New Job – It’s all about the money!!! …or is it?

For many people a new job means a rise in salary and status but in the formative years of your career, a focus on salary can be a big turnoff for employers and the kiss of death in an interview.

I work exclusively with Building Surveyors and Quantity Surveyors but the same rings true for other professions and recently I have spent a lot of time working with job seekers to discover what they really need to focus on to reach their long term goals.

Why do we work?

We've all heard the saying, "Money makes the world go round" and it's true. Whether it's to put food on the table, a roof over your head or for that new car, we all need money. In recent years’ salaries have been rising and we are told by the market that skills are in demand and in shortage. This all leads to the idea that you can demand a higher salary. In some cases this is true but you have to remember one vital question… Are you worth it?

Are you worth it?

I have worked with a number of Graduate Surveyors recently who kicked off their new job wish list with “I am looking for a salary of £X thousand”. Sometimes I cringe when I hear this. It’s commendable to want to progress but it's easy to lose sight of your value. If you are a graduate Surveyor you are most likely working towards your APC so as to reach Chartered status. You will certainly be an asset to a company at this stage but your experience is limited by your time in the industry and the responsibilities you have held, there is still a lot to learn. If your company has a good APC program there is considerable time and resources required to get you those initials after your name, in essence at this level you give and take from an employer. A good employer is happy to invest in their staff but it's always worth remembering that they also have a business to run and a profit to make.

Don’t let the £££ push you off track

In the last year I have worked with a number of job seekers who have been pushed off track by their focus on money. Remember your goals and your direction. If you want to specialise in a particular sector don’t forget how important it is to stay true to your path. A Building Surveyor I worked with recently had achieved a great salary working within the Housing sector… the problem was that he didn’t enjoy the work and had always wanted to specialise in the Commercial sector. When searching for new opportunities for him we were knocked back by many companies who said that whilst he had great experience it was not relevant to them. Whilst we found him a great job in the Commercial sector eventually, it came with a salary reduction and set him back a number of years. In his own words he put this mistake down to "bad advice and following the money".

Where should I focus?

The wish-list No.1 that I love to hear is progression and IMHO this is a good place to start. Progression delivers experience and experience is what employers will pay for. A company that pays well but cannot offer progression give you a great short-term gain but those who opt for a realistic salary with a company offering structured training and development will soon overtake you.

Employers almost always say that an attractive job seeker is one who is motivated to progress. These are the people they want in their team, the people they will devote training too and ultimately the people whose reward for their increased value to the business will increase.

What’s the next step?

The help for which I receive most thanks is that which guides a job seeker to define and reach their goals. A truly specialist recruiter or perhaps a lecturer or contact in the industry who has been through the same process should be able to help you with this. Either way, your value to an employer is what will drive your salary and if your motivation can be directed towards progress then you will get there.

As always these are just my thoughts and I would love to hear your comments. You may have had a different experience or found success through a different approach and I would love to hear about it.

About me:
I am the founding Director of HD Surveyors Ltd, specialising in bespoke job searches for Quantity Surveyors and Building Surveyors across London and the South East. Feel free to get in touch if you are considering a move in the future. I would love to help.