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Think all job hunting is done online these days? While the Internet has revolutionized recruitment processes, career fairs are still great for making personal connections with employers, provided you can find ways to stand out from the pack. Here are some of BGSF’s best tips to help candidates rock their next job fairs: Dress the Part You might be able to search the Craigslist ads in your bathrobe, but the same doesn’t hold true for attending a job fair. Make a positive impression on recruiters, by ditching the jeans and graphic tee in favor of more professional attire. Additionally, you should make sure your hair is neatly groomed, cover visible tattoos, and avoid wearing too many accessories. The goal is to show employers you take pride in your appearance while implying that you will do the same with your work. Be Memorable No matter how strong your resume is, recruiters are likely to toss it aside if your conversational style leaves much to be desired. Avoid losing that hot job to the competition, brainstorm memorable things to say to recruiters at your next job fair. Instead of offering a laundry list of your accomplishments, share one or two key achievements to ensure you stand out from the other attendees. A little advanced preparation can drastically increase your chances of getting a callback on the job of your dreams. Follow Up After the Fact Think your work is finished the moment the job fair ends? Even if you wowed recruiters with your professional garb and carefully relayed achievements, the work’s not done until you follow up after the fact. If you forgot to take a business card, try finding the recruiter’s name on the company website. A simple email restating your interest—and your contact details—can go a long way toward earning you the job of your dreams.

It’s no secret that businesses are created to generate a profit. And the biggest hit too many company’s bottom-line is the cost of labor. So you wanna increase profits?  Just cut, slash and burn salaries, right? You’ll immediately trim expense and drive up profits. Sound like a strong strategy? If it does just think about how you would feel if you cut your own salary, it doesn’t make you feel motivated to rally for the cause, right? Simply slashing salary will put you at a huge disadvantage, here’s why: Paying Minimum Wage, does it really attract the type of employees you want to build your company? It stands to reason that lower wages attract a lower level of the worker. By offering higher, more competitive salaries, companies can entice more experienced employees who are better able to perform the tasks at hand. While these workers may increase your payroll initially, they should be able to work more efficiently. Additionally, offering higher wages helps reduce turnover rates among existing staff. Because of the high cost associated with hiring and training new workers, lowering turnover rates can increase your profits in the long term. Lower Salaries Contribute to Poor Customer Experience. Employees who feel underpaid or undervalued are likely to express that dissatisfaction in their work, a fact that can result in a negative experience for your clientele. In all businesses, regardless of if the employees are face to face with the end-user, underpaid or undervalued employees affect your business. Ever received the wrong product you ordered online? I have. I sent it back, received the wrong thing a second time, and NEVER ordered from that company again. Not only are unhappy customers less likely to frequent your business again, but they may also leave disparaging reviews on consumer websites. If you pay them, they will come…..and stay I believe people give what they get.  So,  give your employees a fair wage, a great environment to work in, show appreciation and you will get in return a dedicated team who sings your praises to the world……and maybe someday throws you a parade.   Well, we can only wish on that one!!  I’ll be looking in the local papers to see if that happens, I am so there!!!

