Have you ever thought about getting into ‘property’ but just didn’t think it was you? Let me turn things around for you.
I know the stereotype of pompus suited and booted agents strutting their stuff in their well polished loafers with overly posh accents and an off way of phrasing questions. ALOT of friends and family I talk to are still stuck in this image.
I can verify whole heartedly that this is no longer the case.
The property world is diversifying greatly and trust me there are more careers then you can ever imagine. This means that there is a job out there for every personality and every qualification.
Here’s a fabulous example:
My personality type is one that feels embarrassed by confrontation, gets annoyed at misinformed criticism, but absolutely loves a project and a massive flourish to a fully measurable finish line. I like helping people and want to give everyone everything. I can be shy and will only shout up when I have something to say. I have opinions and do occasionally feel the need to rant.
My business partner, on the other hand, is super straight talking. Could not give a monkeys what anyone else thinks of him. Calls a spade a spade but is super pleasant with everyone. Everything is a business opportunity and there is never anything to be scared of – so asking that bizaar slightly presumptuous question is not embarrassing.
We are poles apart but are super successful in the property industry in our own right – him in development and me in logistics (I love a report and a project, he loves the doing). We are also different in that I have a degree, masters and am chartered, whereas he does not have university qualifications.
The property industry should have no degree necessary stamped across its forehead because all you need is determination and some common sense.
The reason the property industry works so so well is because it is accessible and therefore anybody can get involved and have an opinion.
Putting my commercial surveyor cap on for a minute – I’ve done a lot of work in lease advisory, rent reviews and lease renewals. In this role you will usually have an opposition surveyor you have to negotiate against and there will also be other surveyors acting with you on the same team (either Landlords or Tenants within the same area). Its an incredible role to be in because the magic of it is that every surveyor, no matter what team you are in, will have a different opinion and be analysing the market differently and this view point is golden. You can learn so much from this. Ok you may be arguing your point, but it doesn’t mean that you cant admire theirs and using it next time…. It keeps the market exciting and fresh and your opinion is never wrong you just might have to ‘back down’ if it is less relevant to a certain deal.
My point: you never need to know it all you just have to be prepared to get involved, use your initiative and listen carefully.
Seem like easy skills right?
Yu huh, they are easy. The property industry thrives on the new and diverse, it keeps things turning and this is why YOU WOULD BE SO PERFECT FOR IT.
Im hoping to get across here that there is no one size fits all box, you don’t have to take the same route as everyone else, you don’t have to get into one property type and you d finitely don’t have to stay in one job or area. YOU JUST HAVE TO HAVE A PASSION FOR SOMETHING WITHIN THE INDUSTRY – even if its as obscure as you love digging up the weeds surrounding a building, your input is needed! And you know what? Even if your opinion is far out, it is still valid because the profession thrives on the new and that is is so exciting, why wouldn’t you want to be a part of it.
So just take my word for it right now, whatever property dreams you have been stalling because you just feel too darn insufficient to go for it, drop it and get a wriggle on at applying for your dream job. YOU are what the property needs, no matter what you are bringing to the table.
I hope this has been inspiring and really got you going. If you need to chat then email me [email protected] as I would love to connect with you and help you with any questions or issues. Or just keep up to date on our blog and follow our newsletter because it’s got fabulous, exclusive content that you just won’t get elsewhere and you will get that real boost to keep plugging and your dream career.
NC
P.S My sister went to Drama School to do her degree – she now manages 750 tenancies in North London for a massive real estate firm (in the space of 12 months) – goes to show hey, no matter what your back ground you are welcome!
