It should come as no surprise that, as with many who enter this field, Gaitan-Manning didn鈥檛 see herself as a property manager. But likewise, 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 do much in psychology with only a bachelor鈥檚,鈥� she says, explaining that real careers in that profession start with a masters or doctorate, 鈥渟omething at that point I wasn鈥檛 in a position to do.鈥�
A classmate told her about Draper & Kramer and how good the firm was to work for. She got a job鈥搉ot yet what she saw as a career鈥揳s 鈥渁 front desk leasing agent,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hen I became an assistant property manager in 2018 and a full property manager early in 2021.鈥� Today, Gaitan-Manning manages a 180-unit garden apartment in Schaumburg.鈥�
But the timing of her promotion to property manager is significant, coming as COVID-19 was still spreading its shadow over the globe. If there ever was a need for a background in psychology, and training in Neuro Linguistic techniques, it was then.
鈥淔or many of our residents, things鈥損ersonally and professionally鈥揵egan falling apart,鈥� says Gaitan-Manning, who is one of 乐竞体育赛事直播鈥檚 Next Gen CPM Leaders. 鈥淢any people don鈥檛 expect a landlord to care, and in fact there鈥檚 only so much we can do to assist people in their personal struggles. But we can at least listen to their problems. It鈥檚 a good skill to have. The most important thing is that they feel listened to, understood, and cared about. In that way, I believe, we鈥檝e seen a lot of people through their life crises.鈥�
Gaitan-Manning, who is currently a CPM庐 candidate, finds that much of what she applies to others in her work is also available to her for her own growth through both the Next Gen CPM Leaders program and 乐竞体育赛事直播 as a whole. She says they both feed her need for sharing and camaraderie.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to be part of something bigger鈥搒omething more than just your daily work,鈥� she says. Sharing with others is a sort of two-way street, a process in which both parties can gain. 鈥淭he Next Gen CPM Leaders initiative and 乐竞体育赛事直播 are the channels through which we can do that. That鈥檚 乐竞体育赛事直播鈥檚 primary significance to me.鈥�
Even though COVID-19 is now largely in our rearview mirrors, Gaitan-Manning sees a continued need for back-and-forth communication and the need to listen. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen a lot of change in the past few years in terms of what people want from their lives and their jobs,鈥� she says. 鈥淗ybrid working and shopping experiences are changing, and new technologies are forming every day. There will continue to be changes we have to embrace because it all impacts where we work and live.鈥� These are changes, she says frankly, 鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to.鈥�
This is especially true as the people we serve鈥揵e it client, resident or vendor鈥揷ontinue to grow more diverse in culture and language. 鈥淚鈥檓 seeing a more diverse approach developing in property management, and I want to be part of that progression.鈥�
Beyond that, she isn鈥檛 clear on where she鈥檒l be in the next 10 years. That鈥檚 understandable, of course.鈥�
鈥淣o one knows where they鈥檒l be in 10 years,鈥� says Gaitan-Manning.鈥� Echoing 2022 乐竞体育赛事直播 President Barry Blanton鈥檚 view, 鈥淭here are a lot of different directions I can take within property management. But whatever I鈥檓 doing, I know it will be built on the tools I have available to me now.鈥� Those tools include those provided by her psych background as well as her involvement with 乐竞体育赛事直播.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 just at the beginning of all of the possibilities and everything that can be,鈥� she concludes.听