Bent Over Without The Courtesy of a Reach Around

Working for the company I work for, in the industry I'm in, one can only feel wrung out like a dirty rag. I am a resident property manager for a semi-slumlord who thinks he gives everyone a great deal. I am managed by a district manager whose position I filled only after see ran this place down the tubes, not unlike her predecessors, and then was promoted because of this ineptitude, only to rule over me as I try to make things better.

Now, logic tells me one thing is for sure. There will never be a time when she steps up and tells the owner what a great job I am doing and how I've turned the complex around and is vastly improved. To do so would make her look incapable of being a good manager, especially when someone like myself, 20 years her junior and brand new to the industry could come in and turn this place upside down in 6 months.

I don't think she ever intended to let the place go to hell but it did. Maybe the momentum it had going downhill before she took over was too much to overcome. Who knows? I do know that I am correct in my assumption she will never recognize my accomplishments nor inform the owner as to my role in the betterment of the complex. Instead, she makes it look as if she has to save the day when I cannot control things anymore. It really is sad to see someone grovel for the crumbs of attention and admiration she begs for. It is even more sad to see an owner who pretends to be a smart business man taken in and overlooking the quality person he has in me.

I am the kind of person who cannot do the job wrong. It is not within me to do anything less than the right thing. I am the type who will admit his wrongdoings and mistakes because I know I will never learn how to mend the mistakes without guidance from superiors and upper management. I know it's not within my power to know what their goals are from one moment to the next. Instead, I roll with the punches like a champ in the ring. I know that business isn't easy these days and I will sacrifice what I have to give to see the job done. I've always thought this was the way to do things.
I remember being a dishwasher as a kid and having enough pride in my job that I always took a little extra time to ensure that all the dishes that went out were clean. I knew what it was like to look down and see a crust of food on silverware. I knew that it would lead to wondering what else in the restaurant was unclean and paranoia would destroy the meal and reputation in an instant. Now, nobody else took it this serious not even the owner and manager. You would think he would understand how every part of the operation needed to work precisely and quickly but he didn't. To him and others, the dishwasher was the lowest on the totem pole but if you ask me, he is just as important as any other position. Cleanliness is crucial in the food industry and anyone who says different is an idiot.

So, I made sure they were all clean and I did it as quick as my peers. But since nobody else understood these things, I was underappreciated. I expected to be recognized and taken care of. It was only after 3 weeks of doing it by myself that I hit my limit. The owner had said he was looking for a second person to help on the weekends. On these days it was essential to keep up but we had lost someone and he never replaced them. Of course, I kept up, busting ass double time, often staying past midnight to get the stacks of dishes done that just kept pouring in as the night grew. I would have been fine if the boss had said he would prefer to have me do it alone but he didn't do that. Instead, he lied to me and strung me along, knowing full and well that I would do it and keep my mouth shut. He was right.

What he didn't count on was that the pride that made me do a good job was also the very thing he couldn't abuse. When I asked him if he was going to end up getting me some help, he turned and cussed at me telling me he was tired of my whining and he would hire somebody when he was damn well ready and if I didn't like it I could hit the door. He yelled this in front of all my co-workers which only made it worse. I looked at him when he thought I would cower and said, "Do the dishes yourself you jackass." I took off the apron and walked out the door never to return.

So who lost out? My dad said real revenge would've been to stay and work until the guy fired me or something to that effect. I didn't agree. I assured myself that the boss would never find someone like me. I was right and wrong about that. I was right, he never did find someone like me to my knowledge but I was wrong in that he did find someone to fill the position and life went on without me. Was his business effected? No, not in the least I am sure except for those that found dirty dishes I guess. He did lose out by not taking care of a good employee and I lost a job that was easily replaced. To this day, I think he was the bigger loser and he would never even know it.

This same scene has repeated for me time and again though and I don't know how to get out of this horrible pattern I've found myself in. Each job I get I do with all my might and energy and each time the boss couldn't care less or doesn't care enough. Am I expecting too much? I don't think so. I look at business today and I know there are jobs out there that value good people and repay loyalty with loyalty but they are sure hard to find.

I will stop whining for now. I just can't seem to continue.

Another Day, Another Dollar

I am a resident manager of a 217 unit apartment complex in Ohio. I am responsible for more than 500 residents and each day brings with it new challenges and new experiences. This blog will probably center mostly on the day to day events that happen on the job and in the lives of my tenants, employees and superiors.

In this business you see just about every walk of life. We are an older complex built around 1981 and we are not on the upper scale of our community. We have had quite a reputation for some time before I began working here but I've been determined to see that change.

The community I am in is mostly rural but has had quite a bit of money thrown at it over the past few years and the population is growing by leaps and bounds. Quite a few of these people moving into the area are people from other countries, mostly Mexico though. Many of them are not here legally and it has created quite a few problems with tracking tenants. The majority are still white, country people who really aren't that interested in being a melting pot.

The schools and government offices here are state of the art because we are located around a lot of businesses and amusement parks. It's quite breathtaking to see how beautiful this town is and surprising.

Since we seem to be the oldest apartment complex around, we tend to draw those who I would label lower middle to near poverty level. It makes my job very difficult.

It is difficult to assess who will be a good tenant when most don't make a lot of money, most don't have the best backgrounds and yet they are the only ones applying for apartments. The people with money are buying houses, condos or moving into apartments that cost near $1,000 a month to live in. So, I have to pick out the best I can find. Let's face it. People who are on the low end of the socio-economic level tend to have criminal background or behavior, so it makes being a resident manager very difficult. Do I take people in who might cause trouble just to keep the place full, thus continuing the reputation or do I turn these people away and lose money because of vacancies? It's a hard decision and unfortunately upper management doesn't really care and depending on their mood they hit you with one or the other saying I need to try harder.

For example, I can get yelled at for the vacancies, even though I've been getting rid of the trash and the next screaming session could be about the trash that lives here and how I need to get rid of them. It's not easy being me.

It would be worth it if I made good money but I make nothing compared to most managers in my line and quanitity of units. This creates it's own challenge. How much do I give to a job that I know may not be there tomorrow and will not reward me the appropriate value of my efforts? Then again, I cannot just give up and get by because my work ethic will not allow it. Plus, even though the owner is cheap with his pay, his expectations are rich. Oh well, such is life working in the private sector, especially for a family run business. As most family run businesses, it tends to be as dysfunctional as the family itself. It's not pretty.

Well, I just wanted to lay the foundation for some of the stories you will be reading as I post in the future. Hope you find it enjoyable.