Facility Management Jobs / Maintenance Jobs

Career Guide to Facility Management

Have you ever wondered who it is who takes care of a building’s physical functionality?

Facility management is the management of a facility. But, the definition of this is much more complex than just a person or group of people that run a building. The fact is there are many areas to that management that need to be addressed so that the facility management is working well. If you are a company that is struggling with these aspects of management, knowing that there are firms that can come in and help you can be quite beneficial.

Realizing the many key roles in facility management is quite important. The head of facility management will need to direct each of the players in various sections of management that need to be handled. Each of the individual elements in facility management needs to come together through the managers so that the whole runs well.

Yet, each type of department plays its own major role as well. There are the hard facility management needs that every business needs to manage including the general repair of the building and insuring that the building can completely function physically. In the soft facility management levels, the individuals will manage the building’s other needs. For example, they will manage the performance of individuals in it including contractors and they will make sure that the building is clean and meets the needs of those that will use it.

Facility management has a large role to play. It is there job to insure that everyone in the building has everything that they need to effectively do their job. This is no easy task and because of that, many companies turn to outside sources for their needs. For example, you can contract companies as they are needed to come in and insure that things are running right. Facility management can really play a large role in how well the building can perform its necessary functions.

If this sounds like something you interested in, then a career in a Facility Management might be for you!

To businesses and investors, properly managed real estate is a source of income and profits; to homeowners, well-managed property is a way to preserve and enhance resale values and increase comfort. Property, real estate, and community association managers maintain and increase the value of real estate investments by handling the logistics of running a property. Property and real estate managers oversee the performance of income-producing commercial or residential properties and ensure that real estate investments achieve their expected revenues.

What Education/Certifications do you need for: Facility Management Jobs / Maintenance Jobs

Most employers prefer to hire college graduates for property management positions. In fact, employers increasingly are hiring inexperienced college graduates with a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, real estate, or public administration for these positions. Those with degrees in the liberal arts also may qualify, especially if they have relevant coursework. Many people entering jobs such as assistant property manager have onsite management experience.

Other qualifications. Previous employment as a real estate sales agent may be an asset to onsite managers, because it provides experience that is useful in showing apartments or office space. In the past, those with backgrounds in building maintenance have advanced to onsite manager positions on the strength of their knowledge of building mechanical systems, but this path is becoming less common as employers place greater emphasis on administrative, financial, and communication abilities for managerial jobs.

People most commonly enter real estate asset manager jobs by transferring from positions as property managers or real estate brokers. Real estate asset managers must be good negotiators, adept at persuading and working with people, and good at analyzing data in order to assess the fair-market value of property or its development potential. Resourcefulness and creativity in arranging financing are essential for managers who specialize in land development.

Current & Future Job Outlook for:

Facility Management Jobs / Maintenance Jobs

Job prospects. In addition to openings from job growth, a number of openings are expected as managers transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force. Opportunities should be best for jobseekers with a college degree in business administration, real estate, or a related field, and for those who attain a professional designation. Because of the expected increase in assisted-living and retirement communities, particularly good opportunities are expected for those with experience managing housing for older people or with experience running a health unit.

 Employment change. Employment of property, real estate, and community association managers is projected to increase by 15 percent during the 2006 decade, faster than the average for all occupations. Job growth among onsite property managers in commercial real estate is expected to accompany the projected expansion of the real estate and rental and leasing industry. An increase in the Nation’s stock of apartments, houses, and offices also should require more property managers. Developments of new homes are increasingly being organized with community or homeowner associations that provide community services and oversee jointly owned common areas requiring professional management. To help properties become more profitable or to enhance the resale values of homes, more commercial and residential property owners are expected to place their investments in the hands of professional managers. Moreover, the number of older people will grow during the 2006 projection period, increasing the need for specialized housing, such as assisted-living facilities and retirement communities that require management.