Surveying takes in many different careers utilising a broad set of skills. Surveyors primarily work within construction and property, but are in demand in may other sectors including mining and land management. 

The specific work you would do as a surveyor depends on which type of surveying you are practice, but all surveyors will share personal qualities, including attention to detail, business sense and reasoning ability.

Some of the more prominent types of surveyor are

• Quantity Surveyors: Responsible for estimating and managing costs, ensuring that expenses are kept under control while the quality of materials and suppliers is of the level required.
• Planning and Development Surveyors: Manages property development proposals. This means assessing plans and assisting the proposal through to the final stages. Whether they work for private firms, such as property developers or banks and public bodies they will keep an eye on site planning, transport needs, conversation needs and the general standard of the property.
• Building Surveyors: Have a broad set of responsibilities, organising many aspects of the construction of new buildings and the renovation of existing buildings. They will conduct assessments of structures, manage the projects, contribute to planning submissions and maintain relationships with many of the key participants in the construction effort.

These three jobs are just a sample of the careers available in surveying, those interested can explore fields such as valuation surveying, minerals surveying, rural practice surveying and geomatics surveying, each of which offers distinct challenges and opportunities.

Career Paths

Whichever field you work in the best way to advance your career as a Surveyor is by completing an accredited degree with a Charted Surveying organisation such as the Society of Chartered Surveyors. There are degree options for people with experience in property and construction and conversion courses for those seeking to switch career path.

The next step will be completing the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), completing this will grant you the status of chartered surveyor. Becoming a chartered surveyor will launch you into the next stage of your career path. The APC usually takes two years to complete while working. To complete it you need to attain a satisfactory quality in your knowledge and practice of a set of skills related to surveying. These are primarily the technical skills and knowledge you will apply in your work, but also takes in business, management, financial and communication skills.