What to do when property graduate jobs and internships are hard to find

If you are still looking for a graduate job or work experience in property, now is the time to get proactive. There might still be a couple of vacancies available with the larger firms, but the vast majority have now filled their posts for this year. So you need to look beyond these firms into other opportunities.

‘You have to go and find them’

James Kinnersly, a recent graduate planning consultant at Gerald Eve, agrees with this: ‘If I had my time again, I’d be more proactive with sending off speculative applications,’ he says. ‘I’d advise you to look beyond the big service companies with their graduate schemes. There are a lot of very good companies who are willing to hire if the right person comes along but you have to go and find them and show them you want to work for them.’

So, how do you find job or work experience opportunities? You have to accept that they might be unadvertised; you’ll have to ask.

Asking property recruiters whether they have any unadvertised opportunities

Start with your local area, whether that’s in your home or uni town. You can do a Google search or go old school: check your local newspapers (the estate agents advertising properties might be an obvious place to start – if nothing else, it’ll give you an insight into agency work) and local business listings. You can also ask your wider network if anyone knows of any property employers; your network includes family, friends and your lecturers.

Once you have a shortlist of employers, don’t dash off a generic letter. Why should they do more than glance at your application when you haven’t bothered to put some time into it? This is what you do:

• Apply to a name: not ‘Sir/Madam’ or, even worse, ‘To whom it may concern’. Ring their reception and ask who would be the best person to apply to.
• Be very clear about what you want and how long for: if you are looking for ideally a week’s work experience, or if you want to work shadow (observe) a surveyor for a day, or if you are looking for a job, say so. If you are seeking work experience, state whether you anticipate it being unpaid.
  NB: a day’s unpaid work shadowing might be the easiest to get and can widen your network, so it’s worth considering if it’s at all feasible.
• Show you’ve done some research on the employer and why you’d find it valuable working for them in particular: for example, make it clear that you know they specialise in residential.
• Say what you can offer them: show that you have the skills to be an asset to a property employer.
• Attach your CV.
• Finish by stating that you’ll ring to follow up this application in a week or so.

Bear in mind that the larger firms, who run formal schemes, won’t appreciate a speculative application – they’ll expect you to go through their formal channels.

Asking for feedback could get you a job

James has another tip: ‘If you get turned down, ring them up and ask for feedback – this paid off for one of my friends when the employer took another look at his CV, invited him for an interview and then offered him a job!’

Source: Targetjobs.co.uk, Wednesday 25th April 2012