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Written by rosalind renshaw



Name:
Anthony Hesse

What does it say on your business card?
Managing Director, Property Personnel

Where, geographically, do you operate?
During our 21 years in business, we have worked on some very exciting vacancies in very exotic locations, but year on year the majority of our business is conducted in London and the South-East, with over 75% of that in London.  

So, who’s firing and who’s hiring?
There are always companies hiring and firing in this industry. It’s the nature of the beast. However, the firing of the masses seems to have stopped, and companies across the board are hiring again in response to an improvement in sales. Admittedly, we are comparing with a very low level, but we’ve seen a 300% increase in sales vacancies since the turn of the year. A high proportion of these have come from the larger, privately owned independent estate agencies.   

What happened to all the agents who lost their jobs when the downturn really hit?
A few of the luckier ones were able to find alternative estate agency work, with some moving into lettings or other property roles, but many more have now left the industry altogether. Popular alternative career choices are recruitment and field sales, but with many industry staff still in their early twenties, a number of these took the opportunity to go travelling or return to higher education. One of the more unusual career changes was one of our candidates becoming a London underground train driver! 

What are salaries doing?
We have two specialist divisions at Property Personnel, one handling residential sales and the other lettings and management, and we have seen two very different scenarios with respect to salaries in these two fields. In an industry where a good proportion of the salary is made up of commission, most staff in residential sales have taken a substantial cut in annual earnings, whereas in lettings they have stayed at a similar level. Basic salaries have dropped, especially at managerial level in residential sales, where they have come down by up to 25%. Annual earnings in sales have dropped by 25-50%, but we have heard of even more extreme cases. In lettings, on-target earnings have held at previous levels, but there has been a drop of up to about 10% in salaries in property management. Guarantees have become a rarity in sales. I’m pleased to be able to report that we have entered a new phase, with salaries stabilising in recent months.

Have employers had to change the way they pay staff to take account of lower commissions?
As always, there are exceptions to the rule, but the majority of employers have done nothing. Where they have made changes, they have been on the sales side, where in some cases basic salaries have been increased to compensate for lower commissions, or guaranteed drawings provided irrespective of sales achieved. On a slightly different angle, many employers have moved their sales staff over to lettings, or given them a joint role of sales and lettings negotiator to help them through these difficult times. 

Do you think we will see more and more ‘virtual’ agents, and if so, what does this mean for staffing levels in the industry?
I’m not convinced. Ever since the emergence of the internet, we’ve been told it will spell the end of estate agency as we know it, and recruitment for that matter! I’ve seen no signs of this happening so far, and if it was going to happen, surely it would have done so by now, especially in the booming markets. I’m of the belief that if you want expert advice you will have to pay for it accordingly, and I suspect the public feels the same. As far as staffing levels in the industry are concerned, they have probably halved in the last 18-24 months anyway.

What’s the biggest gripe you hear from candidates about their jobs?
When people register with us it is invariably because they are unhappy in their current job. As a consequence, most candidates have something to moan about! We hear all sorts of reasons why people want to leave their current employer, but interestingly it is rarely all about money. I’d say the biggest gripe overall is about having to work long hours and weekends.

What’s the biggest gripe you hear from employers about candidates?
This is a more difficult question to answer as employers cite numerous reasons why they are unhappy with employees. These include time-keeping, poor presentation, bad attitude, lack of commitment and poor attention to detail. However, the biggest single gripe has to be poor performance and failure to hit targets.

What hours do you personally work?
Most recruitment consultants are in effect on call 24/7. When I started up Property Personnel, I was in the office from about 7.30am till 7.30pm Monday to Friday, and every Saturday. I now have a wife and three boys aged 15, 11 and 8, so quality time with them is very important to me. No more Saturdays for me nowadays, but I’m usually in the office by 8am and leave between 6 and 7pm. I’m very lucky to have a great team who support me, and, of course, my BlackBerry!

Have you ever been an estate agent?
No, I haven’t. My previous background was in pharmaceuticals where I worked for a company for nearly ten years, ending up with the responsibility for recruiting and training their staff. Both my brothers, and many of my best friends, are estate agents, so I actually feel like one most of the time.

What’s your secret vice?
It’s no secret to those who know me very well, but I have a passion for wine, especially French reds, and have been known to spend well beyond my budget on a good bottle.

* Do you know anyone who would be a good candidate for a 60 second interview? Email rosalind.renshaw@googlemail.com

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