For this year’s International Women’s Day, we caught up with two recent starters at Hartnell Taylor Cook. In this, our second Q&A, we talked to Georgina Batt, Senior Associate Director in Property & Asset Management, to reflect on her professional journey and the start of her story here at Hartnell Taylor Cook.
Having joined last November, Georgina has brought both unique pragmatism and valuable expertise to her work with the team so far, and it is truly fantastic to have welcomed such a driven, attentive, and diverse individual to our team.
Beginning and building a career
Georgina’s route into surveying was both non-traditional and, in her words, ‘happened by accident’. From working a variety of education-based roles, Georgina decided to work as a temp in a number of industries in a bid to discover enthusiasm in her day-to-day work.
‘After temping as an administrator in an estate team for a UK healthcare provider, I was then offered the opportunity to start permanent employment as a junior property manager, and this is where my story begins.’
‘Once I’d learnt the ropes, I was exposed to various groups of people with whom I collaborated and worked with, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It wasn’t long before I decided I wanted this to be my career, so I undertook formal training through the UCEM, completed my degree in real estate, and went on to become chartered.’
More on the role
Innovation, new challenges, and ongoing learning are all integral features of life as a Property Manager. For some, these could be daunting aspects of a career, but Georgina revels at the chance of getting stuck into something new.
‘No one day looks the same. A lot of people say this, but I mean it! Some days I feel like a detective, sourcing information and solving problems, but others I’ll be busy collaborating with team members, tenants, and clients – it’s a lovely mix between being at my desk and on site.’
‘As a Property Manager, you get to experience the most weird and wonderful challenges which you never would have thought could fall into your day-to-day role – it’s fantastic, and I’d encourage anyone with a thirst for learning something new to consider this career.’
Navigating the field
While property can be a field dominated by men, Georgina sees that the tides are turning – and hopes that she can contribute to the sea change.
‘Women are, generally, less represented within the industry. I relish the fact that I get the opportunity as a woman myself to work with peers and therefore do my part to change the current statistics and colour the horizon differently. I have been very fortunate to have had great female mentors and role models, and I hope that I can be that person for someone else.’
Georgina’s appetite to guide and support clients and colleagues is also mirrored by how she fills her personal time – working with local charity groups to provide invaluable resources to the community. We’re delighted to call Georgina part of the team here at Hartnell Taylor Cook.
You can read our other International Women’s Day Q&A with Sara Rahimi here: https://htc.uk.com/news/international-womens-day-sara-rahimi/