We asked all our women bosses here at BGSF if they had any fun quarantine stories about motherhood. We’ve collected the best stories that came our way to share with everyone. As hard as this pandemic has been, we’re still able to celebrate the small things, and for some, socially distant celebrating the BiG things: HOME OFFICE STORY My daughter and son-in-law are expecting their first child.  We attended their gender reveal in person, socially distanced, as siblings and friends watched the event live on Zoom!  We guessed the gender of the baby before the ceremony, and we were right!  It’s a girl – due Sept. 17!!  Blessings still abound in this crazy time we are experiencing. BG MULTIFAMILY STORY We have teenagers here, and it’s rough.  My favorite moment from quarantine so far happened one evening after a particularly hard day with kids.  I took a glass of wine out to the back porch and sat for about five minutes just to have some peace and collect my thoughts. When I decided to re-enter the house, I passed my husband in the garage.  Me, with my wine, and him, with an empty bottle of Jim Beam. Neither of us spoke, but we made eye contact and words just weren’t necessary. ZYCRON STORY Here’s my funny co-worker story. I’m new to BG and Zycron – have been here under 2 months. (What a blessing to start a new position during these crazy COVID times!) Due to COVID, my four-year-old, Evie, was home for the first 6 weeks of the job, and just went back to school this week (WAHOO!) About a week and a half into my new position, I was on the phone with a fellow recruiter for some training on BullHorn. Truth be told, my kiddo was being absolutely crazy that day and I was hiding in my closet to speak to my co-worker. I was watching the security app on my cell phone to make sure Evie didn’t escape the house, but I realized she’d been very quiet for several minutes. I asked Patrick to hold on a moment, came out to the living room, and found Evie with a half-gallon of ice cream just eating away and living her best life. I chose to pick my battles that day…. She was being quiet, actually not making a mess, and wasn’t terrorizing our dogs… so I let her continue eating ice cream while I finished up my call. DONWAT STORY Mother’s Day weekend is always a special one, I love my mother with everything I’ve got, and we were able to make her day special by buying her flowers, getting her headphones and getting her favorite food. So Sunday was a special and very relaxed day, on Saturday we really wanted to extend and show appreciation to all of the mothers in our family, so we bought flowers and created our own family flower packages for all of my aunt’s and Grandmothers and we delivered them safely to their respective houses, we just wanted to show love to all of the special women in our lives. HOME OFFICE STORY I haven’t seen my mom since the new year before all of this started, but we got to spend a little time on Mother’s Day on a socially distant picnic. Gloves were donned, face masks were worn for the sharing of the food. But the best part is that I got to yell-talk to my mom across a six feet patch of grass, and it’s made my entire year. Being an only child, it’s been difficult to not go near my parents as I’m at high risk and so are they. We’ve already planned our next social distant picnic with my aunt on her front lawn…It’s the little things! Oh, and tacos, those are good too. Happy Mother’s Day from us to you!

Given the impact of COVID-19 and social distancing guidelines, it’s likely that your next interview could be a video interview. Make sure you’re ready by following these tips for making your video interview successful. Dress for success: Make sure you dress as you would for an in-person interview. Professional attire is always the best practice when going to an interview and nothing should be different when doing a video interview.Test out the technology: Make sure you test everything out a day or two before the interview. That way you won’t have to panic the day of, should something were to go wrong. Early Bird Gets the Worm: Make sure you log in at least 10-15 minutes prior to the interview. It also helps to have a printout of your resume (if possible), the job description, and something to take notes just as you would for an in-person interview. Eye Contact & Firmly Speaking: With Zoom, Teams, Skype, etc. sometimes it can be distracting if someone is speaking too softly or mumbling. Remember that sometimes technology is not full proof so do your part to speak loud enough and to speak clearly. Also, be cognizant of where you are looking, it is a good idea to look into the camera and not just the screen. Right Environment: Utilize a location in your home that is free from background noises, distractions, etc. Just as important make sure the background of where you will be sitting is presentable. Avoid having the camera face an area that is cluttered or has poor lighting. Do your part to also shut off any potential distractions; phone, email, tv, etc. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we are here for you! Contact our team of professionals today to get you set up for success!

Let Your Personality Come Through You are more than just a resume. Hiring managers seriously consider personality and cultural fit when hiring, so let yours shine. In part, this means relaxing during your interview, showing enthusiasm when talking about your ideas, and highlighting your successes, goals, and achievements. It’s also important to give examples of the difficult situations you have faced and how you came up with the solutions and delivered. There are always challenges on projects and showcasing how you’ve worked through such times speaks to the type of person you are. Provide links to your portfolios and social media profiles. Be upfront with all the information and make sure your social media profiles are clean.

