The Bozzuto Group Reviews

Pros

There is opportunity to advance financially when the company is doing well.

Cons

There are not a great deal of holidays. Depending on the department, you may work a lot of overtime. Overtime is compensated for, though.

Advice to Senior Management

As with most companies, a little more communication would be helpful.

Pros

You do not need much experience to get a position. You are given all the tools to be a successful sales person. Small office environment. You actually do work with people face to face and do not sit behind a desk all day.

Cons

The pay is almost impossible to live on. If you work at a new or popular community you are lucky if you work 40 hours a week and get the chance to sit down on a Saturday or Sunday. Or you are stuck at a site that see no action (and thus no commissions). Working weekends (at least 3 a month). Dealing with constant complaints from bills to maintenance requests can be very tiresome after a few days. This position has an extremely high turn over rate, so it's likely that you will be training someone within your first few months even when you are not fully trained. Additionally, you will likely have to fill the role of the Assistant Property Manager when they are out (or when you are left without one).

Advice to Senior Management

The Sales Associates are left to their own devices on the weekends (which is so conveniently when the managers get to have off) and this is when residents, vendors and major issues tend to come up the most. Thus, the Associates are left to do all the truly hard work and constantly cover up for their managers. If their was any time during the week when the managers SHOULD be at the site, it would be the weekends.

Additionally, if you had any idea how much work and labor goes into this role you would increase the pay of the Sales and Service Associates in a second! That fact that the sites are located for the most part in DC metro area, $32,000 a year (gross) is barely livable. This would also help to increase retention. And judging by the fact that their is constantly dozens of openings for the same positions at any one time should be a wake up call.

Lastly, cut the gossip. Try and get to be a little more professional in your manners.

Pros

It is a great entry level opportunity. However, as to the on-site experience it is dependant on the management. You do gain sales experience and meet lots of interesting people.

Cons

The HUGE downside is salary and commission pay out. Unless you are dependant on others, and have no bills, living in the city on Bozzuto salary is extremely sad. Commission pay outs do the opposite of encouragement. The Bozzuto Star Rewards program is "cool" but it defintely does not compensate for income or even help much. Each week a Manager's responsibility is added to your duty list. Working weekends and practically all Holidays leaves a huge dent on your social/family life. Not to mention, the micro managing on site is ridiculous and really annoying. The communication from on-site management needs help. There are no incentives in leasing which diminishes your desire to lease.

Advice to Senior Management

On-Site Management is not very helpful, inspiring, or positive. It's insulting, how some management seems to not have a care for the property they "manage," the residents we service or the employees they are supposed to be supporting and leading yet they are being promoted and rewarded. Please recognize who does all the work on-site and reward your Sales & Service Associates accordingly. You will lose high integrity employees.

Pros

+Great work enviornment. You get very close with your team which makes work fun!
+Making "friends" with residents. Your property becomes your home away from home
+Bozzuto Management Awards are a GREAT way to recognize employee achievement
+Very clear about what it takes to be promoted and promotions are fair
+Great benefits package/clothing allowance. 10 days vacation, 8 Sick Days, 2 Personal Days!
+Professional Growth
+Your work day is never the same and retreats and summits are a great way to get to know other employees in a fun environment.... while getting paid!

Cons

-Duties of the job do not match compensation
-Even as a manager, you must work weekends and vacations must be coordinated with entire staff.
-Open on holdiays when most companies are closed (i.e. Christmas Eve, Black Friday, etc.)

Advice to Senior Management

The upper management of this organization is amazing. I am impressed everytime I hear Julie speak and it motivates me to be a better employee. They are doing a great job and with a portfolio the size of Bozzuto's, the visibility of these executives is great! Keep up the good work and Bozzuto will go far!

Pros

It is pretty easy to obtain a position at Bozzuto. They have lots of openings due to the amount of people renting these days.

