In 2019, EG brought together a group of students embarking on their journeys in real estate. Sarah Jackman catches up with them to discuss their initial experiences of the industry, managing work alongside study and current thoughts on their career pathways
Louise Lawrence
Savills and University College of Estate Management
You have just completed your third year of study at UCEM. How was it?
The third year widened my knowledge of the industry and enabled me to focus on the technicalities of valuation, which has supported my workplace development. It has also been the most useful so far, as it links heavily to the work I undertake at Savills. I have found a good rhythm, balancing my work, university and social life and look forward to strengthening this over the final year.
What lies ahead in terms of both work and study in the coming year?
If everything goes to plan, I will commence my final year at UCEM and graduate in late 2023. I shall undertake various modules that link to the valuation pathway and produce a final project that will demonstrate my learning and understanding. Alongside this, I shall be undertaking my APC, which I am due to sit in spring 2024. I am currently just over six months in and have been participating in several CPD and APC workshops that both Savills and UCEM have provided. These have been crucial to building knowledge, skills and understanding.
As you progress, how are your thoughts on your potential career path being shaped?
As I have grown and developed over the past three years, I have been able to assist with different valuations for a variety of properties using a range of techniques at Savills. This has been supported with the knowledge that has been provided by the university. I have also worked alongside colleagues on various agency instructions, valuations and strategic work, all of which has shaped my perspective of the industry and highlighted areas that I enjoy most. Although I still have lots to learn and plenty of room to grow, I am really enjoying the valuation work and look forward to developing this knowledge further.
How are you finding the workplace post-pandemic? Are you benefiting from more in-person contact?
Post-pandemic work life is not too dissimilar to our pre-Covid days. Although we now have a hybrid working approach which allows for flexibility, we are mostly in the office working collaboratively and pushing on through these tricky times. Myself and other members of the team have benefited significantly from more in-person contact. It provides invaluable learning experiences that you cannot get working from home. The hybrid working also allows for flexibility in the week for my study day.
Do you feel that the shift to remote and hybrid working has made it more difficult for those at the start of their careers to access the support needed to develop?
I was just over seven months into my apprenticeship and working at Savills when the coronavirus pandemic hit. For two years we were working from home with very few people in the office. I am grateful that I had a few months in the office with the team before the world shut down, as it enabled me to continue to grow and maintain good communication with my colleagues. I do not envy those who started in a workplace during the pandemic when there was little to no office take-up. It must be incredibly challenging to get to know colleagues, workplace environments and job roles without that in-person contact. Although I do believe that the advances in technology accommodate working from home and enable new joiners to connect with their colleagues, I think it would be beneficial for companies to continue some office work to aid the development of their new employees.
What are you finding most rewarding about a career in real estate?
My growth over the past three years has been the most rewarding. The diversity within my work is also rewarding as it allows me to undertake a wide range of work and experience different roles within the property sector. I also find the growing responsibility I have within the team very rewarding.
Jake Edwards
Graduate surveyor, Cushman & Wakefield
Congratulations on graduating from the University of West England. How was your final year?
Thank you. It was a good challenge with a cohort of great people who achieved sweet results and secured graduate schemes with leading real estate firms, so the final year was more about cementing friendships and networking. The course at UWE was engaging and always tweaked to reflect what was going on in the industry. I am not one to post every achievement on LinkedIn but for what it’s worth, I received the Entrepreneurial Award and the Real Estate Graduate of the Year Award.
How did you find the workload?
It was the most solid year of the three. I treated it like a 9-to-5 job, which made it pretty stress free and allowed me to use evenings and weekends to get in the sea and the sky. All of the assignments varied in duration and overlapped throughout the year, which required focus and discipline. I started projects early and kept on top of them, so I graduated with a smile on my face and an ever-improving attitude to getting things done.
When we last spoke, you were hoping to secure a graduate scheme in commercial surveying – with a bit of skydiving in between. How are you getting on in terms of realising that ambition?
I have secured a graduate surveyor position with Cushman & Wakefield in Bristol, which I am super stoked about. I will be rotating through a few of the teams and I hope to develop into a valued member of the company while working towards MRICS. Skydiving is on the back-burner at the moment. The dream is to progress to wingsuiting, but that takes time and money so I will be kitesurfing, surfing and wing foiling instead.
How have you found the job market and interview process?