Provide a candidate one job search tip (especially during this time period): Keep your options open. I’ve seen many candidates get invested in one opportunity, put their job search on hold, and if it doesn’t pan out have to start all over again.  When starting your job search utilize all your resources, networking, job boards, applying directly, and working with a trusted recruitment firm.  Keep applying and interviewing until you have an offer and a start date. What would you tell a candidate/ tip for updating their resume post-COVID/if they have been affected by layoffs etc: If you’ve been affected by a layoff you can add a section to your resume covering the time of not working by highlighting any continued education coursework, certifications you received, or freelance projects you’ve completed during the time you were off.  I feel that employers are becoming more understanding about employment gaps in the current market, and the most important thing when updated your resume is highlighting your experience and qualifications. What advice/interview prep would you give a candidate now that interviews are over zoom or webex? How do you still stand out and make a great first impression when it is not in person? Treat a video interview the same you would treat an in-person interview.  Many of the professional courtesies of an in-person interview can be carried over to a video call. Dress professionally, be prepared with detailed answers on your experience and thought out questions to ask the interviewer in regards to the company and the role, make sure you’re in an area with a good connection and no background noise or distraction, and let them know it was nice to meet them and thank them for their time.

In this day and age, there are so many uncertainties. COVID-19, the political climate, economic forecast, and movement for equality have dominated headlines over the past several months. Being in the multifamily industry, we are no stranger to a crisis- whether large scale or something that hits a bit closer to home, whether it be death on the property, disgruntled employee, management change or company layoffs. When faced with challenges such as these, how do you respond in a way that is both honest and uplifting to the people around you? As leaders, how we respond matters. Keep reading for some tips on how to keep your team motivated, engaged, and excited amid a crisis- no matter how large or small that crisis may be. Have clear lines of communication. The biggest frustration for employees during uncertain or shaky times is the lack of communication from corporate or upper management. Being able to make it clear to your employees that your door is always open for them makes a big difference in the comfort they feel in their role. Communicating the situation as it develops is also a huge key in making sure your team feels secure. If you aren’t sure how to deliver this message, talk to your regional or vice president for direction- and practice your delivery. Being honest about the crisis, even if it’s a sticky one, is better than keeping your team in the dark. Be careful not to over-communicate here and keep the information clear, concise, and on a need-to-know basis. Don’t just deliver the bad news- have a solution ready. Anyone can announce a catastrophe. How we follow it up with an actionable solution is what separates leaders from everyone else. Increasing the frequency of your team meetings might be a good idea during this time, especially so you can continue to talk through the plan of action for controlling the crisis. Giving your employees ownership and accountability over some of these items is also a great way to make sure everyone stays involved and feels valued. You set the tone. In your role, no matter if you have people who report to you or not, you set the tone for the people around you. During a crisis, employees are usually looking to their peers for reactions and emotional responses. It’s a natural part of dealing with change. When we can approach a crisis with understanding, compassion for others, and an optimistic outlook fueled by action, we can permit others to do the same. If you feel yourself start to become overwhelmed by the “what ifs”, take a deep breath, refer back to your action plan to handle the situation, and remind yourself that this too, shall pass. Celebrate small wins. Especially during tough times, teamwork really does make the dream work. Whether it’s completing a part of your action plan, receiving kudos from a resident, recognition from your home office, or even getting that delinquency report done on time, celebrate with your team every step of the way. And recognize their small wins, too! A pat on the back, afternoon latte from Starbucks, their favorite candy, or handwritten “thank you”, can go a long way in making your employees and colleagues feel valued and appreciated. That, in turn, can lead to higher work efficiency, more satisfaction in their role, and a more positive outlook in any situation. Everything rolls downhill. When the crisis is large scale and encompasses more than just your community, make sure that the communication from your home office is passed along to your team. Share an encouraging email from the CEO, pass along an uplifting note from your VP or regional, and don’t forget to let them know how your team is doing as well. Call out your colleagues for their successes during your challenging time and know that we all win when we can encourage each other. Whether COVID-19 has your community handling things a bit different, an owner change is in effect, or even if you just want to be prepared for whatever comes next, BG Multifamily has your next great hire ready. From social distancing attendants, elevator concierges, additional make-ready techs, and superstar leasing professionals, you can be ready to tackle any situation with BG Multifamily. Contact your local branch today to learn more about our services.

