Employed and Loving it

My name is Marie Kyriacou-Edwards

I am 32 years old, born and raised in North-East London. I am half Greek Cypriot, Half Jamaican. I have a 6 year old child and have worked in the property industry for 11 years now.

How did you manage to become a retail property manager?

My career in Shopping Centre/ property Management started in 2010 when I started working at Walthamstow Shopping centre as ‘Centre Admin’.

After a year of working as the shopping centre administrator, I showed an interest in Operations in which I was given the opportunity to be the ‘Operations Assistant’, and after 2 years of being the Operations Assistant I was promoted to Operations Manager.

I have since been a Shopping Centre Manager for Savills at ‘Hackney Walk designer outlet’ and then joined the Edmonton Green team as an Operations Manager which I started in June 2019.

What qualifications did you achieve when you left school?

I left school with only 3 GCSE’s in English, Travel and Tourism and Art. I went to college to study ‘The Industry of Travel & Tourism’ which I got a distinction in.

EMPLOYED AND LOVING IT

A YOUNG Retail Property Manager’s Story

What do you enjoy as a retail property manager?

I love working in Shopping Centre/ Property management as no day is the same and you really get a chance to put your stamp on things. I pride myself in fixing and improving occupiers and customers experience whilst at

What are your day-to-day duties?

My duties vary from day to day; Managing Security, cleaning and maintenance staff on site. I am responsible for ensuring the shopping centre is safe, secure, clean and well maintained.

What do you like about Edmonton Green?

I love the diverse, vibrant, upbeat atmosphere. I have watched the centre change and grow over the last two years from some well needed, much loved attention.

What advice would you give to a young person who would like a career as a retail property manager?

No matter what experience or qualifications you have, if you are confidence and enthusiastic it will take you a long way. The Sky is the limit!

What was your New Year’s resolution?

My New Years resolution is to focus on improving job opportunities for local, inexperienced people at Edmonton Green through the kick-starter scheme.

Kickstart your Career as an Estate Agent

Estate agents sell and rent out commercial and residential property, acting as negotiators between buyers and sellers.

Average salary (a year) £15,000, (Starter) to £40,000 (Experienced) Average salary (a year)

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

You can get into this job through:

• Taking a university course • An apprenticeship • Gaining experience from an internship • Getting training offered by a professional body

University

You could gain a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

• Business studies • Civil and structural engineering • Estate management • Property development or management • Surveying • Urban and land studies

Entry Requirements

You’ll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma. • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree.

Apprenticeship

Some estate agents offer an intermediate apprenticeship as a junior estate agent. Entry requirements.

You’ll usually need:

GCSEs with English and maths or an equivalent, mandatory for an intermediate apprenticeship.

Work

You may be able to start as a trainee sales negotiator and learn on the job.

You could also start as an administrator in estate agency or lettings company and work your way up.

Local knowledge of the area where you’ll be working would be an advantage. Other Routes you could take is to start by taking qualifications offered by an industry body like the NAEA Property mark.

You do not need to be already working in property in order to take the introductory qualifications. There are also courses aimed at people in the industry who want to develop their career.

Career tips

Estate agents often work on commission which means that you have a basic salary and also earn a percentage of the sale or rental price of any property you sell or rent.

You might start on a guaranteed salary for a few months and then move to a commission-based salary.

You may also have the chance to add to your earnings through bonuses linked to meeting individual or company sales targets.

Further information

You can find our more about working as an estate agent by visiting: https://nationalcareers.service. gov.uk/job-profiles/estate-agent