[below letter is from a Professional Apartment Manager}
Jill,
I need some encouragement. My job seems to be getting harder by the day. I feel like I am caught in a vicious cycle with about 5 or 6 apartments. They have issues that seem to be spinning out of control. How do I tell someone that I have helped them all that I can? There is no where to transfer and besides that, no one wants to pay of course. I have been trying to put the responsibility back in their hands (giving them suggestions on how to talk to their roommates, giving them the non-emergency police number, having them record video footage of incidents), yet I feel like I am getting no where. Am I being too irrational or they just whiny residents? And of course, I get the parent phone calls and voice mails………… what do I do? I need help. I am becoming more unnerved everyday.
When it comes to a helping profession - it is always in cycles...sometimes it is the best job EVER - and other times you just want to rip your hair out. So remember - it will go on the up side soon too...but all things must get worse before they get better (that is my experience anyways).
Is there anyway to have an all roommate meeting? Talk to everyone in person? Is this something that is bigger than that - where the police need to be involved? Will you have to evict them?
What about a letter to each resident explaining what will happen if the behaviors contiue (eviction, police, etc.). What it comes down to is that even though they are in college, and parents are paying for rent - they are still adults and MUST deal with consequences to their actions. I used to always explain to RAs that every action/behavior has a consequence, some are good and some are bad - and that they will need to deal with the consequence. Also - we (as the helper) are only able to do what is in our power - and currently, transfers are not in your power - they will need to understand that and take another option available.
Be firm when speaking...take heart out of it for a few minutes to explain what you need to with the options you can give them. In these helping professions - sometimes we give too much heart - which makes us drained and overwhelmed, so lets think about it without the heart for a few minutes. Let them know the reality of the situation.
Labels: Career-Advice