Helpful interview questions answered by a recruiter: “Tell me about yourself” This is probably the most commonly asked first question by an interviewer and the most common incorrectly answered question in an interview. Interviewers ask this question so that they can measure how your attitude matches their company culture. Most of the time folks make the mistake of saying they are good at something. Instead, make sure to back it up with specific evidence, e.g. “I am always working towards learning more about the profession I work in. For example, I enrolled in a training course for XYZ.” “What’s your greatest weakness?” Most people are tempted to say something like, “I’m a perfectionist.” I wouldn’t. They have probably heard that by now. Being honest about yourself is more likely to resonate with the interviewer. While being a perfectionist may be a truthful answer you can say it like “I have difficulty letting go of projects if I feel I haven’t done my best.” That highlights the issue, while maintaining an honest answer. Make sure that you talk about the steps you have taken to address the issues you mentioned. Everyone appreciates real people, how they handle situations firsthand, and how they have grown since. “What’s your greatest strength?” Do. Not. Hesitate. Before. Answering. The reason for an interview in the first place is to sell yourself to the person interviewing you. If you aren’t sure what your strengths are, you will look unprepared. Make a list of a few before your interview starts and be sure to back it up with specific examples of how it helped in your past role. “Why should we hire you?” Be confident in this answer and again, be sure to back it up with specific examples. A great way to frame this is to show your ability to grow, and mature in a role. For example, “I’m a quick learner. I may not have all the skills you require now, but I’m confident in my ability to adapt and learn. [Insert example here].” And so on. “Why did you leave your last job?” You must tread lightly with this one. Answering something like “I didn’t get along with my coworkers” will plant the idea in your potential employer’s head that you may not get along with the existing staff. Be honest, and if there were issues with your coworkers or managers, then make sure you explain the ways you tried to overcome the issues before deciding to leave. “Why do you want to work for us?” This question is where people slip a lot. When an employer asks you this question, it’s because they want to see that you have done your research on the company, culture, and team that works there. You should know if it’s a company that is growing fast, what their new trends are, etc. A great idea is to scope out their website and write down talking points. “Describe how you have overcome a difficult work situation?” This is the question that people seem to be least prepared for, so always make sure you prepare an answer for yourself. Make sure it’s relevant to the role you’re applying for. Things like learning a new skill, managing a distraught client, or perhaps adapting to a stressful week all may be good places to start. “Do you have any questions for me?” Before your interview starts, you should have already written down a handful of questions to ask the interviewer. This goes back to doing research on the company beforehand, you can ask relevant questions concerning their culture, benefits, and team members. However, make sure you write down several questions as it is likely most will be answered during the rest of the interview. Don’t ask questions that can be answered online by a google search, go deeper than that. Try to be more insightful and ask questions that will help paint a picture of the company and their culture. ~ Alyssa Toth, Delivery Manager

Let’s face it- resident events can be hard. Even the most successful, well-attended event can have some sweat and a few tears behind it. But, like so many resident activities, events are crucial in the resident lifecycle. Whether a resident is meeting their neighbors for the first time or the 20th, that emotional connection during an event is sometimes the key that will unlock that renewal time and time again, not to mention the referrals to their own friends and family. But how do we host a slam-dunk resident event in the age of COVID-19? With the current social distancing suggestions and so many states going back to “safer at home” orders, an unforgettable resident event seems almost impossible to pull off. Almost. Keep reading for five tried-and-true resident event ideas- from the socially distant to virtual- that you can put in place TODAY to get your residents to remember why your community is the place they chose to call home. Namaste outside. Gyms are probably closed where you are, and with the abundance of quarantine snacks, there’s a reason there are so many memes about gaining weight during the stay at home orders. There’s good news there, though! Trainers, fitness instructors, yogis, and nutritionists are looking for side hustles. Reach out to a local or independently owned studio or gym and ask if they can do outdoor sweat sessions where residents can keep 6 feet apart from each other. Announce it on your social media pages, get those RSVP’s, and have a cooler of bottles of water ready to go for attendees. Limited on space? Try a smaller group two or three times a week. Plan to use a grassy area, an empty parking lot where people can bring yoga mats, or even an interior