This article was updated in December 2024.
While every industry needs great employees, the self storage industry is unique in that the success of a location almost solely relies on one or two people - property managers.
Property managers help run your business by guiding customers through the rental process, handling payments, addressing concerns and questions, and keeping your facility nice and tidy.
When you start your search for a property manager for your facility, you want to be strategic and selective.
If you aren't navigating the hiring process wisely, you could end up going through multiple new hires. Not only is high turnover costly, but it can increase stress for yourself and other employees.
However, with a clear goal and careful planning, you can (probably) hire the perfect property manager on the first try.
First and foremost, you want to figure out what kind of property manager you're looking for.
This is going to vary, as each facility owner might look for something different. One owner might be looking for someone with years of experience, while another just wants someone with a friendly personality and good communication.
Property managers with these traits and experiences will be most helpful in turning your self storage business into a success:
While this list certainly doesn't encompass all the traits your new hire needs to manage a successful location, it's a good place to start!
Having someone with a welcoming and friendly personality is important in any business, especially self storage. When customers are facing difficult life changes and come to your facility to store their items, they need friendly and welcoming assistance.
If they have sales experience, that's a huge plus! Keeping your units rented is one of the most important jobs a property manager has, so they need to know how to show your customers the value of your facility.
While having someone with self storage experience is great, it's not the end of the world if they don't have that. Many people transition into completely new industries with little upfront knowledge or experience.
More than experience, you need a candidate who is willing to do some homework and learn the business.
Not only that, but your candidate should be comfortable handling unsavory situations. If a tenant becomes upset for any reason, your manager should know how to calmly and professionally resolve the situation.
Unless you have a separate cleaning crew, your manager should also be someone who is willing to get their hands dirty. When a tenant moves out, you'll need someone to thoroughly clean that unit for the next customer. If you have public restrooms, someone will need to clean those, too.
Once you know what traits you're looking for, then it's time to figure out how to find your candidate.
In this day and age, there are many ways to find job candidates.
One of the oldest tricks in the book is to simply ask your network. You can approach your friends, family, old colleagues, you name it! Someone out there might know of a great candidate looking for a job.
In fact, even if they aren't currently looking for a job, you can still approach them. There's always a chance that you could convince them that you are the person to work for.
If you don't get a name from your network, there are plenty of other options.
In this digital age, we have several online platforms that help job seekers find their next employers. Sites Indeed, ZipRecruiter, Monster, and even Linkedin provide an easy way to get job listings out to the masses.
If you choose to set up job posting, you should be clear about the job responsibilities and expectations. Everyone who reads your listing should know what you're looking for.
Before you make your job post public, you should check your state and local laws about pay transparency. There are some areas in the US that require you to post certain information about the job's pay range, benefits, etc. If you don't include the required information, you could receive a fine.
You should also be aware that making your job post public is a lot like telling your mom that you're newly single. All of a sudden you're getting tons of recommendations and applications, even when they're clearly not a good match.
While you may receive a bundle of applications that don't seem to fit, there's bound to be at least one or two good candidates in that bunch.
Once you have a handful of potential candidates, you can start the interview process.
To start the interview process, you should decide exactly how you want to conduct interviews. Some people prefer the first interview over the phone, and then follow that with an in-person interview.
By conducting the first interview over the phone, you can weed out the bad matches without having to spend too much time meeting in person. Over the phone, you can easily determine which candidates are ready for a longer, in-depth interview.
When you're ready to meet your candidates in person, you should be prepared to present yourself well and have a list of questions ready.
Remember, your candidates are interviewing you as well. You most likely aren't the only person hiring in town, so you should set the stage. Try to show that your business would be a great place to work.
Here are a few things you should ask about during the interview:
Notice how your candidates answer the questions and if they seem uncertain about a particular answer. It's perfectly okay to ask them for clarification and remember that candidates are often nervous during interviews.
After you get the answers you need, open the floor up to any questions or concerns that they might have. This is a great opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings before starting the hiring process.
You've finally made it to the last round!
You've gone through the search, and the interviews, and now you're ready to hire. Don't move too fast, though!
Before you present a formal job offer, you should run a background check. It's imperative to make sure that the person you're hiring is trustworthy and safe.
After they've passed a background check, you should call them as soon as possible to offer them the job and let them ask any questions. At this point, your candidate may ask more about pay and benefits if this was not already discussed during the interview.
If you want to attract a motivated property manager, offering good pay is important, and that can include an incentive or bonus program. If this is something you offer, make that clear to your candidate.
Remember to support your candidate through the hiring and training process, correcting mistakes and encouraging progress. Soon enough, you'll have an expert property manager running your facility.
