After eighteen years spent working in property sales and estate agency, I felt it was time for a career change. I may have been approaching my birthday - the 40 years (young) milestone - or indeed I many have surpassed it by a year or two… I loved property; I had started my career in a highly successful independent brand in Bristol in the mid-90's and then moved on to work for one of the most prestigious and corporate brands in the sector. I enjoyed six happy years at the top of my game and afterwards followed seven years working in Spain. I experienced a market that was not reminiscent of anything I knew from my years working in the UK before. Finally, London called out to me and in 2014 I left the sunshine for the city where the streets are paved of gold (and the houses are so expensive they may as well be built of gold!)
Four more years of estate agency in London and I felt the urge for a total change, but what could I do after so many years in the same industry? I felt that I would be pigeon holed during my job search and that no one would consider me for a new industry. Can you teach an old dog new tricks? What could I do, where could I channel my years of experience? I had spent 18 years working with buyers and sellers, negotiating between lawyers, local authorities, talking to financial advisors. What were my core skills?
- Communication/Listening – I had to listen to what my buyers wanted and then match them with their perfect property.
- Negotiating – I negotiated between buyer and seller in order to come to an agreement that suited both parties so that we could agree the sale.
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Liaising – I liaised between multiple parties including lawyers, local authorities, financial advisors to ensure the deal went through.
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Problem solving – Anticipating issues before they arose and efficiently resolving them.
And of course, always delivering the highest levels of customer service.
So how could I transfer these skills into my next career move? Over Christmas in 2017 it suddenly hit me, why couldn’t I become a Recruitment Consultant for the property industry which I thoroughly enjoyed and knew so much about already? That was it. I started researching and wanted to find the best companies in the industry, the Property Recruitment firms in London that were at the top of their game, most well respected and with the best reputations…
When I attended my interview at GKR London I walked into an office with a real buzz and a highly charged team of recruitment consultants who are brilliant at what they do. I was passionate about the business before I had even been offered the role and all my skills that I had learnt as an estate agent were transferable too. I switched from matching people to property to matching people to their dream job and it really didn’t take me long to get up and running here. In recruitment we really do change people’s lives and that’s what I love most about my job.
You must listen to people’s needs, understand their experiences and their core values to match them to an appropriate job in an environment and culture that compliments both the client and candidate. I have always prided myself on delivering the best possible service and this has resulted in many 5* reviews from happy candidates since I joined GKR. I genuinely care about the people I represent and the reputation that I possess, and I want the best for everyone that I work with.
Whether you are starting out in property or you are at director/board level you will receive the same seamless service. It’s a fast-paced industry and one that evokes a roller-coaster of emotions. It’s not for the fainthearted but I have literally never looked back.
If you are a property professional and thinking of a change in career why not call us today, we are always looking for passionate, motivated and driven individuals to join our team!
Written by Rose Lock, Senior Recruitment Consultant at GKR London.
