MEET THE TEAM – AGNIESZKA LEDERER – RECRUITMENT CONSULTANT

At Property Personnel we’re firm believers that the secret to our success is down to our fantastic team. Meet Agnieszka, the newest member of our team who is already making a big impact! We sat down with Agnieszka 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? 

10 months.

How did you get into recruitment?

I had been working within residential estate agency for the last 15 years and was on the lookout for something new. I knew I wanted to remain within the property sector, but I was ready to move away from the traditional negotiator role. I registered with Allison at Property Personnel as she has helped me in the past. A week or so later, Alli called me and ‘threw me a curve ball’ as she likes to call it! That curve ball was to join the team at Property Personnel and move from estate agency into estate agency recruitment! I felt this could be exactly what I was looking for where I could use my transferable skills from agency, and it would give me the flexibility and work / life balance I was looking for. So, I accepted!

What has been the biggest challenge moving into property recruitment from front-line estate agency?

I would have to say the biggest challenge for me has been when people tell me that all they want to do is work in property, and then ghost you, or they start their new job and a week later they give up and leave without even giving it a chance. When I worked in agency, if someone bought a house from you it was a done deal, they couldn’t back out.

Has this transition been harder or easier than you were expecting?

I knew it was going to be hard because I have never done recruitment before. It was made easier by how supportive and welcoming the team were from the start, but it was harder to learn the business than I expected. I thought it would be much more similar to estate agency and the deals I have done in the past as I had the transferable skills, but recruitment is completely different to what I thought it would be.

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

Having people that I really respect within the industry come to me for assistance or asking me to consider them if something exciting comes in. Trusting ME to help them.

So far, what do you believe makes a good candidate?

A candidate who is well researched and understands the types of roles that they are applying for. We don’t expect someone to know absolutely everything if they are a trainee, but if you are applying for a role within estate agency, you should show that you are committed to the industry and know what the role entails.

It always helps when a candidate is knowledgeable, decisive, and not there to waste anyone’s time. Being polite and friendly also goes a long way.

So far, what do you believe makes a good client?

A client who takes the time to explain exactly what they need and are looking for, and not just saying what they think we want to hear.

Good communication and providing feedback, whether it’s good or bad. If we haven’t hit the mark, tell us, otherwise we aren’t going to know how to correct ourselves for the next time.

A client who appreciates the effort we have put in when putting candidates forward for their role is always a nice bonus .

What is one of the biggest lessons that you have learnt so far?

Number one is DON’T ASSUME ANYTHING!

Number two is to remember to make notes on our CRM and not to ASSUME that I will remember who someone is and what they are looking for after one conversation! Once you have spoken to 15 people in one day, you are not going to remember who is who the following day, let alone in a month/year!

What are you most excited for in this role?

I am excited about every new person that I work on and how I can help shape their careers and lives. I never planned to become an estate agent, but getting the opportunity to work for two of the top estate agencies in the country really mapped out my life, and I love that I now have the opportunity to do that for other people.

     

BONUS QUESTIONS!

What was your first job?

I was a waitress during university. I worked at the first pub that served real Guinness in Lublin, Poland.

What was your dream job as a child?

I wanted to be a singer, but then having watched Ally McBeal I wanted to be a lawyer, and I actually ended up going to law school!

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

I love Italian food! My favourite restaurant in Notting Hill, London is The Portobello.

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

Reading Scandinavian thrillers and watching my son, Teddy, play football.

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

Karaoke is always ‘Living on a Prayer’! I will dance to anything by Pitbull or The Killers.

What was your favourite subject in school?

History – I love knowing about what happened in the past and I have always been good with dates.

Do you have any pet peeves?

Being late for me is so disrespectful. There is no need for it. We are all adults, plan ahead!