Surveying career entry issue
Discussion
Firstly, I'm 22 and graduated from my undergrad degree last year in Management from a relatively solid uni (top 20 ranked). I opted for a career in commercial surveying so began a Real Estate MSc (RICS accredited), from which I will graduate this coming September.
As those in the industry will know, the obvious path to become MRICS is to join a graduate scheme which will last two years, during which the APC will be completed and the graduate surveyor will internally progress in accordance with their new qualification.
The problem is I have missed 99% of the graduate scheme application deadlines for the intake for September 2015 as I was completely ignorant as to the system; seemingly all the major players' deadlines (JLL/Savills/KF/CBRE/C&WF/Capita/Colliers/etc) closed before the new year and I have managed to scrape only two applications in (one of which I now believe was late).
I am unsure where to go from here as there seems to be very little way in to a surveying job which provides APC support and the relevant prospects. As far as I see my two options are:
1. Wait until the next round of applications and start in September 2016 (by which time I will be 24!)
2. Attempt to find work which relates to commercial surveying/property management and then try to find a way into a proper role, which seems difficult seeing as 90% of junior level surveying jobs are fed through a grad scheme, thus the next tier of entry seems to be with 2 minimum years experience and MRICS, which I obviously wouldn't fulfill.
It is, frustratingly, my own fault for not being more on the ball with applying earlier, compounded by the fact on paper I think I appear quite strong as a grad candidate, having a Mgt degree and having solid transferable business skills through my own biomass business which I have run for 3 years.
Would be very grateful for any input from people in the know. I'm really at a loss as to my options.
As those in the industry will know, the obvious path to become MRICS is to join a graduate scheme which will last two years, during which the APC will be completed and the graduate surveyor will internally progress in accordance with their new qualification.
The problem is I have missed 99% of the graduate scheme application deadlines for the intake for September 2015 as I was completely ignorant as to the system; seemingly all the major players' deadlines (JLL/Savills/KF/CBRE/C&WF/Capita/Colliers/etc) closed before the new year and I have managed to scrape only two applications in (one of which I now believe was late).
I am unsure where to go from here as there seems to be very little way in to a surveying job which provides APC support and the relevant prospects. As far as I see my two options are:
1. Wait until the next round of applications and start in September 2016 (by which time I will be 24!)
2. Attempt to find work which relates to commercial surveying/property management and then try to find a way into a proper role, which seems difficult seeing as 90% of junior level surveying jobs are fed through a grad scheme, thus the next tier of entry seems to be with 2 minimum years experience and MRICS, which I obviously wouldn't fulfill.
It is, frustratingly, my own fault for not being more on the ball with applying earlier, compounded by the fact on paper I think I appear quite strong as a grad candidate, having a Mgt degree and having solid transferable business skills through my own biomass business which I have run for 3 years.
Would be very grateful for any input from people in the know. I'm really at a loss as to my options.
Well that's the thing. All of the 'No-experience' jobs seem to be done through a yearly intake system, the deadlines for which I have laready missed.
I guess the firms' thinking is why take people at a loose end when they can cream the graduates a year in advance en masse with being signed on 6-7 months before the job start to facilitate an easy intake. Taking in 5-20 graduates at one time and having them all on the same training/development schedule just makes more sense than taking them in at odds and ends.
Today I worked through around 40 surveying firms (with a presence in London), one of them had a commercial surveying space available, 22 of them did have but the deadline for this year has closed.
Thank you for your reply though, I will keep looking into it
I guess the firms' thinking is why take people at a loose end when they can cream the graduates a year in advance en masse with being signed on 6-7 months before the job start to facilitate an easy intake. Taking in 5-20 graduates at one time and having them all on the same training/development schedule just makes more sense than taking them in at odds and ends.
Today I worked through around 40 surveying firms (with a presence in London), one of them had a commercial surveying space available, 22 of them did have but the deadline for this year has closed.
Thank you for your reply though, I will keep looking into it
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to reply. Lots of great information given and most importantly of all it's incredibly reassuring.
In terms of specialisation, I have an inclination toward commercial property: both property management and landlord/tenant services, lease handling and the like. Investment consultancy also interests me and I will be looking to load up on my finance knowledge this summer. It has only been one year since I opted to take this career course though, so I don't have a true vision of what I'd prefer and am open minded toward different roles.
I think my next step may be to pick up some experience in the industry if no job is immediately forthcoming.
My work experience so far is solely from my own business in a different industry (biomass) but I feel the business/management skills are very transferable. I'm not going to be making an overt point of its success to any employer but I am effectively halving my earnings by going for a property grad job, that's how much it interests me.
I am open to firms of any size, nor do they have to be a property firm specifically. Trying to keep the horizon wide for the time being
In terms of specialisation, I have an inclination toward commercial property: both property management and landlord/tenant services, lease handling and the like. Investment consultancy also interests me and I will be looking to load up on my finance knowledge this summer. It has only been one year since I opted to take this career course though, so I don't have a true vision of what I'd prefer and am open minded toward different roles.
I think my next step may be to pick up some experience in the industry if no job is immediately forthcoming.
My work experience so far is solely from my own business in a different industry (biomass) but I feel the business/management skills are very transferable. I'm not going to be making an overt point of its success to any employer but I am effectively halving my earnings by going for a property grad job, that's how much it interests me.
I am open to firms of any size, nor do they have to be a property firm specifically. Trying to keep the horizon wide for the time being
Edited by Complex on Sunday 1st February 23:00
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