Orvis’ Post

On this last day of #RPMCareersWeek, I wanted to reflect on my leadership role in the property management industry and why I can’t imagine doing anything else! Unlike many others, I didn’t fall into this industry by chance. I started at VT in Interior Design, but later switched to Residential Property Management, which was a Program in the same College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. I started a part-time job at a local student housing community and never turned back! Over the next 17 years, I worked in student housing and then the last 12 in conventional housing in many cities, and in roles ranging from Floating Manager to Regional Manager. I absolutely love this industry for a variety of reasons: - No day is the same, and every day is filled with opportunities! - I learn something new every day and never, ever get bored. - Opportunities for employment are endless, as everyone everywhere needs housing! - The growth opportunities are endless in this fast-paced industry! If you desire it, you can achieve it! - My favorite part is the opportunity to lead others. Seeing my teams learn, grow, face challenges, celebrate successes, and thrive in this industry is incredibly rewarding! So, if you’re considering a job in this industry, just know that it will get in your blood and you’ll be hooked! And if you’re looking for a company where you can make a difference, feel valued, and have the opportunity to advance your career, check out #KETTLER! #propertymanagement #careeropportunities #leadership

Great company to begin your career with

I started my first job in 1984 at the age of 12 years old. I began delivering the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun Times. A paper route in Chicago is no joke. 7 days a week - 365 days a year. There is a 90 day period every year when there is snow on the ground and my shopping cart did not allow me to navigate the Southside streets of Chicago. So, I took the legs off of a second shopping cart and replaced them with the blades from a sled. This allowed me to cut right through the snow and successfully complete my route - regardless of weather. I did not know it at that time but I have had a job ever since accepting that paper route. May, 1984 until January, 2024. I will skip ahead to 9/25/95 which was the day I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Illinois University. This was also the same day I started as a Marketing Intern at Harrah’s Joliet Casino. Well, 20 positions, an MBA and 28.5 years later (all with the same company) it was time for me to take a break - my first break. Here is what the past 5 months have taught me: Spending time with my 3 teenage daughters has been awesome. After years of missed events I was afraid they would resist my new efforts to become a more involved father. It has been quite the opposite. We have traveled, hung out, I really got to know their friends and this has been the highlight of my time off. I will be visiting my oldest at Ole Miss and my middle daughter at Alabama this fall. I am also going to be in the stands for many more of my youngest daughter’s soccer games. I needed to prioritize my health. I have had a physical, bloodwork, met with a nutritionist, began an exercise regimen, adjusted my diet and have attempted to get “good” sleep - still working on that one. My life has had structure as far back as I can remember. Yes, even in a 24/7/365 casino executive position there is still a form of structure. I like that, I need that. 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday is not for me. I have thought about it as a possibility for my next chapter but have quickly ruled it out. I thrive on controlled chaos and am at my best in high-stress environments. Most of all, what I have learned is that I miss working. I miss the people, I miss building teams, I miss being given a goal and then putting all of the pieces together to go shatter expectations and I really, really miss the action. In the end, whether I should have called my break a Sabbatical instead of Retirement it has no bearing on where I am today. When I made that decision I had no idea if it would be 3 months or 3 years. As it turns out 6 months was what I needed. I am fired up and ready to go. I am a damn good casino executive but if there is another company, regardless of industry, who is looking for someone to help you break through and achieve new heights please feel free to reach out. Cheers! Dan

Great Opportunities

What was your best summer job? And what did you learn? Way back when, I worked in a women’s clothing store for several summers. And while my original focus was on socializing and the store discount, I learned lessons that have stayed with me to this day. First, it was an epic education in the world of corporate retail: why certain stores get attention and better inventory … and what that means for the employees. Second, it taught me how to be authentic in the workplace. Though back then, I was an extrovert, sales felt weird to me! But I learned that when I placed my focus on helping people–on being authentic–the sales followed. And while my career trajectory didn't include much in sales, the focus on helping people has served me in every job since. I believe it’s so important for teens to have summer jobs. It’s not just a chance to learn soft skills like time management and determination, they allow teens to test drive who they want to be and what they might desire in a career.  #SummerJobs #FirstJobs #retail #teens

Plain and simple - I LOVE MY JOB! 👩🏼💻🩵 Helping people get to where they want to be. What is better? In my interactions with candidates (whether I'm recommending them for roles or not), I strive to provide tips along the way. Whether that be; 📑 CV advice 🟦 Buzzwords to include on their LinkedIn profile 👔 Career advice ☑️ Explaining how the recruitment process/recruiters work 👂🏼 Honest feedback When it comes to delivering feedback, I make it a point to be transparent yet constructive, ensuring both positive and constructive aspects are conveyed most effectively. Before each feedback call, I plan how to frame this so the candidate gets the most out of it. After all, feedback should be a tool for growth and improvement. I tailor my approach, carefully selecting the words, making sure they resonate with the candidate. So... Let's get you to where you want to be. There are some very exciting roles, so if you'd like to know more, get in touch! 📧 - [email protected] 📞 - 07824 611009

