General practice surveyors are involved in the management, valuation, buying, selling and development of land and property.

As a general practice surveyor, you could work in either the private or public sector. Your tasks would typically include:

• negotiating deals connected with buying, selling and renting property
• acting as an agent, buying and selling property and land on behalf of clients
• assessing environmental impact and economic viability of development
• valuing land and property
• compiling reports for purposes such as valuation for mortgages, rent reviews and investment potential
• advising on property values, land purchase, tenure issues and related legislation.

You could specialise in:

• development – working with other professionals such as town planners, architects, and highways and structural engineers to consider new developments and their financial implications
• management – managing property on behalf of a landlord, collecting rents, dealing with maintenance and repair and making sure tenancy agreements are followed
• investment – advising clients on buying and selling individual investments or managing large property portfolios
• Valuation Office Agency work – valuing property on behalf of the government, local authorities and public bodies for business rates, capital taxation, purchase and sale.

Some estate agents are qualified surveyors. See the Estate Agent profile for more details of this career.

What qualifications and experience will employers look for?

You could qualify as a general practice surveyor in either of the following ways:

• degree route – completing a degree in a relevant subject such as surveying, estate management, building or construction, followed by professional development
• work-based route – starting as a trainee surveyor and studying for qualifications whilst working.

Degree route
Most general practice surveyors have a degree recognised by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). If your degree is not in a relevant subject, you could take a postgraduate conversion course. See the RICS website to search for accredited degree and postgraduate courses.

• Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors – course search page

If you are working in engineering or construction, you could take a distance learning postgraduate conversion course with the College of Estate Management (CEM). Visit the CEM website for details.

Work-based route
If you have a BTEC HNC/HND or foundation degree in surveying or construction, you may be able to work as a surveying technician with a company and take further qualifications to fully qualify. See the Technical Surveyor job profile.

Visit the RICS website to find out more about surveying careers and recognised qualifications.

What further training and development can I do?

Once you have your degree or postgraduate qualification and are in relevant employment, you can work towards becoming a chartered surveyor by completing an Assessment of Professional Competence (APC). For this you will need to:

• complete at least two years’ practical training and experience
• pass a practical assessment and interview.

If you successfully completed an accredited industrial training year as part of your degree course, this will count towards the two-year requirement.

As a RICS member you would be expected to complete a certain amount of continuing professional development (CPD) each year. This can include online study. Contact RICS for details.

You can also qualify as a chartered surveyor through the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) – there are various routes depending on your qualifications and experience. See the CIOB website for details.