A Day in the Life of Naomi Keshinro

"I think the best part of my job is being able to convince people to buy what they never thought they will buy. It's your duty as an agent to bring out the positives of every property and make people see beyond of what they would see in the first moment."

What attracted you to this industry in the first instance?

I didn't start out as a real estate agent, but one thing let to the other and here I am. It was however my first proper job ever since I graduated from Uni. Someone introduced me to a real estate agent, I sent my CV and I got the job. I hated viewings at first, but I ended up loving it.

I think the best part of my job is being able to convince people to buy what they never thought they will buy. It's your duty as an agent to bring out the positives of every property and make people see beyond of what they would see in the first moment. I also tell them what could be done with the properties, that's part of my selling point. So I love it, I believe it's a fulfilling career. If you grow, you get paid well. But the job needs long hours. If you are not ready for that don't bother going into this industry. And if you're ready to work after hours you can build friendships, clients become your friends. They trust you with their properties, so for them to trust you with their keys, for you to manage the property, they need to trust you as a whole. A lot of trust goes into it at the end of the day.

What skills do you feel contribute most to success in this industry?

Personality and image. I think that's what you need to have in real estate. You need to be able to talk to people, come across very well, be presentable (it goes a long way!).

People need to believe in you, so you need to look good. They need to buy into you first, it is very important. Some properties do sell themselves, but for others you have to sell yourself first before you sell the property.

How does a person progress in your field?

If you hit your targets, then it means that you're good at what you're doing. If you don't meet your targets, then it means that you'll get a low pay package and that's why people move from the industry. But when you hit targets and you make money, bonuses come in, so it could be very rewarding. Once you hit your targets, for any employer that appreciates good work the best way to show it is to get you trained and move you up the ladder, you might be in charge of a team and then in charge of a branch.

What is your typical day like?

Morning meetings. We speak to our clients, applicants, landlords, get the viewings done. I generally do most of the admin in the office. Mondays are very hectic, I have my one-to-one with everyone. That could be very stressful, especially if you are in a managing position like myself. My duty, managing the team, is to make sure that everyone is doing their jobs effectively.

How many hours do you normally work per week?

Very long hours. Right now I can't even count the number of hours, because when I'm home I'm still working.

Generally, my colleagues work from 9am till 6:30pm, but most of the time the viewings take 'till 7pm. They work 5 days a week, they take a day off during the week and they work one day in the weekends. Sometimes they take their weekends off and they come back on Monday, but it's just 5 days a week.

Would you choose this career if you could make the decision again?

Yes, I would do. I didn't plan it out to be, but real estate is rewarding. If you're wise, if you're not lazy, if you know what you're doing, it is rewarding.

What (if anything) would you do differently?

Right now? I don't really know. I do manage a team of people at the moment, and I think I have a great team. I'm happy with them, although sometimes it can get challenging. You have your ups and downs, but I don't think there's anything I would do differently.

How do you want to improve yourself in the near future?

Have my offices, get a bigger team. Be a little more patient. But I can't complain about anything, we're doing very well.

What advice would you give to an individual who's starting a career in this industry?

Be ready to do very long hours, be dedicated, do your job like it all depends on you. Do your job like nobody else is going to do it, so just give it your whole. Be ready to work long hours, don't be lazy, don't complain.

This industry can't go wrong, people will constantly need a place to stay. It's an industry that always expands, it can't die. So put in your best, it's very rewarding.

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A Day in the Life of Sorina Alexandru

"Every child is different and they have different needs too. So every day I learn something new, how to adapt to various situations and behaviors."

What made you decide on a career as a Teaching Assistant?

I like working with children and I wanted to try working in an educational environment. Before this I worked as an Au pair. It was my first job in London, and that was when I realised that working with children was my calling.

How many hours do you normally work per week?

35 hours per week.

How does your typical working day looks like?