courtyard- heck, your residents can even participate from their balcony! No outdoor space? Ask the instructor to set up a free Zoom or Skype event and pass the login information along to your residents. Deliver a bottle of water and handwritten note to their door before the session begins! Jam on. Who isn’t missing concerts right now? Plan a social distancing open-air concert and line up a local musician. Acoustic guitar(s), a small amp and a mike, and you’ve got yourself a party in the middle of your parking lot or courtyard area. Step up the concert game and deliver cold drinks and snacks to your residents who come out to listen to the music on their balcony or in the outdoor space. Do you have residents who want to join in virtually? Host the concert on your community’s social media pages using Facebook Live and get all your residents to join in and invite their friends to watch! Learn something new. Wine and paint nights are always nice, but what about learning how to make clay earrings, chunky blankets, dream catchers, or charcuterie boards? Enter in Craft Happy Co., an interactive workshop company, seeking to “curate locally-sourced community experiences that spark curiosity and inspire connection.” Dana Pate and Kristin Dixon, co-founders of Craft Happy, wanted to connect local artists to their surrounding multifamily communities. When COVID-19 hit, Craft Happy pivoted and Craft Happy At Home was born. Virtual workshops, where craft kits are delivered directly to the resident, are hosted when you want to schedule them, and RSVPs are collected through an EventBrite link. Budget-conscious these days (who isn’t)? There’s an option for you too! “We wanted to fill that (cost) gap, and out of that, we birthed CHTV. CHTV features a monthly episode LIVE on the second Wednesday of every month and features a different artist and craft each month via Zoom broadcast. Attendees receive a shopping list upon registration so they can interact with the artist via chat/Q&A features and actually make something with them hands-on (and all their neighbors!)” says Pate. For more information about Craft Happy and Craft Happy At Home, visit CraftHappyCo.com. Get the buzzer ready. Trivia Night reaches a new level when it’s virtual! Encourage your residents to pick their teams and create a team name. You can either create your own trivia questions or grab some online! Not wanting to do any legwork? Hire someone to host it for you! Online trivia services like Trivia Hub will provide someone to host trivia for you and keep tabs on who’s winning. Put together a prize pack for the winning team- may be some community swag, extra quarantine snacks, or a gift card- and cheer your residents on. Is trivia not your residents’ thing? Try BINGO, virtual Jeopardy, or a multitude of online games. Check out another list here! Be present, even if you’re not there. As we navigate new information about COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to remind residents that you’re there for them. Maybe it’s a basket of dog treats in the office, a bag of (individually wrapped) candy on their doorstep, or a basket of snacks in the fitness center. We have the unique opportunity to care for our residents in new ways. And when this is all over, we’ll be even more grateful for the resident visits, hugs, and high-fives.

Darrell Freeman, ever patient, and ever-learning from the moment the interview started or rather started with technical difficulties was there to do the video interview the right way. As this being our first introduction, we found this moment to have some of the most potency when seen in conjunction with his words. Here he was taking the time to learn a new skill, with a new video meeting format, and all the while insisting to it the way we originally intended. A great first impression of an already impressive businessman well known within the community for his business prowess, generosity, and leadership. Emily Burroughs, BGSF’s Vice President of Marketing, was lucky enough to pick his brain for an hour or so and get some wonderful insight into what success can mean to someone so unique in his approach: Emily Burroughs: You founded Zycron in 1991, which would later become a division of BGSF in 2017, what made you take the leap? Darrell Freeman: Well, I was working for a relatively small company and I could see the contributions I was making to their Profit and Loss Statement, and I wasn’t receiving that value as a team member/employee. And so I thought, I could better control my financial destiny if I started my own company. And so that played a lot into it. And then America is built on entrepreneurship. And so I thought I’d give it a shot. And my wife at the time said, “Hey, if you’re gonna try this, do it now, I don’t want you to have any regrets.” And same wife I have now, been married almost 29 years next month. But part of taking more of an advantage of the American dream, and also taking some risk, and also having a skill set that I thought was marketable and that I saw was marketable in the industry. So, working for that small company and it helped me realize the value that I can contribute to the marketplace. EB: I’ve read that you’re fond of the statement “failing into success,” would that still be your advice to those that look up to you and your success? DF: Well, I think we all should embrace failure. Because, failures, I’ve learned more from my failures than I’ve learned from my successes. And so, failures are great