Mecca B.’s Post

I’m not a recruiter. My title confuses people sometimes but I actually work with #offcampushousing #multifamily #brokers #realtors and personnel in #highereducation as a liaison between Apartments.com sales reps, our university partners and property managers/brokers. Basically, I’m a relationship specialist. Some days I’m at #housingfairs or #tradeshows while other days I’m setting up #sales and then other days I’m selling or presenting and then if it’s really crazy… I’m doing all of the above. However, I have always been an individual strong at networking. I naturally love talking with people about their goals, dreams, and aspirations and have always enjoyed helping in any way I can. When I came to #OffCampusPartners in 2021 (transferring from our parent company Apartments.com) I found myself in a unique situation with a former team slowly transitioning out and a dire need for new blood. I quickly became our “most tenured” University Relations Manager. I took on the challenge to recruit new teammates from my network. I had dozens of conversations in my free time with former colleagues, friends of friends, and even a few shot in the dark #Linkedin messages. We ended up hiring Blake first, one of my best friends but also a former Greystar & Management Services Corporation employee with a strong background in higher education. Jolissa, I met at #NASPA and came on board with a wealth of knowledge from her years working for colleges & universities. Taylor, I met back in 2018 while working for #Greystar during a training class and her expertise #studenthousing couldn’t have lined up better. Allie was my former colleague at MSC and her creative eye, attention to detail, and multifamily background was another great match. Of all the accomplishments I have made in the past 2 and half years, they all pale in comparison to the recruiting of these 4. Their success has less to do with me and more to do with their willingness to strive for greatness. I am just grateful that each of them were willing to hear me out and took a leap of faith joining our team. Each one of them have made Off Campus Partners better in their own way and I know they will continue to shape this company into a golden era. #LifeAtCoStar #Networking #Recruiting

The traditional career is dead. Gone are the days of working your entire career for a single company. Because loyalty is at an all-time low, layoffs are high, And you're lucky if you ever see your 3rd work anniversary. So it's no wonder people are disenfranchised with their careers. - We've been taught to be dedicated. - Yet it's only gotten us passed by for promotion. - We've been taught to work harder. - Yet it's only gotten us more work. - We've been taught to pay our dues. - Yet it's only gotten us passed by for promotion. - We've been taught to be loyal. - Yet it's only gotten us a pink slip. Maybe it's time to start putting ourselves first for a change. And use the employment arrangement to our advantage. We tried the traditional path of getting ahead, and it didn't work. Now we'll try a different way. ____________________________________________ PS: I'm pleased to announce I've launched a course I've been working on for months! The Ultimate Career Blueprint was created to give career-minded people a clear roadmap on how to finally achieve their goals, despite how crappy the job market has become. This goes way beyond just getting a job. It will finally give you a simple, but powerful strategy to follow to move up the ladder in your career. You can learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eZ_6hknu

This is the post I've been hesitant and scared to share, but in the spirit of "closed mouths don’t get fed," here it goes! After working at Rollins throughout my grad school experience—from graduating on May 9th to starting work at the institution on May 11th and persevering through COVID—I was let go from my position in mid-April. While I won’t go into details, I believe this was a blessing in disguise. My role came about because two people had left just before COVID, and I took on the responsibilities of both positions. For the past four years, I’ve felt stagnant in the same role, but this change, while abrupt, has made me realize that my skills are meant for so much more. My creativity, ability to connect people and systems, train and so much more are unique, and my next job will fully leverage these strengths. This layoff allowed me to take a much-needed break. Talking with friends, we realized we've been going non-stop like Energizer bunnies since undergrad. From school to a job, then to grad school, and another job with barely a moment to breathe, burnout is real and hits hard. As a Black woman in the workforce, there's an extra pressure to out perform your counterparts, making grace all the more necessary. This feels like the perfect time to venture into new opportunities!  I've been networking, attending panel events, and working with an amazing LinkedIn wordsmith to update my profile (work in progress). And the best part? I won a giveaway to attend Render, a huge tech conference that takes place in Atlanta! This journey is hopeful and I want to thank from the deepest parts of my soul the people who have showed up and showed out for me during this time. The list is long and I appreciate each one of you! #layoff #jobseeker #RenderATL #RenderATL24 #newbeginnings #techcommunity #networking #Resilience #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #BurnoutRecovery #RenderConference #LinkedInTips #JobSearch

