Being a social housing officer not only gives you a stable job, but also provides you with an opportunity to do some good in your life by enabling you to allocate homes to the homeless and needy. And if this profession interests you, then you need to know a few things as to what the job is all about.
Understand The Role
You should have a clear understanding as to what the duties of a housing officer. An officer is usually responsible for checking the needs of the people who are applying for social housing, to keep track of vacant homes, and to allocate such homes to the people with the greatest need. In addition, the officer is also responsible for deciding on the rent of the homes, for collecting such rents at correct times, and to collect the arrears when they become due.
They should also be mentally strong enough to deal with all kinds of anti-social and violent behaviors some tenants might show. In addition, the officers are also required to do a routine inspection of all homes and check them thoroughly to ensure that they are in a good state and have not been damaged in any way. And in case they do see any damage to a house, they must arrange for repairs as soon as possible.
Pick A Good Hiring Agency
The best way to get hired by a good social housing provider is to go through a reputed social housing recruitment agency. Such agencies are always in touch with the numerous housing organizations. As such, you can get your desired job by meeting a single agency rather than having to deal with multiple social landlords.
Have Good Communication Skills
When you become a social housing officer, you will be dealing with a lot of people from diverse backgrounds. These include homeless people who may have even forgotten what it is to have a roof above them, minorities who may feel threatened, abused people who may have to leave their homes under stressful conditions, and so on. As such, it is necessary that you have the communication skills to talk with them in a way that does not offend or hurt them in any way.
Education Qualifications
As far as education is concerned, a few of the employers might expect you to have a degree in a subject matter related to the job. These include degrees in community development, social development, housing etc. And in case you already have work experience related to any of these fields, then the employer will definitely see you more favorably. You should also have good knowledge about the issues tenants may face, like drug abuse, welfare, and so on.
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