Construction & property
Despite the bumpy ride the property market has seen in the last few years, this sector remains a popular choice for graduates. The career choices in property range from estate agents and surveyors to construction managers and architecture.
Often graduates who enjoy working with people, who like fast-paced environments and have bags of ambition, do well in the property sector. In estate agency, for example, graduates must be excellent negotiators, think on their feet and be aware of any competitors. Salaries can vary according to agency, however take Foxtons as an example, the salary starts at £22k plus benefits.
For those who are looking for a less-sales driven and more technical role, the Royal Chartered Institute of Surveying (RICS) trains people to become chartered surveyors. Here, you have the opportunity to travel across the work as you get contracted to survey a range of buildings, from iconic buildings to extreme surveying where you might find yourself climbing mountains to reach a remote building to well-known public sector buildings.
In terms of construction, this could be anything from housing, bridges, rail infrastructure, power stations and roads. Pretty much anything that you can construct! At a more senior level, you would be responsible for overseeing an entire construction project, so this would involve dealing with a broad range of people, including architects who are heavily involved in the planning stage.
Graduates looking to become architects need to complete a specific architectural course. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a good place to start! An eye for design and an interest in designing space and buildings is essential! On bigger projects you would work closely with the project or construction managers to ensure the building work is carried out correctly. Some firms may offer sponsorship opportunities to help you get started too, so it’s worth asking if you manage to get your foot in the door with an architects firm.
Ideally graduates must be articulate, problem solving, numerate and financially aware, be pragmatic, have strong interpersonal skills where you can motivate and lead and team, and have an element of creativity.
Key articles for construction and property graduates