Millennials in real estate occupations gathered during the 2018 BOMA International Conference & Expo for a chance to talk and connect at the Emerging Professionals in Commercial Real Estate Program & Networking session. The event began with panelists from BOMA’s Emerging Professionals Committee asking questions and fielding answers from attendees.
Attendees participate in a discussion on issues millennial commercial real estate professionals face.
It was a lively conversation where people from different jobs, locations, ages and perspectives shared their experiences and points of view, connecting and bonding over similar experiences and learning from the differences of others.
Related: Tips to Attract the Next Generation of Property Managers
The conversation included:
- How to leverage social and career networks: Building and maintaining relationships will help so much, with multiple people citing organizations like BOMA. One woman even said that connecting with vendors is a good way to meet people outside your company that know what’s going on in other companies.
- Advice to others: When setting goals, write them down and think about who you want to be, not what you want to do; say yes to opportunities and you will continue to be invited to do them.
- Where you see the industry in the future: The number of women in the industry will continue to increase.
- Navigating office politics: Stay away from it (followed by laughs), don’t take things personally and read emails with a positive intent: “What will be remembered is your response.”
- Challenges to overcome: Age, specifically related to getting respect with vendors and tenants and building trust because they are newer to the role.
- How to move up: Ask those above you with more experience to pass along their knowledge and offer to help them.
Valerie Dennis Craven [email protected] is editor-in-chief at BUILDINGS.
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