‘What Renters Want’ with Jessica Fiur: What Property Managers Could Learn From the Decision to Cast Ben Affleck as Batman

There are important things going on in the world today—war, a still-struggling economy and oh my god Ben Affleck is going to be the new Batman!

In case you haven’t heard the news, the Oscar-winning actor, who’s played important roles in Good Will Hunting, Argo and Gigli, has been cast as Batman in the upcoming sequel to Man of Steel. (Don’t get me started on why a Superman sequel wouldn’t benefit from Batman. One is an alien with amazing super powers and the other is some bored rich guy who has a gift certificate to Brookstone. Clearly a perfect match.) We’ve had a million other Batman movies recently, but I do understand why there needs to be a Bat reboot so soon after the last one. After all, The Avengers made tons of money, and who wouldn’t want a piece of that superhero money pie when The Justice League invariably comes out?

And, though the casting choice is a bit controversial, there is a lot that property managers could learn from it when it comes to hiring their own team.

Draw from past job experiences. Ben Affleck might seem like an odd choice for the iconic man in black who isn’t Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, or Johnny Cash. But Affleck has had previous experience playing a super hero in Daredevil (though I certainly wouldn’t brag about that). He also played George Reeves, a real-life actor who played Superman, in Hollywoodland. So he won’t be coming into the role cold. When you’re looking at people’s resumes, definitely look at their past experiences instead of their most recent job. A previous career in property management or leasing could give your candidate a basic handle on the position, and you might only need to teach them the newest tricks. After all, social media, computer programs, etc., can be taught. A feel for the position and the knowledge of what would most be helpful to residents has to be learned.

Photo credit: Featureflash

Everyone brings their own spin to the role. Adam West was campy. Michael Keaton was intense. Val Kilmer was debonair. George Clooney was in a batsuit with nipples. And Christian Bale was awesome. And gravel-y. Anyway, all these actors brought something different to the role of Batman. As will Ben Affleck. When hiring a new employee for your apartment community, don’t look for a carbon copy of the last person to fill that position. That person might have been great, but maybe a new person will bring something to the table you haven’t even thought of yet, and once that person is there you’ll wonder how you ever did without them.

Think long-term. As mentioned, part of the reason they’re rebooting Batman is to eventually make The Justice League movie. So, maybe alone it seems weird to have Ben Affleck in a starring superhero role. But he is a big name and people will follow him to The Justice League. Plus, maybe Affleck has great chemistry with the actors they’re considering for the other superheroes that make up the league. When you’re hiring, don’t just think about filling a position right away. Consider the goals of this position, and how it will affect the rest of your team. Take your time during the interview, and pick who you think would fulfill that goal, even if it’s an unconventional choice.

Go with your gut—even if it’s not always the most popular choice. Some people just aren’t a fan of Ben Affleck, and they’re very vocal about it. The casting choice was just made, and there’s already a trending hashtag #betterbatmanthanbenaffleck (way to use up all your characters before you even get to the tweet, guys) where people are offering up suggestions, such as their grandmothers or something. But, who knows? Maybe Affleck will be amazing in the role. Plus, he has a built-in fan base already. Plus, we all know that he’s a good actor (mostly). And, remember when Heath Ledger was cast as The Joker in The Dark Knight? At that point Ledger was known mostly for teen heartthrob roles, and people got all up in arms about that too. And the guy won a posthumous Oscar for the role! (Plus now you can’t ask anyone if they want to see a magic trick without them getting the chills.) If you’re getting a strong feeling about a candidate, why not give him or her a chance. Sometimes people have intangible qualities that make them perfect for a position, such as great people skills or organization skills. People might not always agree with your choice, but you’re the one who has to live with the decision.

It doesn’t hurt to be devastatingly good looking. How do you think I got my job?

What else as property managers can we learn from Ben Affleck being cast as the next Batman? What do you think of the decision?

-Jessica Fiur, News Editor