What I did on my real estate internship

David Robinson did a four-week placement at Jones Lang LaSalle as a masters student. He has a BA in geography from the University of Nottingham and MSc in real estate from the University of Reading.

How did you find your internship?

I was made aware of the scheme by the Reading Real Estate Foundation. I completed an online application form and was then interviewed over the phone.

What did you do on your property work experience placement?

There were ten of us on the internship and we were given a number of projects to complete. We were split into two groups to plan a presentation and each of us was given a task sheet outlining the projects we would cover during our four weeks. I updated a database listing all the portfolio investment transactions of the last few years by ringing agents to find information such as sale price and who purchased the properties. I was also involved in putting together a series of reports highlighting ways our team could improve the saleability of a wide range of properties. My graduate supervisor organised site visits so I was able to meet people from different departments and view specific properties.

What did you learn on your summer placement?

These projects gave me the chance to develop my communication skills and my knowledge of property markets. Each intern worked in a different department, which enabled us to learn from each other as well. I found it tough understanding some of the property lingo, but everyone from graduate to director level welcomed questions and was really helpful in explaining things. The best part of the placement was being offered a job on the graduate scheme! This proves that if you show what you can do, the employer may take a chance on you.