Relatively tough. I took the advice to not spread myself too thin by applying for too many jobs and focus instead on specific graduate schemes. I applied to around seven companies. Although the job market can be competitive, different businesses are better suited to a person’s character and values, so I viewed a turned-down application as a natural process of elimination. The interview process was quite daunting at first but also streamlined, and everyone I spoke with was astute and professional.
Since starting this feature, your views have evolved on where you would like to take your career. What is your current thinking?
I do not have many preconceptions. However, capital markets is of interest, and I am interested in learning more. I am intrigued by how business and economics work and hope to have the opportunity to get a feel for it over the next two years. However, I also know that to do a good job in the investment field, I need to have a solid, well-rounded knowledge of the industry. I am excited to see how my views evolve and am keen to spend more time outside my comfort zone.
What advice do you have for anyone currently considering real estate as a career?
I am in the early stages but everyone I have talked with and met so far seems excited about their work in the industry. It seems like a social work environment, and many people have exciting and active personal lives too. Talk to as many people in the industry as you can. Listen and learn from their advice and perspectives, as this will expand your knowledge and mindset about how you want to shape your career. If you are intrigued by the real estate industry, go for it – I am sure you will not regret it.
Ella Moore-Hemsley
Graduate surveyor, Lambert Smith Hampton
Congratulations on graduating from Nottingham Trent University. How was your final year?
Thank you. The last year of my education at NTU was the most rewarding and enjoyable. The corporate real estate, portfolio and fund management, investment, and valuation modules integrated learning into workplace scenarios and demonstrated how much I had learnt throughout my time at NTU. It was wonderful to be learning in person for my final year after Covid affected my university experience. In my final year, I was able to connect with my lecturers and benefit from learning in person. I will be keeping in touch with my lecturers and am grateful for NTU’s support over the past three years.
You have since secured a role at Lambert Smith Hampton. Tell us about that
I started in July and I’m beginning to settle in. The role itself consists of two rotations, each lasting a full year, allowing me to become accustomed to the department and make the most out of each service line. Currently I’m working in lease advisory. The team has been extremely encouraging of my learning and beginning in this team will provide a reasonable grounding for when I move on to the second rotation. My role will be focused on completing my APC while working during the following two years. LSH provides great support with a counsellor, supervisor and various tailored workshops and seminars that complement the hands-on experience I gain on a daily basis.
How have you found your first steps into the sector?
As a recent graduate, everyone I have met in the industry has been incredibly kind and helpful. The most beneficial learning opportunity is being in the environment and understanding where I should be developing, even though I have finished my studies and NTU prepared me well. I met grads from Savills, Knight Frank, Gerald Eve and Montagu Evans during a networking event held by Knight Frank recently. This event was a great way to get started in the industry, and I am looking forward to more networking opportunities in the future.
When we last spoke, you expressed an interest in commercial surveying, valuations and possibly working on the tenant side for large corporations. Do you still hold those ambitions?
I still hold those ambitions and I am pursuing my APC to become a chartered surveyor. As part of that, I will spend time completing valuations to finish my competencies. I’m able to work with large corporations managing the leases of their portfolio, acting as landlord or tenant, while working in lease advisory for the year. I appreciate working on both sides of the transactions because I believe it will maintain a balanced perspective of what each party hopes to achieve. Though I am not currently employed as an in-house employee of a large corporation, working at LSH provides me with this opportunity in many service lines.
What’s next for you in terms of your career in real estate?
It’s only up from here. Right now, getting settled at LSH and pursuing my APC are my priorities. I believe my career pathway will become more evident once I complete my APC and I continue learning about the various service lines and networking. I’m currently attempting to seize every chance and develop personally through these encounters. If at all feasible, I would like to spend my second rotation working in the agency department so that I may gain more knowledge about this position.
What advice do you have for anyone currently thinking of exploring real estate as a career?
As I have previously mentioned, when choosing my degree, I considered business but didn’t see how I could turn my love of real estate into a career. Now that I have made this move, I would advise everyone who is thinking about or is interested in this industry to seize the chance. I really appreciate working for a company like LSH that encourages my professional growth, to be in London and to have so many exciting opportunities ahead of me.
Read the other articles in the series:
Mainly for Students: Taking the next step
Real estate’s next generation – forging ahead in an uncertain world
Real estate: The next generation
