Building a Better You
Property Elite’s sole aim is to build better property professionals - supporting your career every step of the way, whether you are an AssocRICS or RICS APC candidate or a MRICS or FRICS Chartered Surveyor simply seeking engaging CPD.
We provide a wide range of training and support, so why not find out more on our website about how we might be able to support you? We work with candidates across all RICS APC and AssocRICS pathways, routes to assessment and geographic regions.
Don’t forget to sign up online for your free 15 minute AssocRICS or RICS APC consultation, including a review of your referral report if you have been referred. You can also book your bespoke training or support services directly through our eShop.
Not sure about signing up? Make sure you read what our recent successful candidates have to say in our Testimonials.
What is this week's blog about?
This week, we look at what to do if you have been referred at your RICS APC final assessment interview or preliminary review submission.
Please don't think that you need to deal with your referral alone - there are plenty of ways to seek support:
Email a copy of your referral/feedback report and a summary of anything you'd like to chat over to jen@property-elite.co.uk. All discussions are completely confidential and we will provide you with some free feedback and advice to get you back on track
Contact the RICS Lionheart charity who are there to provide surveying professionals with advice and support during challenging times
If you have already sat your interview or will be shortly, why not use our Interview Reflection worksheet to help during the wait for your results? It is available to download in our Free Resources.
Help! I've been referred...
You can only control so many things in life - there's no going back to before your final assessment interview or preliminary review submission. Trying to control the uncontrollable only leads to unnecessary stress and takes vital energy away from what you need to do most.
All you can do is look forward and put plans in place to control what you can and put yourself in the best position for your next sitting.
Your mental health matters
Whilst it's all well and good for us to say that, we understand that you may be feeling upset, disappointed, frustrated and angry. It might not yet seem real and you may just want to hide away from the world.
There's no timeline for feeling more positive about the process and we would encourage you to speak to those close to you about how you feel.
We're not going to shy away from the fact that we all need to raise mental health awareness in an industry that can be highly stressful at times. If you need a friendly ear, just get in contact and we will do what we can to get you back on track.
Remember, being referred does not mean you are a failure - work is just one part of your life and does not define who you are - there are many reasons why things might not have gone as well as you had hoped on the day.
What do I do next?
Emotions and stress aside, you need to put a plan in action to move on from your referral and work toward RICS APC success at your next final assessment or preliminary review submission.
You are most certainly not alone, first of all. If you know other RICS APC candidates in your local area, get in touch and speak to them about their experiences - it doesn't matter whether they passed or were referred. Use your support network to your advantage - you could form an (online) study group with candidates sitting in the next session, for example.
If you were unsuccessful last session, you will be able to download your referral report from ARC within 21 days of receiving your result. You will also receive an email notification.
Preliminary review feedback reports may take a little longer and we will cover this process in a future blog article.
Make sure you download a copy of your referral report as it may subsequently become unavailable when ARC is re-opened for you to record your ongoing experience.
Your referral report is one of the most important documents that will help you prepare for success at your next sitting.
Can I appeal?
Yes, you have the right to appeal - but this can't simply be because you don't agree with the decision that your panel arrived at.
An appeal can only be brought on the grounds that there was an issue with the assessment process and will not relate in any way to your level of competence as a surveyor.
Contact us at jen@property-elite.co.uk if you feel you have grounds to appeal and we can advise whether these are likely to be valid and to help to support you through the process.
You will need to submit an Appeal Form from the RICS website, together with the required fee, within 21 days of receiving your referral report. The whole appeal process typically takes around 7 weeks from submitting your appeal.
Appeal panels comprise three chartered surveyors who will decide whether your appeal is allowed or not - this is a final decision and cannot be revisited. If you are successful, then you will have the opportunity to re-sit your final assessment interview.
What is the referral report?
Your referral report is vital to understanding what didn't go so well and how you can improve things for your next assessment.
Read the report carefully, ask those close to you to read it as well and send it to jen@property-elite.co.uk if you would like to objectively discuss the contents.
You may already know what went wrong, but having the specific areas highlighted by your assessment panel will form an action plan going forward. We can help you to assess your areas of weakness and turn these into strengths in time for your next sitting.
What are common reasons for referral?
Being under-prepared
Needing more experience, either in just one, some or all areas
Not having sufficient CPD
Submissions needing work, e.g. not sufficiently professional, examples not given at level 3
Failure to answer mandatory competency questions adequately, e.g. ethics, Rules of Conduct
You are not expected to be the very best surveyor - but to demonstrate a level of competence and professionalism that is befitting of being elected MRICS.
This means that you don't need to know every technical detail about your chosen competencies - but you are expected to know where to source information from, where your scope of practice begins and ends and how you should behave ethically and morally.
How can I plan to succeed?
Our general recommendations for success are:
Working on your presentation skills
Controlling your nerves and stress on the day
Submitting a professional final assessment submission
Addressing any areas of weakness in your technical or mandatory competencies
Ensuring that you have satisfied the correct competency levels within your Summary of Experience, e.g. examples of giving reasoned advice in level 3
Gaining additional experience if needed
Maintaining your CPD hours in relevant areas
You will then need to ensure you submit your revised final assessment at the right time and in the right format via ARC.
You will want to make sure that the areas identified in your referral report are clearly addressed. This will give you the best chance of RICS APC success at your next sitting.
Seeking our advice through a free 15 minute consultation or mentoring session is the best way to discuss what you can do to succeed in your next RICS APC final assessment interview.
How will I be reassessed next time?
When resubmitting in the next APC submission window, you will not have to declare that you have been referred. This means that you will be considered by your assessment panel to be a 'first time' candidate at each subsequent assessment.
You will want to update your original submission to tackle the concerns outlined in your referral report, however, as well as updating what you have written to take account of any hot topics or changes in your area of practice.
Do I need to update my CPD record?
Yes, you will need to do this on ARC to cover the period between your referral and next APC assessment.
If you need cost effective, high quality CPD hours, check out our new CPD Webinar Package.
Do I need to have my new submission signed off by my Counsellor?
Yes. If you have any difficulties in contacting your Counsellor or would like additional mentoring support, then our Monthly Mentoring package may be a great fit to support you through to success next time.
How can we help?
Don't leave it too late to book your submission feedback and review, APC question pack, e-mock interview or 1-2-1 mentoring. We also provide revision quizzes, revision guides and a CPD Webinar Package.
We offer a range of short and long-term support packages in our eShop, including our popular Monthly Mentoring and Kick Start packages. These can include an RICS APC or AssocRICS Counsellor in certain circumstances.
Head to our blog archive to access even more free CPD and AssocRICS and RICS APC training and support.
Download your free AssocRICS and RICS APC resources, including e-books and revision quizzes.
Find out more about our bespoke AssocRICS and RICS APC training and support, before booking your free 15 minute consultation.
Not sure about signing up? Make sure you read what our recent successful candidates have to say in our Testimonials.
Stay tuned for our next blog post to help build a better you.
N.b. Nothing in this article constitutes legal, professional or financial advice.