Recruiting Now!

August 9, 2015 by Rob Kahl

Recruiting now

I love working in a small company and especially one so local. It means that individuals can really shine and they get to do a little bit of everything rather than being in a large faceless company working in a boring work station, getting lost in the masses and doing the same thing every day.

My day can be hugely varied from being in the office dealing with enquiries or offers, being out inspecting properties, showing prospective tenants or purchasers around to having meetings with staff, marketing companies or developers.

Variation is one of the things I like the most about being an estate agent. The days are never boring, they always go very quickly and I am extremely fortunate that the guys I work with are all great and it really does make it a pleasure to come to work.

I am sure that they will all say what a pleasure it is working with me as well! I make it my job to ensure that everybody is happy and I am sure that my singing and dancing in the office is the main reason I am able to keep spirits so high.

When working in a small company though the only problem is trying to bring new people in to work within the team. Due to our ongoing success especially in the rental and property management departments we have a number of new roles we need to fill.

We have started the interview process and there are a number of really good applicants out there. We are looking for people in various roles including experienced property managers, lettings administrators and office juniors and because they are varied, we have seen all sorts of C.V’s with varying degrees of experience, age and expectations.

The thing that is most difficult though is knowing how someone will fit in. I spend more time with the guys at work than I do with my wife and being in a small, close knit office for 10 hours a day, every day might not suit everyone.

Inevitably you get wrapped up in each others lives and know everything that is going on. You can’t really have secrets in a small office and people have to be open and honest. Office politics don’t ever come in to it and any grievances or disputes have to be dealt with quickly and openly so that the office atmosphere runs smoothly.

Bringing somebody in to that close knit family environment can be very intimidating for new people. They can either retreat into themselves and be very quiet or be really extrovert and try and compensate being either loud or if they are in a managerial position, they could try to throw their weight around a bit.

When I first joined Scott & Stapleton I was very conscious that I was joining a very small, close family group. I was fortunate that we were in the process of moving in to a new office so there was already lots of changes taking place and so me joining was just one of many, but I was vey careful not to tread on anyones toes. Simone had been running the business very successfully for many years and I was very conscious not to tread on her toes and go steaming in with my size 10’s. I did and will always run everything past her and report to her every day as to what my department is doing and I think that we have an excellent working relationship (she might think differently).

Helen, was the office junior but it was obvious that she was someone that could and will excel in our working environment. She was and still is very methodical and professional but was extremely quiet and shy. When I first started we used to work Saturdays together just the 2 of us and I used to dread it as she hardly said a word and the day used to really drag. Nowadays you can hardly shut her up! She has really come out of her shell and is very outgoing being a favourite of all of our landlords and tenants.

So whilst I can learn from a C.V what your G.C.S.E results are or how your interests including reading (why does everybody say that?) what I really want to know is what you are really like? Are you going to come in and upset the apple cart of our very happy little team or are you going to become a valued member of our little bunch who slots right in and feels like they have been with us for years as soon as they get here?

If you're interested in becoming part of our team working in our buzzy, busy, professional office, then please email your C.V. to simone@scottandstapleton.co.uk or call 01702 471155.