Welcome to October’s APC Ask Me Anything (AMA) article. The RICS Training team are running free online sessions where candidates can ask an APC Assessor anything about the process, skills development and how to give yourself the best chance of success. Below you can read through some of the key questions raised by candidates from this month’s session.
For preparing summary of experience in Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3, what content do I need to write? How do I demonstrate my skills? What type of content assessors want in the “Summary of Experience'' submission?
Level 1 - Knowledge gained from CPD, University etc.
Level 2 - Real life examples of your experience.
Level 3 - Examples of projects where you've given specific client advice.
We have a web class on how to write the summary of experience that might help you.
I’m preparing for getting MRICS status through APC, by AACEI and certification of CCP but I got my certification to one of the accredited training based in UAE which is threefold training. Is this accepted?
You have to get in touch with the membership operations team for your question if you're referring to which academic experience you need to enrol on the APC. Their email address is apc@rics.org
I completed an RICS accredited undergraduate degree in 2014 in Building Surveying and have been working in Building Control as a trainee BCO since March 2008. I have since progressed to a BCO proper in 2014 and am now looking towards membership with RICS. What would be the best course of action for me to take? I understand a two-year professional diary is required along with a range of APCs to complete.
You'll obviously need to enrol under the Building Control pathway but there's the option to go down the Prelim or Grad 2 Route if you have 5 years’ experience. If the timescale is not critical I'd go for Grad 2.
Do you have an MRICS supervisor/counsellor in place conversant with APC?
I have two RICS members in the office who work in Building Control. They've been members since before APCs were a thing for RICS though.
It's quite often the candidate who is more APC savvy than the supervisors etc... that may not be the case with your situation.
Should I just choose a supervisor in the office and do the APC stuff myself?
You'll certainly have to drive it unless they're pushing/guiding you.
Counsellors are mandatory and they sign you off on the new ARC system. If any of you are struggling to find someone who can support you, speak with the membership operations team. They can help you find someone suitable.
One piece of advice that I've always been given by those who've gone through the APC. Even if you have the best counsellor, the best supervisor, internal support networks through your company, well developed training plans etc etc, it is ultimately your responsibility to get yourself through the APC so take as initiative and manage the process yourself. Best way to approach it according to those who've already gone through.
Does it matter if your technical competencies are under the word count by a couple of hundred words?
Reduced word count is not the end of the world but I always like to see 3995 - 4000 in cores to show max experience
Does the referred experience have a word limit too as I can't see it refers to one in the document?
There's guidance re referred comps word limit but just do as much as you want to sell your experience since referral. Make clear the new competencies too.
Being a referred candidate and moving companies 18 months ago, should I update every mandatory competency in the referral template too to show expanded experience?
In theory, you only need to provide updates on the comps you were referred on but I advise candidates to do a write up of ALL core comps not just the mandatories they were referred on.
With regard to the referred competencies that I am no longer taking do I still need to refer to them?
No need on the ones you've discontinued.
I was referred on three points on three different competencies. Feedback on my presentation and project was good. Looking back, I was probably underprepared and lacked experience and confidence in my ability to speak about the experience I had. This will be my third attempt, I'm feeling more confident but still a little overwhelmed.
It is normal to feel overwhelmed, explaining yourself at interview is a massive reason for referral.
Bringing out examples of experience is critical during the interview else you never get past L1. Another very common issue ... you must know your paperwork inside out.
You can reduce nerves with practice and knowing your docs inside out ... every line and word.
With CPD, how much purpose and learning outcomes are sometimes the same - does that matter and how much are you expecting to see written in there?
Purpose is high level and Outcomes are specific details hopefully linked to purpose. 3 or 4 lines in outcomes but the rest should be brief. Most important for you is to link it to your referral comps.