Launch your career path with Sutton's in just a few easy steps: 1. Navigate to https://lnkd.in/eQC2tWGm to view our latest job openings. 2. Scroll down to view the open positions 3. Select a position that interests you. 4. Review the job details thoroughly and click on 'apply' located at the bottom of the job listing to apply. #SuttonsJobs #BeginYourAdventure #CareerOpportunities #ApplyNow

The single best thing about my career is giving people a chance. It's been a pleasure watching Nick go from strength to strength over the last few years with some very impressive achievements to his name. We gave Nick a chance because he was passionate about forging a career in digital - safe to say he has done that and more. To me, the right mindset is always a better indicator for hiring than current ability. #growthbeyondmetrics

— 2004 — My dad and I were playing a game. The game was called “Find Travis Something to do This Summer.” I lost. It’s a mid-week night in February, and I’m standing in front of the undergraduate library at UNC. He asks me, “Did you ever sign up for the study abroad program?” I hadn’t. The deadline had passed a few days before, and I hadn’t realized it. Hadn’t even gone to the website. “OK.” he said. “Well, you’re going to spend this summer in southern Indiana.” The truth was I had spent my first several months in Chapel Hill creating an energizing but totally unmanageable situation for myself. I pledged a fraternity, joined a high-octane orientation program, and was admitted into a competitive leadership program. My roommate was the closest thing to a celebrity I’ve ever seen. And I was carefully keeping up a long distance relationship with my girlfriend three states away. By April, I was 19 and adrift. I was experiencing something that I would have the words for later: overwhelm, burnout, overstimulation. I remember Easter weekend, which fell on my birthday. Most everyone in my dorm had gone home. I went to Best Buy, bought the first two Shins albums, and laid on my bed in the dark, listening. In May, I went home. Reality set in when my mom and I went shopping for steel-toed boots. It’s one of maybe three times I’ve raised my voice at my mother. I had been a top student from the womb, and I was angry and frustrated at my performance. I spent 10 weeks outside Evansville, Indiana at a coal processing plant. I worked seven twelves. I learned how to use a blow torch, drive a forklift, and weld. Not exactly Rocky in Siberia, but you get the picture. I came back stronger that fall. The landscape was known to me. I had a plan and a more predictable rhythm. I made the Dean's List. That time to myself was exhausting and lonely, but it was a real reset. Embrace the quiet. Give yourself time to process and let the pieces fall into place. -- I’m Travis Starkey. I’m a generalist who sells, and I’m looking for my next role. #saas #sales #generalist #fintech #payments #chiefofstaff #partnerships

🔙 A Decade Later: Reconnecting with My First Boss, Ryan Harris 🔙 Ten years can feel like a lifetime, especially when you're on a rollercoaster of career highs and lows. This week, I got to reconnect with the person who gave me my very first push on that rollercoaster—my first boss, Ryan Harris. 👥 Where It All Started Ryan didn't just hire me as an intern at Walgreens' Loss Prevention Department; he also gave me my first full-time job, just three days after graduation! 🕰 Time Flies It's incredible to see how much we've both evolved. Since retiring from Walgreens, Ryan has worn multiple hats—from flipping houses to advising on mortgages. 🕵️♀️ The Investigator's Edge Our catch-up also gave us a chance to reflect on how our investigative backgrounds have shaped our careers. Curiosity isn't just for cats—it’s an essential trait that's driven us to dig deeper, ask questions, and find innovative solutions in our respective fields. 🛤 Shaping Careers A flashback to when I was 19: Ryan talked me out of pursuing a government career in law enforcement and nudged me towards the corporate world. Best. Advice. Ever. 🤝 Why It Matters Sometimes, it takes years to fully appreciate the impact someone has had on your life. This coffee catch-up wasn't just a stroll down memory lane; it was a reminder of the lasting influence of mentorship and friendship. 🌟 Reconnecting The best part of our meeting? Realizing that while careers may change, the essence of good people remains the same. If you ever have the chance to reconnect with someone who's made a difference in your life, grab that coffee. It's worth every sip. ☕ #MentorshipMatters #CareerJourney #Reconnecting #LifeLessons #KDWorkforce #GrowWithKatie #Curosity #WalgreensAlumni

