MEET THE TEAM – ANTHONY HESSE – MANAGING DIRECTOR

At Property Personnel we’re firm believers that the secret to our success is down to our fantastic team. Meet Anthony, our MD, and founder of Property Personnel. We sat down with Anthony to ask him some questions about owning his own recruitment business, how things have changed over the years, and what he thinks the future will hold.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR CAREER WITH PROPERTY PERSONNEL!

Why property recruitment?

The seeds for Property Personnel were sown at my brothers’ wedding nearly 40 years ago. I got chatting to a couple of estate agency owners who were struggling to find staff and they were bemoaning the fact that there were no specialist recruiters in the sector at the time. That gave me the idea, and following a great deal of research we ‘opened our doors’ in August 1988. The timing could not have been worse as the property market started to crash that month and the UK fell into one of the worst recessions in recent history that continued into the early 90’s!

How has the industry changed in the last 36 years?

Too much to talk about in one interview! Looking back through our early records, average basic salaries for negotiators were around £4,000, working hours were ridiculously long (often 11 or 12 hours a day), and it wasn’t uncommon to work most Saturdays and even some Sundays. If you earned £25,000 in a year you were at the top of your game. 90% of our vacancies were Residential Sales as opposed to Lettings. Back then, Lettings really was the poor relation, with most estate agencies not even bothering to get involved.

Over the years, there have also been some remarkable changes in the attitudes and expectations of both clients and candidates. Job seekers attending interviews would think nothing of lighting up a cigarette, in fact they were often offered one by their interviewer! Whilst it was often OK to smoke, males attending interviews with facial hair, or females wearing trousers rather than skirts, would often be instantly rejected! Heaven forbid if a tattoo or piercing was spotted. It was also perfectly acceptable to reject a candidate for being too old or too young.

You have stayed strong and kept the business going through 4 recessions. Did you ever think about throwing in the towel / selling?

I never thought of closing my business, even in the toughest of markets. To survive though, I have made some serious sacrifices. For example, in the deep recession of 2008 and 2009 I didn’t pay myself a penny for nearly 2 years which, most importantly, enabled me to keep my team together.

With regards to selling, I have been approached by a number of my competitors over the years, but this is something I have never considered.

Why do you think you have been as successful as you are?

I think there are several reasons. These include consistency, good financial management, strong marketing and branding, providing an excellent customer experience, and good old-fashioned hard work. To be successful in recruitment, it is all about the quality of your staff and I believe we have the best in the business, with our current team having worked for Property Personnel for nearly 90 years between us.

When recruiting for new team members, what is it you look for?

Our staff are all incredibly reliable, dedicated individuals with an excellent attitude and strong work ethic, and I trust them all implicitly. They are all great ‘people’ people with superb communication skills and, importantly, they are all highly coachable. Added to this, they are great team players who certainly know how to work hard and play hard. Above all else though, I have to really like them!

What do you think is going to change over the next 10 years?

If the last few years are anything to go by, I think there will be huge changes in the world of work in general, not just estate agency. Employees will continue to seek a better work/life balance, and technology will advance rapidly. AI will play a large part in all our lives, but I don’t think it will ever eliminate the use for recruiters, or estate agents for that matter. Oh, and there is a good chance I might retire!

What is the hardest and the most rewarding thing about owning your own recruitment business?

The hardest thing for me is being able to switch off, and the most rewarding is that I am in control of my own destiny.

What’s your favourite thing about your job?

Watching the career development of people I have placed in jobs over the years. A good number of people I have placed as trainees are now successfully running their own businesses or are very high up in larger estate agencies. Also, many of them have recommended their own children to me who I have helped along their career journeys.

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

Still going strong after 36 years having survived through four recessions, one of which was the deepest since World War Two!

What is the biggest challenge you face at work?

Anyone who runs a business will appreciate that there are always challenges, but the biggest disappointment for me is some people’s behaviour, be it, for example, a job seeker letting us down at the last minute, or a client trying to re-negotiate on a previously agreed deal.

What makes a good client?

One that respects what we do rather than seeing us purely as a commodity, one that wants to partner with us rather than thinking we are a necessary evil. Good communication is also essential, and getting paid for the work we have done helps too! Finally, we like to work with clients who we as a team would be happy to work for ourselves.

What makes a good candidate?

Someone who is reliable, trustworthy, highly communicative and prepared to be flexible.

     

What was your first job?

Back in the 1970’s I worked for Major Ronald Ferguson (Sarah, the Duchess of York’s father) on his farm in Hampshire bale carting. I ended up with blisters on my blisters on my hands!

What was your dream job as a child?

I wanted to be a steam train driver.

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

I love all food, but seafood is my absolute favourite. My favourite restaurant is Cambio de Tercio, a Spanish restaurant on the Old Brompton Road in South Kensington.

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

As a lifelong Portsmouth FC fan, I spend most Saturdays during the season following Pompey home and away with my three sons. I also have two dachshunds that I love taking on long walks in Windsor Great Park.

What song gets you up on the dance floor?

I probably shouldn’t admit this, but ‘I’m in the mood for dancing’ by The Nolans will guarantee to get me up on the dance floor!

What was your favourite subject in school?

I loved Biology and ended up doing a degree in Zoology. Weirdly, I also loved Latin and have an O’ Level in the subject.

Do you have any pet peeves?

I have many, and they seem to be building in number as I get older! The worst include people sitting in the middle lane on a motorway when the inside lane is empty, people not even acknowledging when I hold a door open for them, litter louts and worst of all, people hanging their dog poo bags on trees.