Cons

I unfortunately got placed with a terrible team. The location I was placed at was once coined, “The Bozzuto Black Hole”; no one that ever worked at this property ever got promoted and never lasted more than 6 months. The reason for this is because the management at this particular site was awful. They hated their jobs and hated coming to work every day. I think working for Bozzuto could have been really enjoyable but unfortunately I was placed a the Bozzuto black hole, and got out as quickly as possible. There also was a bit of misleading in regards to bonus’, for some reason bonus’ were never as much as they were made out to be. .. I think Bozzuto could be a great company to work for, just make sure your working with the right people.

Advice to Senior Management

Instead of wasting so much time on training the sales and service associates, work on making sure the management is happy and content with their jobs, otherwise they will make their employees miserable.

Pros

- Great sales training
- Managements transperency with employees
- Respect and appreciation level for employees is excellent
- Multiple new oppourtunites through out East Coast
- Career growth and recognition

Cons

- Pay rate for entry level is poor
- There is very little pay increase for distinction in properties
- Some rental communities are sub par
- Advancement takes time
- A new commission structure, can make some properties very unappealing to work at

Advice to Senior Management

Go back to your old commission structure. Your will get a better level of employee. And entry level employees deal with a lot of crap from bad residents... make it worth our while please.

Pros

- Training is pretty comprehensive; covers many of the scenarios you'll cover at work so you feel prepared.
- Good opportunity to learn a great deal about the property management industry and diversify your skill set.
- Great relationship building with upper management, i.e. the Regional Manager.
- If interested in pursing a career in property management, there is room for growth.
- Bozzuto definitely aims to hire some really great people. I was lucky enough to work with some of the most wonderful co-workers; they made everything much more bearable.
- There's a big awards ceremony in the spring which is fun and affords you the chance to let a little loose.

Cons

- Salary is far too low for what the vast majority of Sales and Service Associates have to deal with on a day to day basis.
- One weekend off a month doesn't seem so bad at first, but after the first few months, it starts to take a serious toll on your well-being and on any social life you plan on having. Not having two consecutive days off during the week gets to be draining.
- Oftentimes, there's no way you could take a lunch break or time off without risking falling far behind in your work.
- Seemingly constant turnover leads to covering two positions at once, with very little help from the Property Manager.
- Depending on your property, ownership may be very involved, which can be a huge annoyance.
- Bonus structure is definitely over-hyped. You won't make as much as you think you will or deserve.
- The Sales and Service Associate position makes you feel unappreciated. You hold one of the more important positions of initial contact with the residents and prospects, and unfortunately, aren't really treated as such.

Advice to Senior Management

Really take the time to put yourself in the shoes of the on site team. It feels like there's a disconnect between upper management and the front line employees. Maybe time could be taken to spend one day a month at each property to really get a feel for the day to day activities and experiences of all the employees.

Pros

This was a great company to work for. The management was very great to all of the employees. There isn't any micro management

Cons

This company doesn't do well with comission. They took money out of my pay check due to a poor performance on a "shop." However I was the top performer of the month. You also have to work many weekends

Advice to Senior Management

My manager was really great. She was always there to help and assist when needed. The regional manager was also very helpful.

Pros

-They pay decently
-They make it easy to have a good work/life balance
-They are flexible and understanding with your hours
-They offer great benefits packages.

Cons

-Sometimes lack of stuff to do
Other than that I really can't think of anything else that it needs to work on.

Advice to Senior Management

I cannot really think of anything to say to the upper management other than I wish that I would have been able to meet them before.

Pros

Bozzuto offers many online lessons to further your skill set. They encourage you to get certified at higher levels so when that position comes available, you are already certified. They offer positions internally first. When you do an outstanding job or move to a higher position, they announce it in a company wide e-mail and others can congradulate you.

Cons

The majority of the properties are luxurious. That also means they are expensive. They pay well for the industry but still not enough to afford to live there unless you are a manager even with the VERY small discount that is offered. I couldnt even afford to stay there for an entire lease term and i had 3 roommates.

Advice to Senior Management

Make sure all your managers work to the Bozzuto standard.