#Balanceforbetter
Today is a day to reflect on the position of women in the world today, to celebrate progress that has been made in some areas and perhaps to remind ourselves that there is still much to be done.
Traditionally, the property industry had been populated by a largely male workforce. As a people-led estate agency business, we have simply worked hard to attract the best people to our business, regardless of gender. Today we are proud of our track record for recruiting, supporting and promoting incredible women into senior positions across all areas of the company.
On this, International Women’s Day, we asked just a few female colleagues for their thoughts about working in property and what advice they would offer to young women considering a career in this industry:
Zoe Mercer, Associate Director, Residential Development:
‘Believe you can.’
‘’Whilst there still remains evidence of inequality at certain companies within the property industry, as has been documented in the media, I do believe that Jackson-Stops operates a ‘gender free’ policy whereby your employment, your promotion, your bonus, your salary, is simply awarded because you are the best person for that job, because you gave the best interview, because you achieved as an individual or as a team, and not because you are a man or a woman. #BalanceforBetter
I started in what was a male dominated industry some 20 years back; developers were all men, my colleagues were mostly male but the likes of
Kirsty Allsop,
Alison Nimmo &
Sarah Beeny were forging a path for women in property. As a young woman (back then), who didn’t care for sexism in the workplace nor saw myself as anything less than equal to my male colleagues, my advice to other young women would be:
- learn your business - your knowledge and skillset should be what defines you, not your sex
- learn from others at work and in life
- respect yourself
- believe you can"
Amelia Redington, Business Development Manager:
‘You must be prepared to constantly keep ahead of the game within your industry.’
‘’I have never found Jackson-Stops to be male dominated. In the 12 years I’ve worked here I have been lucky enough to work with some amazing male and female managers, as well as some top class male and female negotiators. I feel I have had great success and carved out a career I am proud of here, which is largely down to hard work: I had to put in blood, sweat and tears to drive the Wimbledon office to be the flagship office I wanted it to be. I have had two sons during my time here and balancing family life and work is definitely not easy, but I believe it’s made me a stronger employee and given me a whole new skill set. Our company breeds respect and praises everyone who works hard, which has certainly given me the drive to succeed over the years.
I have been given some wonderful opportunities throughout my career and have always said yes to everything asked of me, even if it’s been outside my comfort zone. Being positive is certainly a key ingredient, but you must be prepared to constantly keep ahead of the game within your industry, learning new skills, adapting within your market place and being a team player.’’
Law Clark, Group Operations Manager:
‘It’s always a good thing to support and encourage colleagues, irrespective of gender.’
‘’This is a business that recognises and rewards hard work and loyalty. I have been fortunate to take on a number of different roles and progress within the company over the years. I enjoy helping colleagues do their jobs and taking on the wide-range of tasks my role requires. In terms of advice to other women, I believe it’s always a good thing to support and encourage colleagues, irrespective of gender, particularly if you feel you can share helpful knowledge or pass on new skills; hard work is rewarded if you’re in the right place. Oh, and it is true – a woman’s work is never done!’’
Click here to find out about current career opportunities with Jackson-Stops in London.
