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PROPERTY - ROB WIGHTMAN OM'91
What is your profession and current position?
I am a Chartered Surveyor and work at Knight Frank as an Estate Agent; I am a partner and run the Hungerford office.
How did Monkton get you ready for the world of work?
It gave me the ability to work as a team, be organised and to forge relationships with all walks of life.
What is your biggest professional achievement?
Qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor. On leaving The Royal Agricultural College in 1995 I worked as a land agent and after 2 years sat my APC (Assessment of Professional Competence). This involved being interviewed by a panel of three surveyors in a hotel near Heathrow. Whilst it was pretty daunting, I was hugely relieved to pass and qualifying has been a great ‘string to my bow’ as it has enabled me work in a variety of property sectors.
What has been your most challenging professional moment?
Selling houses during Covid has been extremely challenging, particularly during the lockdowns. Estate agency is very much a people-based job so it was hard having to working from home and show people around houses with virtual tours online.
What inspires and motivates you at work?
I am very lucky to work for a fantastic firm and have a great team around me. I love the variety my job gives me and no two days are the same; I could be looking around a lovely farmhouse with a potential vendor in the morning and in the office, negotiating with a buyer, in the afternoon. I meet some fascinating people and get to see some wonderful properties. Doing a great job for my clients is my absolute priority and selling a house never fails to give me a buzz!
What is one piece of advice you would like to share with pupils or OMs about getting into your profession?
I consider myself fortunate as I knew from a young age that I wanted to be involved in agriculture/property and working as a land agent gave me a great insight into this side of the profession. I would urge anyone to get as much work experience as possible as it is not only good for your CV but will also help give a valuable insight into what the job entails.