Role: Chartered Surveyor
Company: Lisney Belfast
Track Record:
The post: Chartered surveyor at Lisney Belfast and vice chair of Matrics Northern Ireland
As a chartered surveyor and member of Matrics, part of Lynn Taylor’s role involves encouraging young people to consider joining the profession.
Give a brief outline of your career to date.
After graduating from Northumbria University with a firstclass honours degree in Estate Management in July 2012, I worked for a private practice in Belfast before joining the Property Management and Fixed Charge Receivership Department at Lisney in March 2015.
What was your favourite subject at school?
Geography — I loved the subject and had great teachers.
Did you go on to further/ higher education, if so what did you study and where?
I attended Ballyclare High School and left with an A and two Bs in my A-Levels. I went straight to Northumbria to study Estate Management BSc (Hons) where I did a placement at Bradley Hall Chartered Surveyors in my third year before returning to university for final year.
How did you get into your area of work?
I had been considering midwifery but couldn’t get a spot for my work experience week in sixth form. I then looked at hotel management but could only get a couple of days shadowing that week. A local surveyor then said I could come out with her for the remaining days, which I did. I ended up hating my first few days in the hotel and loving the days with the surveyor. It interested me straight away and I immediately wanted to learn more. It didn’t take long to decide that this was definitely the career for me and to find a suitable degree course. I now work in the Management and Fixed Charge Receivership Department of Lisney in Belfast, where I work on both the agency and management sides. The work is challenging and varied but it’s hugely rewarding to work for so many of Northern Ireland’s most significant investors and developers.
Is this what you always wanted to do?
Surveying had never crossed my mind until I spent a few days with a surveyor on work experience. This is why the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and their promotion of the profession is so important. We need to make schools aware of the profession. I’m part of RICS and Matrics Young Surveyors and we visit schools and careers events to educate pupils and teachers on what surveying is. There is a real shortage of young people joining the profession at the minute.
Were there any particular essential qualifications or experience needed?
Not necessarily. I went down the university route with a specific accredited degree then started off in a relevant graduate job. Lisney runs a fantastic graduate scheme which allows applicants to work in two departments over a two to three year period, at the end of which you can sit your Assessment of Professional Competence and become a Chartered Surveyor with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, or full member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.
Are there alternative routes into the job?
If you don’t have an accredited degree, I would recommend finding a property-related role and perhaps undertaking a postgraduate course. There are many companies that will take non-property graduates and allow you to study for a postgraduate qualification part time.
What are the main personal skills your job requires?
I think it’s important to be friendly, sociable and polite and at the same time patient, organised and thorough.
What does a typical day entail?
I live just outside Ballyclare, so my commute to work takes about an hour. Once I’m at my desk I will read and respond to emails. After a quick breakfast at my desk, I might go out on a couple of inspections or viewings. Quite a few of my assets are in Mid-Ulster at the minute, so I could be out of the office for half of the day. When I’m back in the office, I’ll catch up on emails and voicemails and work through whatever project I’m currently dealing with.
If you weren’t doing this what would you like to do?
I love exploring new cities and cultures so if I had unlimited free time I would definitely like to travel more.
Why is what you do important?
Everyone has an involvement with property — it could be investing in a commercial property, renting, buying or building a house, working in any sort of building, buying land etc. At some point everyone will need a surveyor or property professional to advise on property or land. It’s a profession that has its ups and downs but it’s an industry that will never die.
What advice would you give anyone looking to follow a similar career path?
Do a RICS accredited degree at university and join Matrics whilst studying to get yourself known by surveyors in the industry. This definitely helps when it comes to finding a job. Start applying for placement jobs and graduate jobs early. Get a job at a good company then do your Assessment of Professional Competence to become chartered.
What are the best and most challenging aspects of the job?
The variation of my role is huge. No two days are the same and I get to experience many different areas of the business. At Lisney I’ve been spoiled with the number of interesting properties that I’ve been involved with. The most challenging aspect of my job is when I’m dealing with an issue that isn’t easy to resolve. Investigating derelict buildings can be intimidating and also serving notice on tenants is always difficult.
If you could go back, what is the one piece of advice you would give to yourself on your first day?
Calm down, stop stressing out about it being your first day and if people will like you or not!
Describe your ideal day off.
I would get up at 10am and go for a swim. Then, after breakfast, drive up to Portstewart Strand for a walk on the beach and an early dinner in the Ramore Wine Bar in Portrush. Then drive home, get ready and go for a night out in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.