Mission accomplished: Our Career Clinic just helped someone get hired. Here’s the story. 👇 Why I launched CS Connect's Career Clinic 3 months ago? Because many CSMs are struggling to find a job. It's one of the toughest job markets ever. Friends of mine have been hit by layoffs, and it's been tough. So, I thought, why not help as many folks as possible? 🎯 The goal: move them one step closer to finding a job. 🏆 My success criteria? 🙋♂️ Just one person landing a job because of our efforts. Simple, right? 🕰️ I’ve spent over 50 hours on this. After work, putting together amazing panelists, hosting weekly sessions, curating videos, and sharing them with the CS Connect Community. It’s been a labor of love and I enjoyed every moment of it. ❤️ But, guess what? 🤘 Mission accomplished. Someone found a job thanks to the Career Clinic sessions. Oh lord, I couldn’t be happier! Now, we're taking a summer break to restrategize. 📣 Help me build this out, CS community. 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. How should we relaunch after summer? Should we narrow our focus or go broad? Should we cover salary negotiations? Should we cover panel discussion? What topics would you like us to cover? What do you want to see in the second edition of Career Clinics? Drop your thoughts in the chat. Let’s make the next edition even better. 🌟 PS: Could'nt have made this without the support of all the panelists. This is also a win for you all. Thank you all for this. 🙌 Ramses Bossuyt, Pieter Boon Bayron Toruño Solano Kostadin Lilov Rohan Tailor Aditya Maheshwari Katrina Kugelmeier Tarek Slimani Jennifer Peters Natan Pollack Sumi Jaiswal Adrian G. Vishwas Katti Prashanth Jothi 📣 Looking to contribute to CS Connect? Drop me a note.    --------------------------------------------------------- #customersuccess #communitybuilding #csm #communityledevents #futureleaders #customerexperience  #madeinamsterdam #opentowork #jobseeker

So, the time has come, the Walrus said, To talk of other things. Today, I am officially on the job market. Yesterday was a sad day for a lot of people at Flatiron School. Grateful for my four years there, and the many people who I met along the way - colleagues, grads, employer partners. I am lucky to say that I leave with several meaningful friendships. So, what's next for me? Well, I am job-seeking and soul-searching. Looking for FT work, and creating my own biz for coaching and consulting. With two kids in college and an arthritic dog, (that sounds like a country song!), I am staying scrappy in the meantime; taking my own coaching advice to focus on what is in my control. So... my to do list today included: ✔ Signed up to walk dogs, and have my first client! Get paid to get outside - yes, please! ✔ Called the IRS for an EIN for my LLC. They were super helpful and friendly! ✔ Went to the bank to set up business accounts, credit card, and then set up Venmo. I'm ready to accept payment from clients! ✔ Worked out and booked a session with my therapist. Gotta stay healthy, body and mind, through stressful times. ✔ Bought lottery tickets. Why not? ✔ Applied to several roles, and reached out to people who work at those companies, taking my own advice about the job search being a 3D puzzle, not a straight line. ✔ Set up networking conversations for this week and starting next week's calendar. ✔ Read and responded to many texts and LinkedIn messages from colleagues and partners I've worked with. Thank you. Your kind and thoughtful words mean the world. Now, taking a breather and writing up tomorrow's to-do list, so feel free to share your action items for job-seeking. #jobseeking #careercoaching #takeyourownadvice #layoffs #mylifeisacountrysongrn #stayfocused

My newly minted 16-year-old daughter started her first official job Tuesday. She's working with a camp at Purdue this summer, and we're so proud of how she sought this opportunity with her typical determination and grit. She hadn't interviewed before and she was nervous, but she went after it and got it. Yesterday her response when she got home was to hug me and say, "I don't know how you do it, Mom." She meant the working, raising four great humans, writing, and, and, and. I try to be really transparent with my kids. I don't want to give them an artificial version of reality. I try to do the same with my students. I don't think we often have the real conversations that are needed. The ones that talk about how important choosing a life partner is (if you choose to have one) and the tradeoffs that I've had to make at different times in my career journey. Sometimes I do wonder what if, but not for long. I love where my life is right now. I have four amazing kids that were worth the investments. My husband has had an amazing career doing what he loves and adding great value at world-class institutions. And I've worked hard to earn where I am today. But it hasn't been a straight shot or easy. There are trade-offs and that's okay, too, for the journey I wanted for my family. The pay-offs so far have been well worth it, and sometimes I need to stop and remember that, too. But for those wondering and watching, it's work and juggling, and grit and grace, and a lot of help from a supportive family. Most of all it's knowing my why with a laser focus. It's also a constant reevaulation of balance (what's that?!?!), and what's important in this season. Just some random musings... What works for you? #Worklife #momlife #workingmomlife #modelsmatters #makeyourchoice