Where to start
Property is a multi-disciplined sector, and there are a wide range of entry points, including from investment banks, asset management houses, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, development companies, and the more traditional surveying route. Other property and land use entry points include town planning, civil engineering, land management and estate agency.
Visit Prospects for a good overview of this sector and job profiles. These profiles include:
- Estate Agent
- Rural practice surveyor
- Building Surveyor
- Planning and Development Surveyor
- Town Planners
- Historic Buildings Inspector/Conservation Officer
Sustainability is a fast-growing part of this sector - check out our A-Z pages on Environment and Conservation.
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors explains What is a building surveyor?
Communication, commercial awareness, and negotiation go a long way in the property industry. Ambition, motivation, problem solving, and strong analytic skills are valued by employers. TargetJobs has great tips on what graduate employers are looking for.
Target Careers has an article on how to know if you would be suited to Property or Planning.
- Real estate and property roles, including graduate schemes, are advertised on Milkround.com
- EFinancial Careers advertise Real estate investment vacancies and internships
- Total jobs advertises many roles for estate agents
- For more information on Chartered Surveyor vacancies and requirements, see the RICS website
- Check Handshake for vacancies throughout the year: applications for property graduate schemes usually open in October
Gain work experience with internships, summer placements, or more informal shadowing opportunities. This will show recruiters that you know what the job entails. Look for opportunities in environmental conservation, heritage and public sectors, or in the buildings and estates divisions of universities.
Visit company websites for their specific programmes (e.g. Savills, Laing O’Rourke). See the E4S guide to property and real estate internships types.
For more finance and investment real estate opportunities research organisations such as Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Blackstone, and BNP Paribas.
Develop commercial awareness and knowledge of the industry by taking part in relevant extra-curricular activities such as being an active member of a student society. Keep up to date with the sector news by reading the Financial Times or Property Week.
Learn more about real estate finance with Coursera and other MOOC online courses.
You can get a job in property without a property-related degree. Many employers want the best graduate talent, and will sponsor you through a postgraduate property qualification accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) if needed.
Becoming a Chartered Surveyor involves passing the APC and gaining professional accreditation from the professional body for this area, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Your degree may already give you exemptions from some papers (e.g. Land Economy).
Accredited professional qualifications for graduates to become Chartered Town Planners can be found at Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
- Targetjobs lists the top 300 employers in property
- Prospects has a list of the most common employers in Property and construction
- The University’s Land Society has an annual Careers in Property Fair in the Autumn, which attracts companies such as British Land, Homes England, Knight Frank, Deloitte, Grosvenor, and GIC
- Search for events and Careers Fairs on Handshake
Training
- The Royal Town Planning Institue (RTPI) offers training and online masterclasses
- Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) offers training and events
- Udemy hosts online Real Estate financial modelling courses
- Bayfield Training offer extensive online training on a range of real estate topics
There are many specialized Masters’ courses for certain aspects of Real Estate if you are thinking of starting a permanent job in a more niche area. Some courses include RICS accreditation.
Do your research and be prepared. Employers want to see genuine passion for wanting to work in this field. Demonstrating a personal story will help improve your chances of success.
- Read Target Jobs’ guides to property application forms and typical interview questions, and view their video interview advice.
- Target Jobs also explains why property work experience counts in your application
- Use the Graduates First platform to practice for interviews and video interviews
- Join the Cambridge Land Society for regular events, career advice, and fairs
- There is a for Land Economy Mphil and PhD students, as well as Economy Tripos students, giving you a point of contact with experienced professionals for Land Economy MPhil and PhD students, as well as Economy Tripos students, giving you a point of contact with experienced professionals
- Keep up to date with events run by the Department of Land Economy
- Check out the related research centres in Cambridge for topics and organisations related to your area of interest
- Research and contact alumni through Handshake and LinkedIn
- You can also use Handshake for job vacancies, sector-related emails, skill sessions, events, and for connecting with employers
- LinkedIn Learning has several useful skills courses
- The University also offers MPhil and PhDs in Land Economy
- Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry (CFCI) aims to promote a wider understanding and appreciation of the construction industry and to advance education, learning and understanding in the field of built environment. CFCI also awards grants to support education and learning in the field of the built environment. They arrange regular evening talks on a wide range of different topics relating to construction and the built environment, plus termly breakfast talks and visits to construction sites throughout the year. Talks and site visits are free to members, and student membership is free. More information, including details of forthcoming events, can be found at www.cfci.org.uk
Listening to webinars can benefit all aspects of your career search - getting to know the sector, finding out what roles and organisations interest you, and deepening your knowledge (which will impress at applications and interviews). Here are a few leads: RICS, Savills, Bayfield Training, NHS Property Services
Now you have looked at this page, think about your next steps. Everyone's journey is different. There are many ways to move forward. Here are some actions you could take now:
- Look for roles using the resources above.
- Talk to alumni working in this field via Handshake or LinkedIn.
- Talk to a Careers Consultant - book a 1:1 appointment through Handshake.
- Attend events - watch for relevant events.
- Ready to apply? Use the CV and cover letter guide to draft a CV or an application. CareerSet is a tool you can use to review your CV and cover letter. Write a speculative application.
- Subscribe to the Real Estate, Planning & the Built Environment Careers Newsletter