I start work at 8.30am doing admin stuff and at 9.00am the children arrive. Usually I have a group of children I sit with during the input of the lesson and I have a different one for the activities. In the afternoon I work one to one with a child with special educational needs. I work with him for half an hour and after that I go back to the class for the end of the day routines.

What was the most complex assignment you ever had?

More than a year ago I worked with a severely impaired child all day long. I wouldn't say it was difficult, but I did find it challenging. I have a degree in Psychology and this helps me a lot when dealing with children with special needs.

I know working as a teaching assistant can be challenging sometimes. How do you handle difficult pupils?

I follow the school policy on behavior and I apply sanctions as required.

What have you learned from your working experience?

I have learned a lot about safeguarding children and about different ways you can help pupils who need extra support. But every child is different and they have different needs too. So every day I learn something new, how to adapt to various situations and behaviors.

Would you choose this career if you could make the decision again?

Yes. I find working with children very rewarding. I love being surrounded by them, it makes me feel accomplished.

What advice would you give to an individual who's starting a career in this field?

Choose a school which provides professional development courses and work with as many age groups as possible.

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A Day in the Life of Leila Maqtan

"You need as much knowledge as possible. Curiosity is the interpreter's best friend. Every bit of information can help, you never know when.

Whether somebody makes a joke, or refers to a recent event in their speech, the interpreter needs to understand what is being said at all times."

What made you decide on this career in the first instance?

The idea that I could "play" with words and get paid for it made me make a career out of this. When I say "play" I mean be creative.

I've always thought that interpreters, for instance, are some sort of geniuses. That was before I became one myself. After that, I realised they are normal people. To some extent, of course...

How did you get to your current position?

Well...I've built it up in time. I am a self-employed person, I work full-time as a translator and interpreter, but I've started by getting my degree, then I've got some experience, then some additional qualifications and I've built up my client base in time.

What knowledge/skills are required to become an interpreter?

Apart from the obvious vocabulary and relevant terminology, you also need as much knowledge as possible. Curiosity is the interpreter's best friend. Every bit of information can help, you never know when. Whether somebody makes a joke, or refers to a recent event in their speech, the interpreter needs to understand what is being said at all times.

Of course, you need to be able to speak at least two languages fluently. But that is far from being enough. There is a lot of training involved. Simultaneous interpreting requires a special ability, for instance: listening and talking at the same time - and not talking gibberish!

What have you learned from your past jobs? Did you gain transferrable skills to help you in your current position?

I have learned a lot. And yes, I did get transferrable skills. As I said before, every bit of information may be used sometime. Previously - or, I should rather say, in the meanwhile - I have worked as a web developer for a very short time. This made it very easy for me to translate websites, for instance.

How many hours do you typically work per week?

Properly working, probably...10? But there's a lot of travelling involved, and some waiting time as well.

Describe a typical day at your job.

Wake up, consult Google Maps for the shortest route to the destination, get there, sign in at the reception, wait, introduce myself at some point to the people involved, interpreting, break, interpreting, break, pleasantries,  maybe some more interpreting, goodbyes, sign out, go home. Maybe I do some translation work at home too.

What kinds of events challenge you on the job?

Everything that is new, that I've never had to deal with before, is a welcome challenge.

However, large rooms with bad acoustics, for instance, are a challenge sometimes as well...not as welcome as the previous one.

How would you describe the experience of working with the Police forces?

Contrary to expectations, working with the police has been a rather smooth and calm process, every time. I think the police officers are well trained to work with interpreters and they do their best to create a proper environment for the process. At least this is my experience so far.

When have you been most satisfied in your career?

There have been a few satisfaction peaks. I can't really pick one peak.  I'm usually very satisfied when people forget that I am there and they seem to communicate as if they spoke the same language. It means I've done my job well.

What advice would you give to an individual who's starting a career as a translator or interpreter?

Learn, read, never stop being curious, speak much, listen much, train your brain regularly, and take yourself and your future career seriously.

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