A number of people have asked me what prompted my move from a career as a chartered surveyor, working across the commercial and residential sectors, to the heady heights of recruitment. After the time I spent studying, training, qualifying and working as a surveyor, one could be forgiven for thinking that it was a role for life – but the truth is, I’ve never been happier since making the change!
I’ve always been a firm believer that one should never be pigeon holed by their training or experience and I’ve found that my years spent working in ‘real estate’ as opposed to ‘recruitment’ has been a huge asset since making the change. With my first-hand experience client-side, I’ve not only built up a strong network of contacts, but I also know what makes them tick. And this can be a huge help when prepping candidates for interview or selecting CVs to submit for a role.
At the same time, my work in recruitment has also educated me about so many other areas of the industry that I hadn’t been exposed to as a surveyor. It’s far more diverse than most people would imagine and initially it was a steep but fascinating learning curve getting to grips with the nuances of Prop Tech, the various types of funds or a developer’s niche portfolio; but it has paid dividends in the long-run now that I am more experienced. There is an almost infinite range of roles – from entry level to C-Suite – and I’ve really enjoyed finding out about the variety of positions and then ‘matchmaking’ them to our best candidates.
No two days are ever the same and as a recruiter you never know what that next phone call will bring, but I thrive on the adrenaline of advertising an exciting new role, speaking to top talent or negotiating with clients to ensure the best possible terms for a candidate.
Where we like to be different at Hanning is with our strategic approach to recruitment. Far from simply ‘flinging’ candidates at roles hoping that one or two stick, we like to build long-term relationships with clients and offer more general counsel on the creation of new positions, talent retention etc. There’s no doubt that my previous experience has helped earn me a seat at some pretty interesting tables and opened a few doors. We are very proud of our illustrious (and rapidly expanding) client list, and it’s been a privilege for us to work with real market leaders and gain an insight into their ethos and strategy.
And finally, though this might be a most un-British thing to say, it pays well. In fact, for the very best recruitment companies the rewards can be great – and at Hanning we strive to be the best-of-the-best!
So, if you’re thinking of a change, don’t be daunted by your work in another field. In my experience this can be the greatest asset and I know that when it comes to curating my team we adhere to the old adage that ‘variety is the spice of life’.
