Camden is a company that stands out from the rest. I can confidently say it is the best company to work for! Most of my colleagues agree, considering we’ve been named to Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For for more than 16 consecutive years. People always ask me how I found a great company like Camden. Lucky for me, Camden found me at a time when I needed them most.

Searching for My Perfect Career

Before Camden, I was trying to find the profession that was right for me. After attending college and taking courses in a few different majors, I was set on the hospitality industry. During my time in college, I worked at a Hilton in Flagstaff, Arizona, and worked my way up to a front office manager. I felt drawn to this industry due to the connections and relationships you built daily with guests.

One of my favorite memories that I will always remember was during the holidays, I had a guest call me ahead of time and explain that their kids were doing the elf on the shelf tradition. She asked if she could mail me their elf and have it in the room for when they checked in. The look on the kids’ faces was priceless as they had no idea how their elf got there! My favorite thing was going above and beyond and creating these memorable experiences one guest at a time.

Camden Finds Me

I was working at the front desk of my hotel like usual when I checked in two Camden employees who were attending the NAU career fair. After interacting with them and getting to connect, they asked me to come and drop off my resume at the fair. I was hesitant as my career goals always aligned with managing a hotel one day. I decided to give it a shot and met them there! Even after great conversations, I was stubborn and still decided to stick with my career plan. Luckily, Camden kept calling and trying to convince me that I would be the perfect fit for their culture. Past Jourdan had no idea what would unfold if I took the leap.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

It is 2020 and the pandemic hit. We all know how scary and shocking that was, especially for employees in the hospitality industry. People weren’t eating out, traveling, or indulging in the hospitality industry whatsoever. All our jobs were at stake. Our entire hotel staff was making major cuts, and I thought to myself, “Well, what about Camden?". I called the recruiter back and begged them to give me a second shot, and spoiler alert! I got a second chance and a great job offer.

Camden is Where I Belong

Once I started, I truly felt like I had found where I belonged. I went home after my first day and told my family, “It’s like I was working with a bunch of Jourdans all day.” Over 3.5 years, I have worked at multiple communities: Camden Legacy, Camden Foothills and Camden North End. Every time I work with a new team, the Camden culture is alive and well, and it is easy to create connections with everyone and feel like family.

Why is Camden the Best?

Not only are the people we get to work with every day the best, but Camden offers great perks to their employees! While you may assume the best perks are an apartment discount, great health/dental insurance, and 401K benefits, it doesn’t stop there. One of my favorite programs is Camden Cares, where Camden gives back to our community and employees are paid to partake in community service. Other great benefits include employee guest suites where employees can stay at Camdens across the nation for a low price, and all the events that are put together to recognize and award employees.

Do you want to start your career with Camden and finally feel like you found where you belong? Check out our careers page to explore our open positions!

Photos courtesy of Camden