Wyndchase Apartments Service Manager Julie Lehman, CAMT, credits her commitment to education for her advancement through the ranks of maintenance positions in the apartment industry.
When I was a little girl, I often thought about what I wanted to be when I grew up. Did I want to be a doctor or lawyer or, maybe, a firefighter? Those options were attractive and exciting when I was younger, but never once did I envision myself working in the apartment industry. I don’t even think I knew when I was growing up that people worked at apartment communities. So I had never anticipated getting into the business, let alone pursuing a rewarding career for a large part of my life.
I started working in the apartment industry by default more than 20 years ago. I went to college straight out of high school, pursuing a degree in English. By my third year of going to college classes and working full-time at the local post office, I was burned out. I needed a break, so I decided to take a semester off.
I moved home to Indianapolis and took a job as a grounds-keeper at a 654-unit apartment community. Before I knew it, the maintenance professionals at the community took me under their wings and started showing me how to prepare apartments for new residents. Quickly, I developed an intrigue for fixing things and started taking things apart just to see how they worked.
I decided to go back to school later that year, but to my family’s and friends’ surprise, it was not to study English. Instead, I enrolled at the local technical school for a two-year HVAC certification course. The apartment industry had become my career path in just a few short months, and I knew it was meant to be.
From there, my career took off. I quickly developed a reputation as a hard, loyal worker. As I was sharpening my technical skills, I also was working on my management skills and landed a supervisor job at a 125-unit property. Even though it was a small property, I was still in charge, and the position equipped me with a strong management skill set.
In 1995, I got my first big break in the business and took over as Maintenance Supervisor at a 400-unit property in Memphis. In my new position, I started traveling, training other supervisors, troubleshooting issues at other communities and assisting with due diligence throughout the Southeast. I transferred with the same company to Nashville in 1997 to take over a 624-unit property and continued to assist in training and acquisitions for the company’s portfolio. Most recently, I held a Regional Supervisor position, handling large rehab portfolios and assisting in third-party acquisitions and am currently doing an upgrade on a 560-unit luxury community in Franklin, Tenn.
Education has been the cornerstone of my success through the years. I have taken advantage of every training opportunity offered to me—not just technical training but leadership training, leasing and legal seminars, as well. I’ve heard people use the phrase “knowledge is power,” and I can confirm that this is a true statement. I would not be in the supervisory role I am in today without my education.
Being a true professional is a key to success in this industry, no matter what your position. I focus on communicating not only with staff members but also with my residents.
Employment in the apartment industry has become increasingly competitive since I began my career 20 years ago. Management companies are now recruiting people out of colleges and technical schools to fill positions; people aren’t “falling” into this industry anymore, as they often did decades ago.
So, how does one advance in the industry? I say, hard work, determination and education. Listen to what is going on around you and be able to not only do your job, but those of others in your community, too. Don’t pass up opportunities for growth, even if they take you out of your comfort zone. Look at me, I went from studying English to apartment maintenance—a significant change in subject matter.
It also is essential to become an active member in your professional community. Not being active in your local apartment association can be detrimental to your career, since you will miss out on endless education and opportunities to make connections with your peers. Most associations also contribute monies and volunteer time to several charities; this also gives you the chance to give back to your community. The experiences I have had with my local apartment association—the Greater Nashville Apartment Association—have been invaluable to the advancement of my career.