“My RPM Story” – Jessica Karl

| Updated

2 minute read

When I was a student and asked my godmother for career advice, she shared her love of helping people find the perfect home.

“The most important thing is to find what makes you happy,” she told me. “There are only a few things you need in life, and shelter is one of them. I love helping people find their home — it’s the greatest gift.”

During my school and college years, I held a variety of jobs: bartender, server, hotel housekeeper, and campground cashier. After that conversation with my godmother, I decided to earn a business degree and then get my real estate license. After a few courses in property management at the University of Wisconsin – Stout, I switched my major to property management and my minor to business administration.

My goal was to work in commercial property management. But after a 10-week internship with Weidner Apartment Homes, I fell in love with residential property management (RPM) and haven’t thought twice about my future career.

My journey in RPM has been extraordinary and rewarding: When I graduated, I accepted a position with Weidner’s Manager in Training program. I excelled in that program and was promoted in six months to assistant community director at a 399-unit community in midtown Phoenix. Six months later, I was promoted to community director at a 340-unit community in Peoria, Arizona. Another promotion six months after that took me to downtown Phoenix.

Today I oversee two communities: Skyline Lofts, with 332 units, and Proxy 333, with 118, both in downtown Phoenix. My business card says “community director,” but most days I consider myself a “multitasking ninja.” I encourage my team, oversee financials, resolve resident concerns, and complete administrative tasks — I never know what challenges the day will bring. In RPM, there is a beautiful chaos in the new challenges I encounter, each presenting a new learning opportunity.

I attribute my success in RPM to mentors who pushed, educated, and shared their experiences with me. I became an RPM Careers ambassador to pass on my experience and mentor future RPM leaders.

If you know someone who would make a great RPM Careers ambassador, email Sarah Levine.