Five months ago, I graduated from Texas A&M University, moved to Dallas, TX, and began what many would call “real life”. With only about $2000 to my name, I had to find an apartment, find a job, and get back up on my feet. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how I found Camden. You see, throughout college, I worked in the student dorms, so I never got a chance to lease an apartment. I had no idea what to expect, and apartment reviews only gave me horror stories. However, much to my surprise, as soon as I walked into a Camden Apartment, I was greeted with smiles and handshakes. The Leasing Consultant I had spoken with on the phone a month prior spoke to me as though we had been long lost friends, reunited at last. Suddenly, my apartment hunt wasn’t as dreadful as it once was. Fast forward 2 months, my job hunt isn’t going as well as I thought it was. The office staff at the community I lived in suggested I look into a job opening that was just posted for another Camden community. I had done my research: #7 in the Fortune Top 100 Companies To Work For in 2011 was not something to shake a stick at, so I went ahead and applied. Within a week, I had my first interview, and within the second week I was officially hired. I WAS ESCTATIC! I’ll be honest, I never truly pictured myself working with an apartment company. I pictured myself back in Spain, writing and translating for El Pais, Spain’s top news source. My dream would have to wait. Camden took me under its metaphorical wing that fateful day in October, and I have not looked back since. So what makes Camden #7 in Fortune’s Top 100 Companies To Work For in 2012? Everything! Sure, I might not be in Spain’s gorgeous beaches, sipping on some sangria and taking a siesta in the middle of the day. But what I do have is a staff that pushes me to be the absolute best that I can be. I have a company that gives me the tools and resources I need to succeed. I have a company with an open door policy, where I can literally call anyone in the corporate offices if I need anything taken care of. I have a boss that encourages friendly competition within our team, and rewards us for doing well. I think that sangria can wait just a few more years. As if all that wasn’t awesome enough, the absolute cherry on top of the sundae that is my job is that I can still do what I love most: Write! Like I said before, Camden has given me the tools to improve my skills and become a better leader and worker, and with those tools came the opportunity to blog and be able to share my story with the world. I never have to ask myself why I love Camden, I am reminded every single day. I genuinely could not have asked for a better opportunity than this. I still plan to move to Spain some day, but why should I dread going to work to save up the money to make my dream come true? That’s the thing, I don’t.