Five years teaching + Patience (A passion to serve) = A new career.
When Jen S. first entered the workforce, her “customers” consisted of 20 vivacious 10-year-olds.
As an elementary school teacher in Chicago, Jen learned patience, developed an incredible work ethic and honed her communication skills.
Today, more than 12 years later, Jen is back in a classroom of sorts as a student – learning the business as a Management Trainee at Enterprise in Ohio.
Lasting lessons
“Teaching was a way for me to be a leader and help children become better students and community members,” she says. “It was incredibly fulfilling work!”
Though Jen enjoyed her career, when her family expanded with the addition of two boys, she decided to leave the classroom to shape the future generation right inside her own home.
When her kids were a bit older, Jen was ready to reenter the workforce. Every day during her commute to a part-time retail sales job she passed her local Enterprise branch. Over time a seed was planted, leaving Jen with the key to the next door of her career.
A blooming career
As the idea of going back to full-time work crept into Jen’s mind, she considered her strengths and experience: sales, customer service and management.
“It just clicked,” says Jen. “I knew from my own rental experiences Enterprise was top-notch, and it seemed like employees have fun on the job. I wanted to be a part of that team and knew I had developed a great foundation of important skills from my teaching days that would make me a great fit.”
Jen’s route to the MT program may have been different than many of her peers who are in the beginning stages of their careers, but the team’s variety of personalities and unique backgrounds allows them to collaborate and provide great customer service – all while having an incredibly rewarding experience.
Embracing the future
Day in and day out, Jen contributes to the diversity of her team by bringing a well-appreciated level of enthusiasm to her branch.
“Jen is phenomenal with customer service, and she is extremely dedicated to improving her knowledge of the business and strengthening her leadership skills,” says Branch Manager Justin J. “She is wonderful to work with and brings a lot of real world experience to our team.”
Jen is proud of her current accomplishments at Enterprise and is looking forward to continuing to build a strong foundation for her future career.
“The MT program has really set me up to succeed, especially at the Branch level,” says Jen. “The support of my Branch Manager and Assistant Manager has been key in my professional development.”
Jen looks forward to the next part of her Enterprise equation, and would encourage people from any walk of life to consider what type of door Enterprise can open – whether that be to a rental vehicle or to a new career.