teachers, they teach great lessons, and oftentimes those lessons are painful, and those are the ones that you remember the most. I have failed more than I have succeeded by a long shot. What the difference is, I’m standing on top of my failure, my failures are not standing on top of me. I tell anyone, whether you’re in corporate America, whether you’re an entrepreneur, embrace failure, learn from those failures and come back and be better the next day. Not that I love failing, but I love the lessons that I’ve learned from failing, and I love the knowledge that I’ve gotten from failures. And I love what those failures do to help you become successful. So, I’m a big failure. EB: So, with your failures, what have you learned over the years that maybe you did not think about when you were first starting out? DF: One thing that I thought I knew that I’ve learned. When I was much younger, I was in a hurry, I was in a rush, and I thought business could be done quickly. And so what I learned as I’ve grown older is to be patient, to be persistent, and that the deal or the opportunity may not happen today, but it may take a year, or it may take three years. That’s the takeaway, is being more patient, but also still being persistent. When you’re in your early 20s, you want everything to happen like right now. My mindset and my view, which I take a longer-term view than I did when I was in my 20’s and in my 30’s. So, it’s kind of like Rome wasn’t built in a day. EB: Has learning these lessons in life, changed your business philosophy? DF: No, my business philosophy has not changed, I think it’s… I was very fortunate early on when we built Zycron. My business philosophy is to hire good people, build a good team, and as the entrepreneur or the leader of the organization, you need to shrink yourself down and let those people grow and build. I always wanted to be the smallest person in the organization. So the other folks around me could take on big roles. Small things like in the boardroom, I never sat at the head of the table, I always sat on the side. I wanted the people around the table to know that, hey, their roles are equal to or bigger than mine. My philosophy has always been to hire good people and get out of the way. That’s been the basis of our success over the years and in every business, I’ve been involved with. When you hire good people and get out of the way, you got a great chance of success. EB: Because you’re only as good as the people you surround yourself with. DF: You’re only as good as the people around you. Yep, that’s it. EB: Certainly, I think all leaders must have patience for every brick to be laid with skill, and knowing the difference between waiting, or patiently pursuing. DF: Exactly. So, you’re not at the office, right? EB: No, we are not. One of the things that Beth did right before everything started opening back up back in June, she wanted to hear from our team and so she sent out a survey and as you can imagine, the results were extremely telling. You had some team members that wanted to go back to the office, and many that were not quite ready…therefore, for the brands that were working from home, return to the office is completely voluntary as their safety is her number one concern. DF: I want to applaud Beth for her leadership in that area of letting people work from home and being more focused on people’s safety than anything else and not going with the status quo of, “Yes, the country’s opened back up, everybody back to work.” She used her own judgment and that’s… And I think people are a lot… BG’s a lot safer, the employees are a lot safer, the team members are a lot safer because she made that decision. And then not only did she close the offices, when a lot of the states were going back into offices, she extended it because the data said, the science said, this is a terrible disease and let’s keep our people safe. That’s a great leadership move on her part. And, I think oftentimes CEOs, they do what makes cents, but they don’t do what makes sense, and it’s a play on words. They do what makes cents C-E-N-T-S, not what makes sense, S-E-N-S-E. She’s doing what makes sense, which eventually will make cents. A Bit About Darrell Freeman: Darrell Freeman, the Executive Managing Director of Zycron, an information technology services and solutions firm he founded in 1991 and later sold to BGSF in 2017. Zycron became a division of BGSF. Freeman also co-founded Tennessee-based Reliant Bank in 2006 and has served as a board member and a member of the audit and compensation committees of Commerce Union Bancshares, Inc., the holding company for Reliant Bank, since its inception. Additionally, in 2007 Mr. Freeman co-founded Pinnacle Construction Partners, a construction management firm, and has served as the chairman since 2007. Since 2016, Mr. Freeman has also served as the chairman of the board of directors of S3 Asset Management, a technology, and medical equipment recycling company. Most recently, he was added to the Board of BCBS Tennessee. Mr. Freeman holds a B.S. in Industrial Technology and a master’s degree in Industrial Studies, both from Middle Tennessee State University. While he still maintains a smaller, consulting role now to Zycron, he spends his time investing in his community, as well as improving the educational system. When he’s not investing in dreams or new businesses, you’re likely to find him flying his plane, where he hosts his YouTube series, “Cockpit Conversations.”

