BEHIND THE SCENES AT PROPERTY PERSONNEL – LIFE AS A RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT

Having been with the company since 2011, Georgina Eastwood is an integral member of the Property Personnel team, and due to her continued success has deservedly progressed to Associate level. As a recruiter, no two days are the same for Georgina, who thrives on the fast pace and versatility of her role.

We sat down with Georgina to talk about her experiences of recruitment, what motivates her to succeed, and the essential qualities needed to flourish in the world of recruitment consultancy.

Every day at Property Personnel is different, how do you prioritise your tasks?

“I love a list – I come in every morning, make my cup of tea and write my list for what needs to get done. The priority is those candidates out on interview on that day, making sure they’re prepped and ready, then getting them feedback from the client as quickly as possible.

“However, recruitment is constantly changing, and an unexpected call from a client or candidate can completely turn my day on its head… for better or worse! New candidates respond to job adverts posted on a multitude of channels and I need to speak with all of them, whilst still doing the tasks on my original list. Let’s just say my day is normally fuelled by caffeine! Time management and organisational skills are key.”

There must be some funny or surprising anecdotes from your time as a recruitment consultant?

“Not that I can necessarily share! Some candidates say the strangest things though…”

Are there any specific placements you’re particularly proud of? Maybe a candidate that was especially difficult to find?

“The candidates who relocate are always a different process. I’ve just placed an experienced property manager relocating from Scotland, so that had its own challenges! She travelled down to meet me, and then back down for interviews, so we had a limited time frame to work with.

“I like a challenging scenario though. I once had someone fly over from the Netherlands to meet me prior to her relocation to London – that doesn’t happen often!”

What are some of the daily challenges you come up against?

“Obviously we have competitors to deal with – we fish in the same pool of candidates so sometimes the inevitable crossover will happen and that can be a challenge. But, as long as you’re open and honest with your candidate, you can normally control this. Having no control over a situation is one thing I hate – may just be my personality but I like everyone to be upfront and honest with me…I struggle when they’re not!

“When I first started in this role, there weren’t so many internal departments focusing on recruitment, so that has been an adjustment over the years too. Their purpose is to reduce costs on using outside recruiters so sometimes it can be frustrating to have the right candidate and not be able to send them until a role is released to us. I enjoy building a relationship with my clients, I work hard to establish trust and a rapport.”

What’s your favourite thing about your role?

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t do my role because I’m driven by the financial incentive to earn commission but also, there is a huge sense of satisfaction that comes from finding someone their dream job.

“Particularly when the search has taken some time, and the right role has been hard to find – the gratification that comes from that has kept me doing this role for the last eight years in amongst the trials and tribulations that come with it. Beating a competitor to a deal is always an added bonus!”

Finally, for those interested in following in your footsteps – are there any essential qualities you think a recruitment consultant needs?

“Resilience – you have to be incredibly thick-skinned in recruitment. It can be hard not to take things personally, say, when a candidate lets you down or when a client gives you negative feedback on a candidate you really thought was going to get the job – it’s out of your control sometimes!

“Ultimately, things happen, people change their minds – you have to be able to put it to one side and move on. It’s normally nothing a good G&T or bar of chocolate won’t solve!

“Motivation – this comes in different forms. For me, I’m motivated to continue to exceed my targets year on year. I have broken records in my time here, but there will always be more to break! My motivation also comes from the desire to help my clients and candidates.

“Patience – I didn’t have this straight away, and at times I don’t have much of it still! Not everything happens immediately. Candidates take time to respond, clients do the same, and an interview process can sometimes take weeks, but I’ve learnt to be patient…mostly!”

If, like Georgina, you can see yourself mastering the art of recruitment consultancy at Property Personnel, take a look at our current vacancies. Or, if you’re looking to enlist the team in the hunt for your next property job, browse our job listings.