The process of becoming a Chartered Surveyor is rigorous, and rightly so. After all, you are or will be working toward a globally respected qualification that will open doors and elevate your career.
Before embarking on this process, one of the most important things to understand early on is that you are responsible for your APC. The letters ‘MRICS’ you seek will belongs solely to you; not to your supervisor, line manager, employer/firm or counsellor. You get to add it to your name and take it with you wherever you go; whether you change jobs, move cities, or even countries. That is exactly why adopting a positive, proactive attitude is not just helpful—it’s essential and will make all the difference.
So what does all this mean? It means
- Take ownership: understand that you must drive the process, not expect others (be it employer, supervisor, colleagues, counsellor, trainers) to do so. It means you as you begin, you realise that this will take time and hard work.
- Don’t diminish the ‘small wins’: completing a diary entry, getting feedback, meeting your supervisor or counsellor, understanding a topic better, reading an article, etc are wins. Progress is progress, every action taken moves you a step forward than where you were before.
- Be resilient: there will be setbacks, times when work gets busy, life takes over, you feel unmotivated or you question why you are putting yourself through it all. It’s normal for moments to feel overwhelming, as anyone that has gone through it will tell you. If you hit a setback, take it like you would a literal ‘bump in the road’, where you might go around it or take a different route/means to your destination. Don’t let it derail, demotivate or stop you, rather learn from it, adjust, and keep moving forward.
- Remember the why, picture success: Whether it’s career progression, personal growth, or a long-held goal, keep that “why” front and centre. It’ll fuel your determination when things get tough. Don’t lose confidence and have the certainty that you can do it. Visualise that congratulatory email as motivation if you need to.
Use the Support Around You
Being proactive however doesn’t mean doing it all alone. Asking for help is smart, even more so, is asking early. Think of your APC like a personal project and that success depends on how well you plan, execute, and adapt:
- Understand the Requirements: Know what the RICS, and by extension those that will assess your competence, are looking for. You are likely good, excellent even at your work, but if you cannot articulate your expertise adequately to reflect who you are, what you do and how you meet the competencies, it will be difficult for the assessors to judge you any other way. It is not so much about presenting and writing what you know now, or the work you do, but about what you are ‘expected’ to know, to have done, and will be able to do.
- Read the relevant guidance: Start with RICS guidance such as the ‘Candidate guide’ and APC ‘Pathway guides’. You will hear and be given all sorts of advice, when in doubt, always go back to the primary (and current) source.
- Plan your tasks and set timelines so you can track your progress
- Schedule regular catchups with supervisor and meetings with your counsellor. Send your discussion points ahead and /or your updated documents. Be clear about what you need.
- Feedback: Ask and be willing to receive and process all feedback, whether positive or deemed negative.
- Peer support is powerful. Join study groups, attend networking events, or connect with other candidates online. You’ll be surprised how much you can learn from others who are on the same path.
Finally…
The APC is not just a test— it’s a process that transforms your outlook. At the end of it all, the goal is to produce well-rounded, competent professional that are able to navigate the challenges of the built environment. While it may be demanding, it’s also incredibly rewarding. So stay positive and go earn it.
Related Posts
Recent Works
