Employer with prospects and a feel-good factor – an interview with our Head of Marketing, Vanessa Jeannet

Dear Vanessa. Nice of you to take the time for this interview, even if there are certainly other things to do at the moment with the high demand for Real Estate.
This really is the case and I can only confirm the media reports that the number of inquiries is high and that a property is sold much faster today than ever before. However, this is a dynamic that a well-positioned marketing company with the right people in every position can easily absorb. That’s why I’m happy to take the time to explain why Ginesta has been the best place for me to live my dream job successfully for over five years and why I feel completely happy here.

What was the reason for your move to Ginesta back then, in the middle of an already successful career as a marketer?
The company’s reputation was the main reason why I pricked up my ears when I heard about the vacancy. A bit like the NZZ in the newspaper sector, Burberry for trench coats or the Rolex on the wrist: with a lot of tradition and obviously of the best quality, always there like any sure value and then often with special properties on offer that other estate agents can only dream of. My curiosity was aroused and my application was the beginning.

Was the image you brought to your first interview confirmed?
Yes and no. The beautiful offices, the art on the walls, the attentive receptionist and the elegant meeting room confirmed my impression that they work at a high level and are in the top league here. The conversation with Claude (Ginesta) was then one of equals and characterized by a casualness that I would not have expected. It quickly became clear to me and to both of us that we would get on really well. He struck me as the class leader that everyone likes. Confident, obviously cultured, well-read and educated, yet with the sparkle in his eyes of a boy who is passionate about something. And above all with the nice trait that he obviously knows how to light this fire in others. This humanity and humility that I now know is an important factor in Ginesta’s success. The ability to approach everyone openly, empathetically and with a smile, regardless of whether they are the seller of a 10-million-euro property, a talkative prospective buyer or a marketing intern.

Did you have any reservations about joining a third-generation, patriarchal family business?
Not at all. I see it as an advantage that both worlds are present here. André Ginesta, for example, is still in the office every day and his decades of accumulated knowledge and countless experiences are an enrichment for everyone in the team. Claude, on the other hand, runs the company together with the management with the modern aspiration of gathering a team around him that consists of the best in their field. Regardless of whether they are family or not. Every key person in the now five branches and at Ginesta Immobilien Verwaltungen AG, our property management company, has a great deal of autonomy and responsibility. Incidentally, this also applies to every employee: independence is demanded and encouraged. Because healthy development with corresponding growth requires many strong links that make the chain strong for today’s diverse challenges.

With this growth, is there still enough room to respond to the current market dynamics?
The market is always on the move and those who only react are always too late. This is precisely Ginesta’s strength: there are competent people in every position who anticipate trends and initiate the appropriate measures. Our size also plays into our hands: we are large enough to be able to continuously invest in state-of-the-art systems, digital marketing and the creation of new specialist departments – we now have our own IT specialists, the valuation desk is being continuously expanded and we have also increased our marketing and services – and yet small enough that it remains personal and each individual feels responsible. This encourages personal excellence and in turn means that everyone has access to a first-class infrastructure and a great deal of freedom in organizing their daily lives. In short: Ginesta is in an upward spiral that promotes creativity and performance. So in everyday life it sometimes feels like being in a start-up on the rise, while on the outside we are what we have always been: The first choice for discerning property sellers. Precisely because we do our homework before it is due out of necessity or urgency.  

You mention the organization of everyday life, where there is freedom. What do you mean by that?
Anyone who spends several hours on the road or visiting properties, as we marketers do, has to manage the rest of the time well. Emails need to be answered, sales documentation needs to be prepared, something needs to be printed out again and again so that it can be handed in. We make this easier for our employees by enabling them to work in all five branches. This means that if you live near Winterthur, have a team meeting in Küsnacht in the morning and then a viewing in Kreis 6, you can simply go to the office in Oerlikon afterwards to complete the documentation for the villa in Zumikon or print out the plans for the viewing in Dübendorf the next morning. If you still have a lot of calls to make before the ski weekend in the mountains, you can do this in our beautiful offices in Chur. Working from home has also become a popular option. This takes the pressure off everyday life, facilitates a company-wide exchange of know-how and creates a wonderful feeling of freedom, which we have noticed is greatly appreciated. The fact that we also have access to professional photographers, copywriters and translators also makes things easier and, of course, leads to above-average dossiers with which we can present ourselves to buyers. Various assistant positions provide additional relief so that our consultants can really concentrate on marketing.

Which brings me to the properties. When you start working at Ginesta, do you have to have experience in selling luxury real estate?
Of course, we always have exceptional architectural gems, stately Art Nouveau villas, castles or other historic buildings in the multi-million euro range on offer. Such properties and other demanding mandates are my specialty and are the first things that land on my desk. However, people who want to sell a property don’t come to us because of this, but because of the consistently high quality of our services for all types of properties. Existing properties with detached houses and condominiums make up the majority, but our Portfolio also includes building land, new construction projects and apartment buildings with or without commercial units. A huge range that helps every real estate consultant advance professionally. Here you learn something new with every property and, in addition to the beautiful name Ginesta on your CV, you also fill your backpack with experience. The expectations of our future employees are naturally high, but unlike the willingness to constantly develop at a high level, selling luxury properties is not part of the job profile. If you have the flair and talent for brokering particularly exclusive properties, or if you develop it here, I will of course be happy to introduce you to this fascinating field of activity.

That all sounds very interesting. And now hand on heart: is there still room in your team at the moment? And what can an applicant expect from you?
We are always interested in applications from marketing personalities with experience and specialist qualifications. At the moment, we really do have a specific need for employees who can represent us as independent project managers for the portfolios entrusted to us to a demanding group of buyers. This is because our growth efforts are succeeding and we always have various interesting properties in the pipeline. I see my role as a coach who first helps people to enter the Ginesta universe and then acts in an advisory role to help everyone in the team to progress individually in their personal and professional development. My aim is to promote independence according to the motto “as little as possible, as much as necessary” just as much as successful sales.

How would you pitch Ginesta to such applicants? What would be your elevator pitch?
Just 15 minutes from Zurich, you will find a dynamic team with a large number of friendly specialists with whom you can give your career a real boost. As part of Ginesta, you will benefit from the company’s good reputation and will be valued and respected as a specialist both internally and by sellers and buyers. As we grow, there are opportunities for you to grow and progress with the success of the company. In addition to work, we cultivate a pleasant atmosphere, the highest regard for everyone as an individual and a wonderful culture of regular social events and joint activities such as the annual ski weekend.

Thank you very much for the pleasant and interesting interview. And good luck in your search for the right people for this great task.