You could say I was driven to RPM. I was working 12-hour days selling cars, and I knew it wasn’t the long-term career choice I was looking for. When I became a new mother, I also needed a new career with flexibility.
I joined the residential property management (RPM) industry in a part-time leasing position and grew fast in the job. Since then, I’ve taught industry certification courses, served as president of the Roanoke Valley Apartment Association, and eventually made the jump from the management side of RPM to the supplier side, where I market properties to renters.
I’m bringing all of these experiences to my role as an RPM Careers ambassador on RPMcareers.org, the National Apartment Association’s website designed to bring talent to our industry. Through the “Connect” page, candidates can contact us through email or LinkedIn to learn more about RPM. Here’s what I tell those who contact me: You can move up fast in RPM!
In 2003, I moved to a full-time leasing position with HHHunt, where I learned so much about managing a residential community. The company helped me pursue an education in the RPM industry by encouraging my participation in National Apartment Leasing Professional (NALP) and Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) designation courses. I got the biggest compliment from my management team when they nominated me to serve on the board of the local apartment association. Now I’m a regional sales executive with RentPath, which consists of real estate websites including ApartmentGuide.com, Rent.com, Rentals.com, and LiveLovely.com.
My experience working as a property manager has been beneficial to me in working as a supplier to residential communities. In my current career, I need to be able to effectively communicate about a property’s advertising return on investment, its budgets compared to actual expenses, its leasing and closing ratios, and so much more.
I’m excited to be an RPM Careers ambassador. I get to represent the supplier side of our industry to individuals who are thinking about applying to an RPM career. With all the different kinds of opportunities available in RPM, I’m happy to be an encouraging voice that can speak to the industry experience from many perspectives.