EDUCATION
In South Africa , more than 200 000 people graduate from public institutions of higher learning , annually . Majority of these graduates find themselves going into mainstream industries like health , education , economics and communications . Some are absorbed by the technology and science industry . Not many of these people are absorbed into sectors like the real estate industry . Well , some venture into this sector as entrepreneurs and investors . This is not because the sector does not need professionals and / or doesn ’ t have professional employment opportunities for graduates , it ’ s rather because people know less about the jobs and careers offered in the real estate industry .
Most professionals who we work with either in banks and consultancies have a property , construction , design or finance related qualification . These are all applicable in real estate services . Of the many sub-industries in the property sector in which people can pursue careers , brokerages are happy to appoint people who are self-driven and have the ability to source tenants and create new business , regardless of their education .
What you Need to Know According to South Africa ’ s Managing Director at McDonald & Company , Julie Teague , starting as a real estate professional allows one to grow a considerable personal network whilst quickly learning the most important lesson in real estate .
Sharing her knowledge about starting out in the real estate industry , Teague says graduates should have a sense of openness and optimism .
Don ’ t be too Picky at First ! “ Most graduates want to be property developers and investors . But remember that you have to start somewhere , and ANY experience is valuable over time . The most important thing you can do is to build up industry knowledge and contacts , and in the process your skill set will increase , making you a more marketable candidate ,” she says .
Avoid Job-Hopping “ We have many people applying to us in their late 20 ’ s and early 30 ’ s who have had four or more employers already . These people become difficult to source new employment opportunities for . Why ? Because every time you change your role , you get a 15 % or so increase , as opposed to the 6 % you would get at your employer . If you keep doing this , your salary requirements can soon outpace your skill set , especially in an industry where seeing a project through from start to finish takes many years ,” Teague adds .
Be IT Literate & Detail-Oriented “ When you enter the market . The core skill of knowing how Outlook , Word and Excel function is needed almost everywhere , don ’ t expect this on your job training . If you ’ re making mistakes at work based on incorrect comprehension of instructions or forgetting to update a document it means your manager has to keep checking your work .
If you want to progress your career , do not make your manager micromanage you . Check your work constantly if you want to keep your boss happy . It usually means longer working hours for you at first , put in the effort up front in your career to reap the reward later . Your career ,
SA Real Estate Investor Magazine APRIL 2021 11