Having worked in the public sector, you will have developed a range of skills that will be easily transferable into this more commercial role. This, along with the excellent training and continuous professional development intrinsic to local authority culture, should ensure that your skills are up-to-date and you should feel able to go into your job with much confidence. You must remember that your skills as a surveyor are not in question, otherwise you would not have been offered the position.
Remember, though, that landing your job is one thing, making a success of it is another. The impact you make on the first days and weeks can have a lasting effect. Make sure you find out as much as you can about the organisation, and once in your new role, concentrate on building good relationships with your team. These are the people who can help you establish yourself, alert you to pitfalls and provide you with a useful pool of experience.
Try to define the frontiers within which you can make the best contribution. Find out the limits of your authority, the parameters and main objectives of your job, the expectations of your superiors and colleagues and the resources available to you. Managing your time effectively will also help you: don't spend ages trying to find something out when asking a colleague could point you in the right direction.
I work as a building surveyor for a corporate chartered surveyor and property management firm. How do I make the move into project management?
Project managers evolve from a variety of disciplines. The key is that you have a strong technical background. It would therefore be a good idea to acquire chartered status before making a move.
According to one definition, the role of a project manager is "to drive the processes that take the project from the beginning to its defined end". The first priority is to define the project objectives, and once these are agreed, a good project manager will create a plan to achieve them.
The next task is to establish control, monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
A good project manager will possess a wide range of skills including leadership, intuition, common sense, patience and understanding. The role also requires good communication skills, creativity, knowledge of how and where to find answers to difficult questions, strength of will to change situations, and an ability to resolve conflicts in a calm but constructive way.
Make sure you highlight your relevant skills and show how you have applied them in your current role when applying for project management roles.
The Association of Project Management provides a useful and comprehensive website.
Go to www.apm.org.uk for more information.
Postscript
If you have a career query for Robert, email him at Robert.smith@hays-montrose.com.