A position that wasn’t in existence a few months ago, BG Real Estate introduced the Social Distance Attendant and Elevator Concierge roles in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, knowing that most apartment communities would need to flex to accommodate residents’ use of their amenities. So what does a Social Distance Attendant actually DO? We’re so glad you asked! Keep reading for a few tasks that SDs are responsible for while working, as well as a handy dandy decision-making guide to use when considering whether or not to hire a social distance attendant. They help keep communal spaces clean. Fitness centers, elevator banks, coffee stations, and business centers can still operate, but not to full capacity in most areas. Social distance attendants are there to make sure that these areas are sanitized, wiped down, stay clean and sparkling for the next resident. If your community is operating on a one-in, one-out rotation for any amenities, a social distance attendant can help with making sure people abide by any time limits and occupancy counts. They assist in spacing out seating. It’s pool season! For the communities that have open pools and courtyard areas, social distance attendants can not only keep these seating areas clean but also ensure that a full six feet are kept between seats. That way, your residents won’t have to shift and move when they come to lounge by the poolside on a hot day. They can deliver items to residents. Packages don’t stop during a pandemic, and one might say that they’ve increased with the amount of time people are spending at home and not out at grocery stores and shops. Social distance attendants can jump in and help deliver packages to residents’ doors- not only does this help keep a mass of residents out of your office, but it makes your team’s day a bit easier with one less thing to handle and manage. They help with scheduling out amenity times. Some communities are allowing residents to book a slot in the fitness center, game lounge, or business center as a way to assist with keeping the headcount down in communal areas. Social distance attendants can manage these bookings, including calling residents to confirm their slot, letting a resident know when their time is up, and cleaning the space in-between visits. They assist with any virtual or in-person resident event. Resident events can still be in full swing if you look at the great ways to connect with residents virtually or even in-person, staying socially distant. A social distance attendant can help execute a resident event by delivering refreshments or items beforehand for a virtual event or assisting in setting up for an in-person event. Whether it’s stocking extra masks or gloves, arranging prepackaged snacks and individually bottled drinks, or making sure everyone is having a good time, our social distance attendants can help with anything you need to make sure everyone is staying safe. Did you miss our last blog post about resident event ideas during COVID-19? Check it out here! BGRE is here for the talent you need to keep your community clean and socially distant while we weather this pandemic together. Contact your local office today to learn more about the candidates we have ready to assist you in your community!

As the world goes through an unprecedented time and countless projects have been pushed back, there’s a saturation of available, qualified consultants. Interviewing and perfecting your resume has always been hard but with our current situation, landing a job is even harder. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to set yourself apart from other applicants and help you land your next role: Be More Flexible With less positions available during these times, it may be necessary to consider taking a role that’s slightly lesser than your experience provides for or think about working for a company you may not have considered before. There may be a certain company you didn’t take a job with because of travel demands. With most roles being fully remote now, this company could be an option now. We can agree that while these options aren’t perfect, they may be necessary for the time being and in the long run, could help you land that dream job later down the road. Keep Your Skills Sharp This is likely the first extended period of downtime folks have had in a long time.  If you find yourself with more time on your hands, you can use this time to bulk up your resume to set you apart by expanding your skillset. You could pick up formal training on the new emerging technology you have been looking into, gain a certification you maybe never had time for before, or train in a new module being released. Showing companies that you have the drive and ability to pick up these rarer skills can make you significantly more marketable. Stay Connected to Your Network Basically, everything’s virtual now! Keeping up with colleagues and friends you have made along your journey can give you integral market info on where and what projects are picking up. These connections and even your recruiter’s connections could be the key to unlocking a position or project you might have never known about. Even if you don’t have any viable connections, just let your recruiter know, and they can use their network to help fast track you to a position. Truly, it’s about open communication and a willingness to work together that will get the job done!