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 web shop.
Not sure about signing up? Make sure you read what our recent successful candidates have to say in our Testimonials.
What is today's blog about?
This week, we give you our top 5 tips to revise for your RICS APC this Spring.
You can also listen to our CPD podcast on Anchor for more free AssocRICS and RICS APC training and support.
1. Start with a clear head
Once you have submitted your RICS APC final assessment via ARC, take a few days and step away from your submission. Give yourself some breathing space and then come back to the start of the revision and preparation process with a clear head.
2. Put together an action plan
Plan early and plan well - don't leave your revision until the last minute before your RICS APC final assessment interview. You only receive notification of your assessment date 3 weeks' prior, although you can roughly plan your preparation based on the priority of assessment dates you submitted to RICS via ARC.
We recommend putting together an action plan for your revision based on 1-2 weeks of wider reading around your competencies, followed by focussed revision on 2-4 competencies per week. You might like to combine complimentary mandatory and technical competencies each week, eg. Health & Safety and Inspection, to make the most of your revision time.
Spreading out your revision over a longer period means that you can break it down into more manageable blocks. We think it's much more effective to spend an hour or two each day revising, rather than spending all weekend revising and then forgetting everything you learnt during the week.
We recommend starting with the competencies you feel least confident about, as you can then come back to them at the end if you have sufficient time. We also recommend starting and finishing with ethics, as this is the only area you can automatically be referred on at your final RICS APC assessment interview.
If you are struggling to put together your own action plan, why not take advantage of our free 15 minute RICS APC consultation and let us help you put one together?
3. Read as widely as you can
Wider reading and market awareness is essential for RICS APC success. It's not just about University level/knowledge-based revision, which would only hit Level 1. You need to ensure that you can relate your experience and knowledge to the wider industry, showing how market conditions and what you observe or note in relation to a property affects your reasoned client advice.
We recommend reading around your competencies and experience using a variety of sources, e.g. podcasts, articles (e.g. law firms, blogs, market commentary, property press), newspapers (we really like daily email newsletters from the big news corporations as a good way to keep up with what's happening in the market), market reports.
If you want any ideas on what to read or listen to (e.g. podcasts), just email jen@property-elite.co.uk and we'll be happy to help.
4. Be familiar with your submission
In the later weeks of your revision, make sure what you learn is more and more specific to your submission. It's essential to know your experience inside out and be able to relate it to any questions asked by your RICS APC assessors. In our experience of assessing, not knowing your submission and the examples you have included is a common reason for being referred.
An excellent way to ensure that you are familiar with your submission is to sign up for an APC Question Pack from Property Elite. We will provide you with a set of potential questions you could be asked, providing invaluable advice from current RICS APC assessors.
5. Practice makes perfect
As well as your own revision, we recommend undertaking as many mock interviews and Q&A sessions as you can. These could be with colleagues, friends, family or Property Elite.
We provide e-mock interviews which are a cost and time effective way of ensuring you are well prepared for your final assessment interview. They are conducted using Skype/FaceTime/Appear.In and you will face a 1 hour interview with 1 or 2 current RICS assessors, structured exactly as your real interview will be.
You'll then receive 30 minutes of detailed feedback on the day (15 minutes before on interview and presentation technique, 15 minutes after to discuss your interview), followed up by a written action plan so you can prepare effectively for your final assessment.
How can we help?
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 and signing up for your services online.
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 or financial advice.