The Post: Quantity surveyor, M&M Contractors
The Post Holder: Emmet Lavery
HOW I BECAME A QUANTITY SURVEYOR
It was growing up in the family’s construction business that sparked Emmet Lavery’s interest in quantity surveying.
Give a brief outline of you career to date
I currently work as a Quantity Surveyor for M&M Contractors. Previous to this I was a secondary school teacher, teaching Construction and Engineering. My career actually began though in the family construction business, supporting both the operation and commercial aspects.
What was your favourite subjects at school?
Science, I loved carrying out experiments and analysing the results.
Did you go onto Further/Higher Education, if so what did you study and where?
In 2011 I completed a Construction Engineering and Management degree at the University of Ulster Jordanstown. Followed by a PGCE in Engineering in 2014.
How did you get into your area of work?
My father’s business awareness inspired me to pursue a career in Construction. He has been a huge influence in my life and working in the family business gave me a platform to develop my commercial skills and industry knowledge.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
Yes, I have always wanted to work in the industry and I feel fortunate that I have the opportunity to do what I love.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
To be degree qualified in a construction related discipline with relevant experience.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
The degree qualification can help you prepare for working life, however it is not essential and a candidate who has a lot of experience, commercial awareness and interpersonal skills, can still be an important member of the commercial team.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
You are working daily with so many different stakeholders, therefore it is important to have good interpersonal and communication skills as people do not always agree. You need to be fair and able to look at things objectively so everyone’s opinion is heard, valued and considered.
What does a typical day entail?
Meeting and communicating with the operational team, subcontractors and clients in relation to the progress of each contract. I will then work on my weekly deliverables, which include, contract administration, cash flows, processing payments, invoicing, delay notices and update the variation register.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
The projects that you get to work on and the people you get to work with. If you are lucky to have a good project, that is running well and making a good margin, then your job will be a little easier.
I guess the most challenging part can be when your work load tends to bottle neck because you’re handling multiple contracts at any one time.
Why is what you do important?
For a business to succeed in this industry, it is important that what they are building is done in a way to ensure the project is profitable and feasible. I help ensure costs are low, value is as high as it can be, contracts are administered accordingly and invoices are raised promptly to ensure good cash flow for the company.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
Do your research and speak to people in the industry to get a better feel for what you may be doing day to day. Ultimately for me qualifications are not as important as interpersonal skills, so be determined, consistent and has a good work rate.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
It’s hard for me to imagine doing anything else, but if I had to choose it would be a chef. I am a pretty decent cook at home, so I could see myself giving that a good go.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
Be confident in yourself and your ability. If you have secured a new job through a rigorous application process, then the team assessing your application has already identified that you are an asset to their team/business. So, belief in yourself and be confident. As long as you are not complacent, then you will make a better contribution to the team.
Describe your ideal day off?
Shooting a good score on a sunny day at Slieve Russell golf course.
What’s the key to any successful job search?
Research, research, research! This gives you a better chance of success as opposed to submitting a generic CV that fails to demonstrate any effort. A new job is a longterm commitment, so it is worth giving yourself the best opportunity at securing the right job for you.