STAGS CAREERS AT
WHY JOIN STAGS?
• Diverse range of departments and knowledge
• Clear career progression
• Emphasis on individual development through regular one-to-one meetings
• Funding for professional qualifications
• Holiday allowance of 23 days, plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service to a maximum of 25 days
• Workplace pension scheme
• Like minded colleagues
• Multiple sporting events and challenges including the “Stags Challenge”, touch rugby tournament, regular running events and Stags rounders
• Offices located across the beautiful South West, which boasts Dartmoor, Exmoor and 630 miles of coastline
• Enjoyable working environment
• Regular team and office socials
• Partnership structure
• Whole firm Christmas party
• Prestigious reputation for delivering a high-quality service across the South West
Stags has departments: Estate Agency, Lettings, Professional Services, Agriculture and Commercial
22 offices across the West Country Stags has
1874
Founded in resulting in 150 of presence in the South West years
10,619 walked, swam or rowed across the firm in our recent “Stags Challenge” miles run,
10 Partners
250 members of staff More than
DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT...
Lara Crawley Lettings Manager Taunton Office
When did you join Stags?
I joined Stags in May 2019.
What was your role when you joined?
Lettings Negotiator/Property Manager.
Has your role changed during your time with Stags?
I first started my position in the Taunton office as a Negotiator/ Property Manager, before being given the opportunity to move to the Tiverton office to help manage the Lettings department. In January 2021, I was promoted to Lettings Manager of the Taunton office and in January 2023, I was promoted to Associate.
What inspired you to pursue a career in estate agency with Stags?
I had always been in customer service roles and as soon as I passed my driving test I looked for jobs in the estate/ lettings world before landing my first role in Dorchester. As a large and independent estate agency with various departments, Stags had always appealed to me.
What is the biggest accomplishment of your career to date?
The biggest accomplishment of my career so far is being promoted to a managerial position giving me the opportunity to lead and support my own team.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
Undertaking and passing the Level 3 Residential Letting & Property Management qualification with ARLA Propertymark in 2017.
What advice would you give to someone just starting a career with Stags?
Embrace every moment, actively engage in the work, and
seize any opportunities that come your way, whether it’s career advancement or participation in social activities.
What do you think sets Stags apart from other firms?
What sets Stags apart from other firms is the sense of being part of a larger extended family. Unlike other larger agencies, Stags values each individual and offers opportunities for career progression within the firm.
When did you join Stags?
I joined Stags in August 2006.
Office
Kevin Clarke Partner Honiton
What was your role when you joined?
Trainee Estate Agent.
How has your role changed during your time with Stags?
I gained 18 months of experience working in agency before joining the Professional team for a 2-year rotation with Farm Agency. This period coincided with my completion of an MSc at Harper Adams University and the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) to become a Chartered Surveyor. In 2010, I assumed the role of Sales Manager
at the Dulverton office, and in the autumn of 2011, I was promoted to manager of the sales team in Honiton. In 2014 I became an Associate Partner and in January 2022, I achieved the milestone of becoming a Partner of the firm.
What inspired you to pursue a career in estate agency with Stags?
I was inspired by Stags after they provided exceptional valuation advice during my parents’ divorce. They also effectively handled the sale of land and the distribution of livestock and machinery on our family farm.
What is the biggest accomplishment of your career to date?
Attaining the position of Partner in 2022.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
One of the most significant challenges I have faced in my career has been acquiring the skills and knowledge to effectively lead a team.
What advice would you give to someone just starting a career with Stags?
Begin by focusing on the fundamentals and consistently strive to improve them each day.
What do you think sets Stags apart from other firms?
The people. At Stags, everyone has the power to make a meaningful impact, regardless of their role.
Harvey Pile Auctioneer
When did you join Stags?
I joined Stags in August 2013.
What was your role when you joined?
When I joined Stags I originally started out as a sales assistant, drover on market days and as an extra pair of hands to help out where I could. My early jobs included running the sheets at onsite auctions, washing out the livestock markets and generally helping with basic administration jobs in the office.
Has your role changed during your time with Stags?
Since joining Stags, I have progressed hugely, growing in confidence, knowledge and ability. I have progressed from washing out Honiton & South Molton livestock markets and undertaking basic administration tasks, to now being an established auctioneer. By working hard and showing a willingness to learn, I was given the opportunity to progress and sell on a regular basis while having the freedom to push forward my own ideas and make them a reality. I now play a major role in leading the Online & Onsite Sales team whose sales have become increasingly popular in recent years achieving huge growth.
What inspired you to pursue a career with Stags?
If I’m honest I, like many others, came out of school and college with no real clear pathway of what career I wanted to pursue. Coming from a farming family, and needing to furrow my own path in life, I was keen to take the opportunity with Stags with the hope that I could progress from there.
What is the biggest accomplishment of your career to date?