Not a lot of you might've seen this post coming this year, as it might come as a huge surprise to some, but I have decided to leave Legoland California after almost 8.5 years. My time at Legoland has been nothing short of crazy. Both good and bad crazy, and I have gone through so much during my time here at the resort. I've grown and flourished in more ways than I'm able to count and I am ever so grateful and proud of all my accomplishments and growth that I have undergone since being employed here. When I first started, I was just looking for a high school summer job, so I would be able to save some money to hopefully buy my own car, and save some money for college. Little did 16-year-old Megan think that she was going to go through so much of her life at this place. I have spent 1/3 of my life working at Legoland, and I am so privileged to have had the opportunities that I was given and worked so hard to have earned. I've had the opportunity to build relationships and learn new skills. I had the immense pleasure of representing my home department of Retail in the Pilot Agile Leaders Program at the Resort, and I represented them immensely well. I ended up buying my own car years later with the money that I earned all by myself. I put myself through school financially (thank you tuition reimbursement for helping). I earned 3 college degrees. I worked 2 jobs on top of being a college student. I traveled. I got to try new things. I failed. A lot, but I also succeeded. To say that this was an easy decision for me to leave something that has been a constant in my life for the past 8 years is a lie. Leaving something that is so comfortable for me, was the most difficult decision that I've had to make. The number of ups and downs that I talked myself into and that I've talked to others about (almost every day) was turmoil, and I was winding myself up with all of this in my head, wondering if I'm making the wrong choice by staying, or if I'm making the wrong choice of leaving. I have no backup plan, and that terrifies me to great lengths. But I'm also so excited to see where this next chapter of my life takes me. I'm terrified of failing, but I'm also terrified of never even try and I end up asking the question, "What if?" To LEGOLAND California Resort, Karen Radzinski, Greg Radzinski, and Rachel Coffman, you have all pushed me to lengths I didn't even know that I could ever be capable of. Thank you for believing in me, even when I didn't. Thank you to all of you who have been with me on this incredible journey. Thank you LEGOLAND California Resort for all of the memories and growth. I will miss this place, but I'm grateful for all that you've given me.

I was recently talking to Kerry Hoffman about the varying jobs I had in college. When I was younger, nothing was better than the feeling of getting a paycheck-- some young folks focused extra on sports, some on school, but I was all about the hustle. When I was a senior in college I had the hustle going on. I was an RA in the dorms at school, and I worked at DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse in San Francisco. I would soon get a marketing internship at an event ticketing company and be running all 3 at one time in addition to school. My favorite of the three was working at DSW. I always love shoe shopping with my friends and I have always prided myself on convincing my friends to buy a new pair of boots. One time at DSW, a cool and trendy woman came in and came straight to the 2nd floor, where we sold women's heels and flats. She said, "Okay, I'm going to Vegas this weekend and I need help finding 4 pairs of shoes." I said "Okay let's go!" and I spent the next hour with her trying on shoes, talking about the events of the trip, and hearing how excited she was to get on the plane. It was so much fun to just help her. Even though the fact that she was buying 4 pairs of shoes was good for the store's revenue, it felt good to feel like I was making myself available to help her. This is why I've enjoyed roles throughout my career where I can feel like I'm helping folks. Whether that is in Customer Support, HR, Consulting, etc, I am someone who thrives on feeling like I'm making someone's day better. Even in my comedy career, it's less about getting attention for myself, and more about lightening someone's load in these tough times. As I look at roles and companies to apply for, I think about how the role connects to helping make folks' days better. Is my role helping employees get what they need? Is the company I work for making the world better in some way? Does the role give me the pride I'll need and the flexibility I desire to share my passions and messages with the world? Helping people... Is this what motivates you too?

Many young people have started their summer jobs this week. Let's share and talk together about our first uniform memories. What is your first or most memorable memory of your first workwear. Where did you work? What did you do? Share why this memory pops-up in your mind. #summerjob #workwearmemory #workwearsolutions #touchpointworkwear

Today is my 8 year work anniversary at Douglas Stuart Ltd. This got me thinking... What is the average tenure of employment? UK - 10.1 years France - 10.4 years Germany - 11.1 years USA - 4.1 years Australia - 3.3 years Denmark - 8 years The average tenure of employment in the #Recruitment industry ranges between 2 to 4 years and the most common reasons for leaving are; 1. Career Advancement (lack of opportunity) 2. Work-Life Balance 3. Feeling Undervalued Which for me speaks volumes for the way Douglas Stuart Ltd. have supported me, given me the opportunity to develop, and thus the reason I'm 8 years in and still enjoying the journey.