal with Strata Council, contractors, and of course building maintenance. You will also learn how all of the different levels of administration work inside a property management company.

Property administrator. A great stepping stone role to becoming a Strata Agent is to work as a Property Administrator for a few years. This will give you great experience with the admin side of being a Strata Agent such as preparing forms, bylaw infraction notices, contractor notices, dealing with owners, accounts receivable, insurance, and many, many other things that will pop up in the daily world of Strata Management!

Volunteer. If you’re having a tough time finding a paid position right out of school, then you might want to consider volunteering your time for a few months. This would give you a great opportunity to “test the waters” of the industry, to see if it’s what you really want to do, and for a potential employee to really see what you can offer them. Volunteering is a great way for both parties to get to know each other, and it lessens the hiring risk for both sides!

Work for a vendor. Starting on the vendor side will introduce you to a vast array of Stata Managers, Council members, Brokers, etc. This is a great way to learn about the business from the contractor side.

Joint a Strata Council! If you live in a strata building, you should join your Council. We love to hire licensees with Strata Council experience which will be extremely helpful to your career in understanding what your client’s needs really are.

Networking! Networking is super important, and can open many doors for you in your career. Make up business cards, and attend as many business networking events as possible. These could include industry events such as lunches, dinners, presentations, golfing tournaments, etc! Join industry associations such as PAMA, CHOA, etc. and start the networking immediately! Call up a few managing brokers in the industry, and ask if you can take them for lunch. Why not, you have nothing to lose, and much to gain by populating your Rolodex with industry contacts.

Looking to kickstart your career in Strata Management? Reach out to us here today to see if we can help!