3 minute read
MARKETING YOURSELF
LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB OR TO MAKE A SHIFT IN THE INDUSTRY? MY TIPS TO FINDING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND.
By Kathleen Waite, CCAM
To outsiders, association management may seem like a niche industry. While we cater to a very specific market, that market varies much more than meets the untrained eye.
There are commercial and residential associations, single family homes in rural communities and high rise buildings in the middle of the city. You name an area, there is probably a common interest development there and a corresponding manager to meet their needs. As an Association Manager, at times you may feel stuck or stagnant in your position in the industry, and I’m here to tell you that if you’re willing to push yourself, there are never ending opportunities for growth and change.
The first step is knowing what you want. You may not always or immediately find a job opportunity for exactly what you want, but knowing your goals and objectives will help you narrow your search. You can start by looking for targeted jobs to your skills or goals. An on-site manager position is very different from a portfolio manager position. Both have pros and cons and knowing your strengths and weaknesses and how those apply to both options can help you market yourself as an individual to the hiring party. CACM offers a variety of specialized courses (see page 16) to help not only certify you in those more tailored fields, but they also will give you the education you need to better market yourself and your personal brand to potential employers.
Another way to help guide your personal brand when unsure of your path is to tap into your industry partners. Other CACM manager members and vendors are a huge resource that many managers underutilize. Many vendors are former managers. That combination of industry experience and knowledge is sitting waiting for you to discover. Speak with your peers about their experience, what has been rewarding in their positions for them, what has been a challenge to them, and from there you can again, narrow your goals and tailor your training and skills to meet what you want to achieve in this industry.
All of this is not to say that no matter where you go you’ll only get jobs you want or fit your brand. Part of most, if not all, jobs is doing things that are hard or you don’t necessarily enjoy. Take those difficult moments and really analyze WHY you didn’t enjoy it. Was there a way you could have started things off differently that would have resulted in a different outcome? Things you can learn from and avoid in the future? Or just ways to make those unpleasant tasks more bearable? Treat the negative as a learning experience and keep that knowledge in your back pocket. It will do nothing but help you grow and evolve in the Association Management sphere.
Knowing your personal brand and goals will help you become a master at your craft in any occupation. Your biggest investment will be in your own self development, so make sure to carve out time for that important task.
By investing in yourself you can gear your training and expertise toward more of the accounts and jobs you enjoy. Any smart employer will want to utilize their employee for what they are the best at, so if you enjoy and are good at managing a certain type of association, you may find that those types of accounts are sent your way.
Even if your current position doesn’t allow you the autonomy to make some of those higher level decisions, by really selfreflecting and analyzing what you enjoy and why, you can continue to grow in that direction and get through the harder tasks knowing it was part of your personal growth and development.
Kathleen Waite, CCAM is the owner/ president of American Management Services, Inc., a boutique management company based out of the South Bay area.
