Office Manager

What do you do?
I am the Office Manager at Property Personnel, and my job is to ensure that everything going on behind the scenes runs smoothly. Since joining the team in 2017, my role has changed dramatically. On top of general office administration, I now manage our social media platforms and marketing, write blogs, and get involved in big projects.

Maddie recently celebrated her 8th anniversary with us at Property Personnel after spending 15 years of her life living in Cyprus! It was in Cyprus where she started her first job in recruitment and quickly discovered that she wanted to start a career in this industry. Maddie loves the variety the job offers, as well as working with people, and thoroughly enjoys being busy.

Although Maddie enjoyed living in such a relaxing country, she did start to crave the hustle and bustle of the UK which led her to make the decision to move back. She arrived back at the beginning of 2017 and started working as the Office Manager here at Property Personnel.

Maddie handles pretty much everything in the back office, including writing job specifications and blogs for our website, social media, invoicing, and generally making our recruitment consultants lives easier by helping them with their everyday administration.

In her spare time, Maddie enjoys meeting up with family and friends over dinner and drinks, day trips to the beach, reading, and catching up on a good TV show!

At Property Personnel we’re firm believers that the secret to our success is down to our fantastic team. Meet Maddie, our Office Manager who supports the team and keeps the back office running smoothly. We sat down with Maddie to ask her some questions about her role here at Property Personnel.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER WITH PROPERTY PERSONNEL!

How long have you worked at Property Personnel? 

Nearly 8 years. Time flies!

How did you get into recruitment?

My recruitment journey actually started in Cyprus. I was offered a summer job after I had completed my A-levels at a respected firm in Limassol. I learnt a lot and decided to stay on with them for a further two years.

When I moved back to the UK, I knew I wanted to work in the recruitment industry, so I started my job search on Reed. I was contacted by our director, Allison, and knew immediately that I wanted to work for Property Personnel. Luckily, they offered me the job!

What’s your favourite thing about your job? 

The variety and the ability to make the role my own. No day is ever the same.

Originally, I was employed to handle standard administration tasks, such as allocating candidates to the consultants, writing job adverts, sending out terms and conditions, etc. However, over the years, I have had the privilege of creating my own role in essence, and have taken on additional responsibilities which has turned a ‘job’ into a ‘career’.

I have been trusted to take on all of our social media content and have recently started writing some of our blogs as well which I have really enjoyed doing.

I also love my team. It has always felt like a family at PP :).

What has been one of your biggest achievements since you have been at Property Personnel?

I think just knowing that the additional tasks I have taken on have been successful, helpful and appreciated by my directors and the team. I haven’t ever tried to do something for the company that I have had to admit defeat on and abandon.

What is the biggest challenge you face at work?

Trying to ensure that our content is engaging. Being in charge of our social media accounts can be tough, especially during quieter weeks, as you need to be inspired all of the time. Social media is fast-paced, and you want your content to be seen and remembered. It is such an important marketing tool for our company and our brand, so there is pressure to get it right.

What makes a good client?

From an administrative point of view, a good client is one who takes the time to put together a job spec or some bullet points, and package details including company benefits. I am the one writing your job advert, so any extra information you can give me will make your role more attractive and less generic.

A good client is also one who pays their invoices on time, or at least acknowledges my email if I do have to chase for payment. We all forget to do something now and again, life is busy, but communication makes all the difference.

What makes a good candidate?

I don’t deal with candidates in the same way as the rest of the team. However, I do answer the phone when the main line rings and I am the first person to look at a CV when a candidate applies for a job.

Even if I’m not going to be the one helping a candidate, there are still things that I will pick up on, such as good attitude and manners. A candidate who sends a thorough CV that is up to date, neatly laid out, includes all contact information, and isn’t littered with spelling and grammatical errors, is always appreciated!

   

BONUS QUESTIONS!

What was your first job?

I was a waitress at Lemmings Beach Café in Limassol.

What was your dream job as a child?

I wanted to be an actress. I was obsessed with Julia Roberts and had a knack for remembering lines.

What’s your favourite food and your favourite place to eat?

I am a foodie. I have so many favourite foods. Greek cuisine is one I grew up on, so I will always gravitate towards fresh fish, Greek salad, lamb kleftiko, moussaka, I could go on and on. A very good roast dinner and a spicy pasta dish are also at the top of the list though!

My favourite place to eat is a little taverna in Limassol called Kyrenia Fish Tavern. You will get the best fish meze there!

What’s your favourite thing to do at the weekend?

I love a slow weekend. No rushing around.

My boyfriend and I have a Sunday tradition of driving to the coast, grabbing a coffee and going for a long walk around the beach, harbour and marshes. We’ll stop at a pub for a beer and then some chip shop goodies on the pier. Once we get home, we’ll have a big roast dinner and watch something good on telly.

What’s your go-to karaoke song? / What song gets you up on the dance floor?

Karaoke song is always 1000 miles by Vanessa Carlton (yes, the White Chicks song haha).

Songs that get me up on the dance floor would be anything R&B or Hip Hop from the 90s/early 00s.

What was your favourite subject in school and why?

I loved Drama and English. I liked that both were based on interpretation and opinion. I didn’t do well in subjects where something was either right or wrong – like Maths! I like how a prose or play can mean something different to you then to someone else. My teachers for both of those subjects were also my two favourites in the whole school, and that makes a huge difference.

Do you have any pet peeves?

People who are rude, especially when it is completely unnecessary. I have a hard time witnessing anyone being rude to waiters/servers in particular.