You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.


So here we are approaching the final month of Q1 in 2017 and I cannot quite believe it. Can you? GKR London Property Recruitment has got off to an absolutely flying start, some of the wins listed below:

  1. Started off the year with a BANG with 4 promotions within the team #DreamTeam
  2. Had a RECORD BREAKING month in January
  3. Have already hit 22% of our target for the YEAR!
  4. Placed over 75 candidates into a new role
  5. Exclusively Retained & Partnered with a Dubai based property service provider, successfully relocated 4 people this year already.  

Now this article is not for me to boast about how proud I am however in what is a difficult market place at the moment, we are being successful because we are adapting. The market has and is changing therefore we (i.e. you as the job seeker, you as the employer and even myself as the recruiter) need to react accordingly to continue to be successful.

I work in the property management sector and on my desk alone we have placed over 20 lucky individuals into new positions this year thus far. However, the market has proved to be extremely competitive; firstly, because the candidate market has reduced - secondly, due to the amount of opportunities now available (there are lots!) and finally, because time frames are being mismanaged. We are not communicating effectively and what does this mean?

  • A lot of candidates will find themselves in the fortunate position of having multiple offers on the table however, if not managed correctly, they could simply slip through their fingers or you could end up picking the wrong one!
  • Clients will find that their competition is far greater and may well lose out.
  • Existing employers cannot afford to lose staff in the market place as replacing them within a timely and efficient manner may prove difficult therefore, counter offers are being made!

Candidates; my advice to you would be:

Firstly, spend time with your recruiter and work with someone you trust. Allow them to fully understand what you need, be honest and speak up! Manage our expectations; you know what you want. We don’t arrange interviews for the fun of it so be selective from the start!

As your recruiter, it is our job to manage our clients expectations but we need complete transparency from you to do this effectively. I have seen offers withdrawn due to timescales being mismanaged, why do all the hard work and then not follow up?

Clients, prepare yourselves:

Before you meet with the candidate to interview them, ask yourself ‘How can I/we as an organisation help the candidate achieve their dreams? With counteroffers and competition, the chances are pretty slim, right? Wrong; if you have really made the most of the opportunity meeting a job seeking individual you will know why they are looking to leave and why they are interviewing for your job. You should also know of their frustrations in previous roles and if you can honestly say that you can provide a working environment that alleviates those concerns…. Tell them! Again, utilise your recruiter – if you have aligned your interests with the best in the market, your recruiter should be able to offer you a lot more information about the candidate than it says on the CV.

Existing employers, is it too little too late?

I get it, it’s tough out there and it may well be a shock to you to hear that your top performer wants out. You might be angry, hurt or even just a little deflated? But this is when you need to ask yourself, why didn’t I know sooner? Is there anything that could have been done way ahead of them handing in their resignation? Can you really offer them what they are telling you they need?

Counteroffers are a topic of extreme controversy but ask yourself, will it really pay off? OR will it only delay confrontation of the real problem at heart?

Tel: 0207 048 3304

Email: molly@gkrlondon.com

Web: www.gkrlondon.com