Tom Greet - The Man Behind the Phone!

So here it is, my first article. I must admit at this point that I am definitely not the best storyteller, so go easy on me in the comments! I felt that as so many of you speak to me on the phone on nearly a daily basis, it would be good for you all to learn about the real me - where I came from, how I got here, what my goals are/were, and what drives me in my career. In order to do this properly, I need to take you right back to my last year at school, on what would become my long (and at times painful) journey to Wisdom Recruitment.

The Year was 2006, and I was in (what turned out to be) my final year at St Bedes Senior School in Hailsham, East Sussex. I had done very well in my GCSEs the previous school year, but I was failing miserably when it came to my A-Levels. For as long as I could remember, I had wanted to be a chef and was taking great steps to achieve this both in and out of the classroom. I was already working part-time in a pub/restaurant in Peacehaven 2 evenings per week and on weekends and was taking my level 2 catering course in 6th form as well.

As it so happens, having a job at the same time as studying left me absolutely no time to study in order to pass my other A-Levels, so the end result was 2 Es and 1 U, horrifying to say the least! As I realised there would be resits, I convinced my parents to let me drop out after year 12, and take up a catering course to complete my level 3 instead. They were supportive and let me do this, and I was able to keep being a chef in the meantime - A win/win situation for me!

After passing my Level 3 in June 2007, I started looking for work in a proper restaurant but failed to find anything. It felt as though the market for newly qualified chefs had dried up, and I was left with working in chain carveries and pubs. Whilst I enjoyed these jobs immensely, I really couldn't see any longevity in doing so. I started to re-evaluate my whole career - I was approaching 19 and really wanted a career. Then came the day that completely changed my life.

I had just finished a gym session with a friend, who felt completely drained as I had put him through my vigorous workout. After the session, he said to me "you're looking for a career? After that, you'd probably make a very good personal trainer!" The thought stewed around my head for a few months, and then after a particularly bad day in the kitchen, I thought 'why not?'

I looked into courses to become a fitness instructor and found one with YMCAFit. Two weeks intensive and you're qualified - sounds perfect! So I signed up, took the course and in February 2008 became a fully qualified fitness instructor. I began by driving to Brighton one Saturday afternoon to hand out my CV, approaching a few hotels and small gyms along the seafront.

No sooner had I arrived home that day, I received a call from LivingWell Health club, based out of the Hilton in Brighton. They wanted to see me! After an interview with the Deputy Manager, and then the Manager, I was offered the role of leisure assistant within the group, starting in May 2008. My day involved setting up the gym, writing gym programmes, taking inductions, testing pool cleanliness, and overall club duties. I sometimes started as early as 5:30 am! I particularly enjoyed this drive in to work on Sundays, as this was about the time the clubs were chucking out, and the scenes in Brighton at that time were indescribable! It was around October 2008 that I started playing rugby at an adult level, so the shift patterns worked well for my own training schedule. A sport I still play to this day.

I quickly was put on a personal trainer course by LivingWell and became fully qualified by June 2009. I trained a variety of people, from people looking to shift a few pounds after Christmas, to those looking to run the (Newly created) Brighton marathon. I had at my peak about 7 clients, all taking 2 sessions per week. Business was good, I was happy, I was healthy, and above all else, loved my job!

However, that soon changed. Rugby had fast become my biggest passion in life, and I was struggling to get time off work on Saturday afternoons to play. At first, it was quite straightforward; I would work Sundays and have Saturdays off, but this soon became difficult for the management as they lost team members and everyone needs to do their part. Now whilst I was ok with this, this wasn't a situation I wanted to be in every week. I felt 'If only I could just do personal Training without the fitness instructor part as well'. I, therefore, took the plunge and took a desk job in February 2012, working 9-5 and then taking PT clients in the evenings and on weekends.

This worked for about 1 year, but the amount of time I spent working left me no time for anything else, and although I was getting the chance to play rugby at weekends, I didn't have the energy to do so. I hated the situation I was in, and as I had been in the fitness industry for 5 years at this point, I opted to leave it and pursue something else. That's when estate agency landed in my lap.

I was offered a role with Fox and Sons in April 2013, a large corporate estate agent that was part of the Sequence Group, working out of one of their Brighton Offices. I eventually was given the opportunity to be an interim manager of their Rottingdean Office, due to long-term sick leave by the previous manager. As this was on a temporary basis, I knew I wouldn't be there very long, and eventually in December 2014, I was moved again, this time to the Patcham office as Senior Negotiator.

After about a month in the office, news spread that the Woodingdean Manager had left and that they were on the lookout for a new head. I put myself forward for the role, as I already knew the area well (I lived in Rottingdean for 16 years, Woodingdean is 1 mile up the road) and was graciously given the role, again, on a temporary basis until I had proved myself. When I started, the office only had a ￡2500 pipeline, not enough to run an office! By November, this pipeline stood at ￡47,000, and the office was number one in the town in terms of market share, Something I was very proud of.

I was, however, not entirely happy with where I was, and money is always a factor. Therefore, I put the feelers out that I was looking for that next step. The area manager for Cubitt and West got in touch with me about an area sales manager role that he had, and after a couple of meetings with him, I was offered the job. It was, at the time my dream job! I eventually settled at the Lewes Office.

However, having moved in with my partner near Horsham at the time, the travel time to work dramatically increased, so I asked for a transfer to West Sussex. I ended up at the Broadwater office, which at the time had had a tumultuous couple of years. I started to help build momentum there, taking on new properties and selling the vast majority very quickly.

Then, two weeks after joining the office, I got what was probably the biggest shock of my career - they were closing the office with immediate effect. To make matters worse, I (along with two others) was being made redundant. It felt like I had been punched in the stomach, I didn't know what to do. I needed money to live and had a wedding to pay for, how the hell was I going to do any of this!?

I took a couple of weeks out, before being offered another estate agency role, this time in my own town, so travel time was about 2 minutes! I said to myself from the start - if I don't enjoy this one, look for a new career, because estate agency probably isn't for you anymore. Sure enough, within a matter of weeks, it wasn't right, and I didn't know what to do.

This is where the power of family comes in. A chat with my brother (wise beyond his years the vast majority of the time) recommended that I got in touch with Rachael Wisdom about a career in recruitment. He had interviewed with her a couple of years previous and said it was something I should look into. Without hesitation, I called the office, and my new boss Peter Evans answered. I explained my situation to Peter, and he invited me in for an interview, looking to add to his new team.

After an initial chat and a subsequent presentation, I waited to find out if I had been successful. On a Friday in Early April, I got the call I had been waiting for - he wanted to give me a job! I was ecstatic, and a sense of great relief washed over me. Was this the career I should have looked into years ago? And why didn't I do it sooner? I was excited and nervous to get started, as I really didn't know what to expect.

As of the time of writing this, I have never been happier in my job. I speak to like-minded people every day and have some great conversations with a wide variety of people. My market is purely Bristol and Bath, and just the fact that I am able to help someone with their own career progression fills me with great satisfaction every time I step foot in the office. I work with a great team, who always have each other's backs and above all else, we respect the hell out of one another!

In wrapping this up, it's important to live your life to the fullest, and not be stuck somewhere you hate. Take pride in what you do, and treat others as you wish to be treated. Life is too short for anything else.