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Construction and property

Looking to launch a career in construction or property? If yes, then read on. Here, you'll learn about the career options available to you, find out how to secure your first role, and get expert interview tips that'll set you up for success.
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Getting clear on your career path

Learn how to get into the construction and property sector, compare industries you could work in, and discover the best locations to launch your career.

Where's the best place to start your property career: London or the regions?

Careers advice and planning
You don't have to start your property career in London in order for it to be a success. Read our advice and tips from a property professional on choosing a location and making a successful application.
  • Property, construction & QS

What to do if you've got a 2.2 and want a graduate job in property

Careers advice and planning
It is possible to have a successful career in property with a 2.2 but you are likely to have to look further than the biggest and best-known firms.
  • Property, construction & QS

Consulting or contracting: which civil engineering job is right for you?

Careers advice and planning
Which type of graduate civil, structural or building services engineering employer would suit you best? Our guide to how a project gets built and our 'civil engineering contractor v. consultant' tool can help you choose.
  • Civil & structural +2

Commercial, residential or rural: which market should I start in as a graduate property surveyor?

Careers advice and planning
Graduates in property choose whether to enter the residential, commercial or rural property market. Find out some of the differences between markets and how to choose the right one for you.
  • Property, construction & QS

How graduates with any degree subject can start a career in quantity surveying or building surveying

Advice
Careers in quantity and building surveying are open to graduates from all degree disciplines. If you haven’t got a relevant degree, you’ll need to ‘convert’ to surveying by studying an RICS-accredited postgraduate conversion course.
  • Property, construction & QS

All degrees welcome for a graduate career in property

Careers advice and planning
You can get a graduate job as a property surveyor even if your degree isn’t from a land or property discipline. Here’s how you can get real estate recruiters to hire you and sponsor you through an RICS-approved postgraduate conversion course.
  • Property, construction & QS

How to choose the right engineering career in construction, by a graduate fire engineer

Careers advice and planning
Many engineering students aren’t aware of the full range of engineering jobs in the construction industry. We interviewed Paul Matthews, a fire engineer at Mott MacDonald, to find out why he chose his.
  • Property, construction & QS +7

How graduates can become successful property developers

Careers advice and planning
What does it take to have a successful property career and how can university students demonstrate their potential during graduate recruitment processes? Goldcrest Land’s HR development director Carolyn Malet de Carteret and its chairman and CEO Michael Collins share their insights.
  • Property, construction & QS

Construction job options

From architect and structural engineer to quantity surveyor, project manager, and more - check these deep dives into construction roles to help you decide which would suit you best.

Architect: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Architects design new buildings and suggest alterations to existing ones.
  • Construction +5

Architectural technologist: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Architectural technologists bring together a knowledge of architecture and technological skills to design buildings.
  • Property, construction & QS +6

Building services engineer: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Building services engineers advise about, design, install and maintain cost-effective and energy efficient systems for services in buildings, such as water, lighting, heating, air conditioning and lifts.
  • Property, construction & QS +7

Civil engineer: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Civil engineers design, plan and oversee construction projects such as railways and roads.
  • Civil & structural +9

Design manager (construction): job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Design managers coordinate all of the design-related matters on construction projects, helping to keep work running smoothly and on time.
  • Property, construction & QS +6

Environment, health and safety graduate jobs: how to get one

Job descriptions and industry overviews
What does a safety, health and environment adviser do in the engineering and technology industry? How can you secure your graduate job? Sinéad Egan, a safety, health and environment manager with over eight years’ experience at Costain, explains.
  • Property, construction & QS +6

Fire engineer: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
A fire engineer ensures that buildings are designed in a way that minimises the risk of fire or the fire spreading.
  • Property, construction & QS +7

Geomatics/land surveyor: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Geomatics surveyors (also known as land surveyors) take measurements and collect and interpret data about areas of land. Their work often feeds into decisions about the impact of buildings and both natural and man-made features on the environment
  • Property, construction & QS +9

Graduate project manager jobs in construction: how to get one

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Find out more about the role of a project manager in the construction industry – and how to get your own project manager graduate job. We explore the routes in.
  • Property, construction & QS +6

Quantity surveyor: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Quantity surveyors estimate and manage the costs of materials and labour on large building projects.
  • Property, construction & QS +1

Site manager: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Site managers, also known as construction managers, are responsible for supervising construction sites and running construction projects.
  • Property, construction & QS +2

Structural engineer: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Structural engineers design, plan and oversee the construction of new buildings and bridges, or alterations and extensions to existing properties or other structures.
  • Civil & structural +2

Compare property roles

Planners, surveyors, agents, developers or consultants: your job title will depend on what you actually do and the market you work in. Check out our collection of key job roles to work out your best fit.

Commercial/residential/rural surveyor: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Surveyors specialising in commercial, residential or rural property work to increase the value of a piece of land or real estate. They are sometimes known as general practice surveyors.
  • Property, construction & QS

Planning and development surveyor: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Development surveyors work to increase the value of land by overseeing the development of property. Planners work to gain planning permission for property developments.
  • Property, construction & QS +10

Estate agent: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Estate agents oversee renting, buying and selling of properties.
  • Property, construction & QS

Building surveyor: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Building surveyors assess how safe and energy efficient buildings are, and provide advice on building safety to construction and property professionals and property owners.

Facilities manager: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Facilities managers make sure buildings, their grounds and infrastructures are safe, well maintained and secure.
  • Property, construction & QS +6

Town and country planner: job description

Job descriptions and industry overviews
Town and country planners assess how to use space in towns and rural areas.
  • Charity, public & civil service +9

Explore property and construction opportunities

Gain experience and develop your skills

Learn how to get construction or property work experience and impress employers when you're there. Plus, see the skills you'll need to succeed.

Construction work experience: how to get it and what if you don't

Internships and placements
Construction, civil engineering and quantity surveying work experience, internships and placements… discover how to apply and what to do if the pandemic has derailed your chances.
  • Property, construction & QS +9

Property internships: when and how to apply

Internships and placements
Property work experience can include placement years, insight days and informal opportunities.
  • Property, construction & QS

What you can do if you don’t have a property internship

Internships and placements
Internships aren’t the only way for you to get a graduate surveying job. There are many other ways to develop the skills and knowledge that employers want, even during a pandemic.
  • Property, construction & QS

Construction, civil engineering and QS interns: how to impress

Internships and placements
Making a great impression on a summer internship or industrial placement year can lead to a constriction graduate job offer. We reveal how to be a good intern – better than good even – from your first day to your final hour.
  • Civil & structural +9

What is a work placement or placement year?

Internships and placements
Placement year, work placement, year in industry, industrial placement, sandwich year: regardless of what it’s called, this year of work experience helps to boost your job prospects.
  • Banking, insurance & financial services +7

Top networking tips for student civil engineers, quantity surveyors and construction managers

Careers advice and planning
Networking can make your search for graduate jobs and internships easier – it’s a skill that construction professionals use all the time.
  • Property, construction & QS +9

The top seven soft skills all construction, engineering and surveying graduates need

Interviews and assessment centres
What are the top skills assessed at construction interviews and assessment days – and what qualities will help you have a successful career?
  • Property, construction & QS +9

The skills that property recruiters want from graduates

Skills and competencies
We asked leading property recruiters for the top skills they would be looking for in graduates’ applications and how they assess them. Here are their answers.
  • Property, construction & QS
Graduates working

Discover your future career with GradSims

Get a taste of what it's like to work with leading graduate employers. In these free mini-courses you'll get career insights from graduates, do real-life tasks, and get priority access to roles.