Job opportunities don’t end once a house is built. there are plenty of careers to follow in property!
Although the property industry overlaps with construction, they offer two distinct career paths. Working in property is more than just sales – it could see you involved with the management of properties, for example letting them out to tenants or arranging redevelopment. Property is generally split into three types: residential, commercial and rural.
Excellent communication and numeracy skills, plus commercial awareness, are key in the property world. Here are five jobs you may wish to consider in this industry.
Town Planner
This is a great role if you want to be involved in the management, development and regeneration of an area. Planners analyse the use of land and decide how it would best meet the needs of the area, whether that is a town, village or city. They need to balance a number of needs including housing, transport, agriculture and environmental issues.
As a town planner you’ll negotiate with developers, consult residents and businesses, design planning policies and assess planning applications.
What skills do I need? Planners need to be creative so they can find solutions to planning problems. As you’ll be working with lots of different interest groups, good interpersonal skills are a must. You also need to be organised to review applications, write reports and manage projects.
What’s the route into the job? Jobs are available in most areas of the UK, as every local authority employs planners. Planning consultancies are also located throughout the UK.
Most people start at administrative level and work their way up. Within the first few years, you should join the Royal Town Planning Institute Young Planners Network, which gives you access to training, social events and useful resources.
How much can I earn? Starting salaries for graduates and at assistant level range from £18,000 to £25,000. With experience this can rise to £45,000 or more.
Commercial or Residential Surveyor
In these roles, you’ll deal with all aspects of residential and commercial property, whether it’s sales, purchases, leases or management. A key part of this job includes assessing properties and placing a value on them, using your knowledge of the market.
Surveyors don’t just get involved with existing properties. You could also be asked to manage the entire development of a property, from greenfield stage – when there is nothing but undeveloped land – right through to assessing the completed buildings.
What skills do I need? Surveyors need to be strong negotiators and have excellent knowledge of the property market. You will also need to be a good multitasker, as you may have several clients and projects on the go at once.
If you choose to work in the private sector, you may need to work long hours, including weekends, so flexibility is important.
What’s the route into the job? The starting point is as a trainee surveyor. The most direct route is to have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. A full list of these is available on its website (ricscourses.org). There are also apprenticeship schemes, which last two years and will give you associate member status with RICS. More information can be found on the Chartered Surveyors Training Trust website (see box, below right).
How much can I earn? Starting salaries range from £23,000 to £30,000, while the average salary for an experienced surveyor is around £46,000.
Housing Manager
This role involves managing housing for a charity, housing association or private company. It is a highly interactive job, with key tasks including conducting tenant interviews, arranging rent collection and inspecting properties. You’ll work with other professions, such as social workers and estate agents, and may also be responsible for deciding where improvement funds should be spent and working with the contractors to ensure the work is done.
What skills do I need? The sheer number of people you’ll deal with means communication skills are key. You will need tact and sensitivity when dealing with tenants and any issues they may have. You will also need to be good at managing budgets and have the initiative to learn new legislation.
What’s the route into the job? You don’t need any particular qualifications, but you will generally need customer service experience. Voluntary or temporary work as a housing assistant would be beneficial.
How much can I earn? Starting salaries for assistant level are around £21,000. Once you become a housing manager, you can earn between £30,000 and £43,000 – the private sector tends to pay more than the public sector.
Investment Adviser
This highly varied role would see you manage the investments people have in property. Investment advisers help to create strategies to get their clients the best return on their investments. This involves a good deal of coordination with other teams, such as developers and surveyors. Inspecting properties is another part of the role.
What skills do I need? The deadline-driven nature of this job means you need to be a natural multitasker. You’ll also need to be commercially aware and have good numeracy skills.
What’s the route into the job? You’ll start as a trainee adviser, working with more senior people. A degree in surveying does help, but if you don’t have one there may be the opportunity to gain the qualification once you are in the job.
How much can I earn? At trainee level the starting salary is around £23,000 but with experience this rises quickly to £30,000 or more. You will also earn commission.
