Bricks & People: How real estate recruitment keeps evolving w/ Tamar Havakian
Tamar Havakian on real estate recruitment, post-COVID flexibility, and why specialist knowledge still wins. Tamar Havakian, Co-Founder – Property & Surveying at Invictus Group, joins us to unpack 20 years of experience in real estate recruitment. From the shifts caused by COVID to the evolving role of office-based work, she shares how candidate expectations and client demands have transformed — and why recruiters must now offer more than just placements. You’ll hear about: ✅ The impact of flexible working on hiring in real estate and facilities ✅ Why specialist knowledge gives recruiters a competitive edge ✅ The real-world value of relationship-led recruitment ✅ How Tamar’s team recruits engineers for high-pressure events like Wimbledon ✅ Her thoughts on AI, tech, and the future of recruitment ✅ What makes a good recruiter — and why resilience still matters Whether you recruit in the built environment or are rethinking your talent strategy, this episode is full of hard-earned insight and real-world examples. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 00:18 About Invictus Group 02:04 Impact of COVID on Real Estate 04:18 Recruitment Challenges Post-COVID 13:19 Falling into Recruitment 24:23 Starting Invictus Group 29:27 The Evolution of Recruitment Practices 30:19 The Importance of Cold Calling and Adding Value 31:08 Challenges in Starting a Recruitment Business Today 33:36 The Role of Technology and AI in Recruitment 35:51 The Significance of Niche Recruitment 37:59 Balancing AI and Human Interaction 46:33 Impactful Recruitment Stories 52:36 Special Projects and Future Directions 58:21 Advice for Aspiring Recruiters