My biggest accomplishment within Stags is building and developing the online sales which so many South West farmers and land owners now use regularly to buy and sell their machinery and equipment. Despite initial doubts, it quickly became clear that, when done and managed correctly, there was huge demand for a more accessible, safe and fair marketplace where customers could buy and sell with confidence.
What advice would you give to someone just starting a career with Stags?
My advice to anyone starting a career with Stags would be to always try and look ahead. I was lucky enough to have the encouragement and support in my early years to persist and keep long term targets in sight. Having progressed significantly during my time with Stags, I look back and am thankful that I did not stop striving towards a bigger goal.
What do you think sets Stags apart from other firms?
I think Stags is unique in the fact that qualifications, although a huge help to anyone’s career, are not deemed to be vital and therefore someone who is willing to work hard and has a natural talent for a role is able to progress just as quickly as somebody who hasn’t. Stags’ specialised departments also ensure that every piece of work is handled by professionals in their field, ensuring the highest standard for our clients.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
The biggest challenge during my 10 years with Stags would be the first few times I sold at a live public auction. Auctioneers require a certain amount of confidence and in my early years this wasn’t necessarily something that came naturally to me. However, encouragement from mentors and colleagues saw my confidence grow and instilled principles which would stand any aspiring auctioneer in good stead.
Greg Sleeman Sales Valuer Launceston Office
When did you join Stags?
I officially joined Stags in September 2016, but began as a work experience candidate for one week, followed by an eight-week summer internship which ultimately led to a job offer.
What was your role when you joined?
Sales Negotiator.
Has your role changed during your time with Stags?
I transitioned from a sales valuer/negotiator to my current position as a valuer within the Launceston office.
What inspired you to pursue a career in estate agency with Stags?
My interest in working with people and helping them achieve one of life’s biggest milestones compelled me to pursue a career in estate agency, and Stags provided the perfect platform for this.
What advice would you give to someone just starting a career with Stags?
Ask lots of questions, challenge yourself, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Trust in your abilities and have confidence in your work.
What do you think sets Stags apart from other firms?
Stags surpasses other firms with its attention to detail and extensive experience in handling a wide range of properties. Additionally, Stags’ unique advantage lies in its dedication solely to the vibrant West Country region.
Grace Yendall Marketing Executive Head Office
When did you join Stags?
In March 2019, I became a member of the Marketing team at Stags, located in the Tiverton office. Before joining, I obtained my business degree and gained experience working as an accounts and office administrator for a motor vehicle and fabrications company.
What was your role when you joined?
As a Marketing Assistant at Stags, my main role was to provide essential administrative support to the team. This included managing general enquiries over the phone and via email, updating our website, and coordinating advertising in local newspapers and magazines. Additionally, I assisted the marketing coordinator with smaller design projects.
Has your role changed during your time with Stags?
After gaining valuable experience as a Marketing Assistant, I was promoted to the position of Marketing Executive. The close-knit team I work with has provided a supportive and uplifting environment for my career growth. Throughout my journey, I have been able to tackle a wide range of tasks and projects, such as writing lifestyle articles, managing social media accounts, and handling advertising budgets. Stags has recognised my passion for design and has given me the opportunity to develop this interest further. Recently, my role has evolved to solely focus on design, in which I am responsible for creating our annual magazines and flyers, coordinating campaigns, and producing advertisements for both regional and national publications.
What inspired you to pursue a career with Stags?
After studying marketing as part of my degree, I jumped at the chance to apply for the Marketing Assistant position at Stags. It seemed like the ideal role to launch my career in a reputable and well-established firm located in the West Country, close to my hometown.
What is the biggest accomplishment of your career to date?
One of my most significant achievements was creating a successful advertising campaign for a client. These adverts were featured in the prestigious Daily Mail over a series of four months. When I started at Stags, I never imagined that I would have the chance to design advertisements for a national publication, especially without any prior marketing experience.
What has been the biggest challenge of your career?
Reflecting on my career, the biggest challenge I faced was joining the firm and taking on a role that I had studied, but had no hands-on experience in. It was a new sector for me, but with the help of thorough training, and a supportive team, I quickly learned the ropes.
What advice would you give to someone just starting a career with Stags?
If you’re just starting a career with Stags, my advice to you is to never hesitate to ask questions. Whether it’s someone in your office or another department, there will always be someone available to answer your questions and provide solutions. At Stags, all teams and departments closely collaborate, creating a supportive network.
FINAL WORD...
Thank you for taking the time to read our recruitment brochure. I hope that it has provided an insight into our firm and what working for us might look like for you.
At Stags, we believe in supporting you in your chosen career and we deliver engaging training for both new and existing members of staff via internal and external training courses. This ensures that each member of staff is able to grow and develop, whichever office or part of the business they are in.
Hopefully, having now read this document, you feel confident that you have made the right choice in applying to work for Stags.
If you have any further questions, our team would be more than happy to help. For more information, please visit our website and follow us on social media.
Andrew Luxton Senior Partner
a.luxton@stags.co.uk | 01404 42553
