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.
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What is this week's blog about?
In this week’s blog, we give you our 10 top tips to ace your AssocRICS submission. This is based on our experience of supporting many happy AssocRICS candidates to AssocRICS success.
So what are our 10 top tips?
1. Get your submission right first time - read the candidate guide carefully and ensure you submit all elements required by RICS, i.e. summary of experience, case study and CPD record. You also need to complete the online RICS ethics module and test. Make sure you are familiar with the RICS online Assessment Resource Centre (ARC) well in advance of your submission deadline, so you can upload your submission correctly and in good time for your Counsellor to provide your final sign-off.
2. Word count – ensure you stick to the stated word counts, as not doing so will constitute a referral. These are 2,000 words for your technical competencies, 1,000 words for your mandatory competencies (approximately 150 words for each) and 2,500 words for your case study.
3. Presentation – ensure that you present your work to the highest standard possible, i.e. being ‘client ready’. Proofread your submission (including your CPD record) carefully to identify any issues relating to structure, style, grammar or spelling. If you wouldn’t be happy to submit your work to your supervisor, line manager or a client – then make sure you continue to work on it as this is a common area for referral.
4. CPD – ensure that you undertake sufficient CPD, with a minimum of 48 hours recorded in the 12 months prior to submitting for AssocRICS. At least 50% must be formal CPD and you should record sufficient, relevant detail within your CPD record. You will need to enter this using ARC, so make sure you don’t leave it until the last minute. Proofread what you write carefully, as discussed in 3 above.
5. Case study topic – ensure that you choose a suitable topic for your case study. RICS expect you to ‘present a sensible and realistic topic for your case study that reflects the skills needed to fulfil the role of a professional in your area of practice and geographic location’. You should focus on two technical competencies relevant to your day-to-day work, but also mention other technical and mandatory competencies where relevant.
6. Case study structure – your case study should follow the structure set out by RICS, which includes a brief overview of the project (e.g. date, location, employer and your job role), objectives, your knowledge, skills and experience, your role and contribution, your technical skills employed and the overall outcome. You should aim to demonstrate your understanding of the relevant competencies and some of your general business skills (mandatory competencies).
7. Read the pathway guide relevant to you – you have to submit your summary of experience based on seven mandatory competencies (the eighth, Conduct rules, ethics and professional practice, requires no written submission and is instead assessed via the RICS online ethics module and test) and six technical competencies. Ensure you read the relevant pathway guide to understand the requirements of each competency, not doing so is another common referral point. For your mandatory competencies, one brief example is required for each, whilst for your technical competencies you need to clearly state perhaps 2-3 specific examples.
8. Appendices – you should not include any appendices or supporting documents within your summary of experience. However, your case study should include relevant appendices, such as plans, illustrations or calculations, which are clearly referred to in your main text. We do not recommend attaching extensive appendices to your case study, particularly those which do not add anything to your main body of text.
9. Deadlines – ensure you are prepared well in advance to submit your AssocRICS submission whilst your submission window is open. Missing this means that you will need to wait until the next submission window opens. You can check relevant dates using the RICS website, ensuring you select your appropriate world region and pathway.
10. Counsellor and Proposer – you will need to ensure you have a Counsellor to sign off your submission and a Proposer (i.e. RICS member – AssocRICS for 4 years’ plus, MRICS or FRICS) to endorse your submission. These parties need to be available prior to submission, so don’t leave this part of the process too late! You can use the same person to both your Counsellor and Proposer and they do not necessarily have to be from within the same organisation as you. Please contact Property Elite if you require assistance with this as we can provide outsourced roles in certain circumstances.
How can we help?
Typically, AssocRICS candidates benefit from the following combination of services:
Free 15 minute consultation, come and chat to us about you and your AssocRICS assessment.
1 hour of 1-2-1 online mentoring, covering how to draft your submission and addressing any initial concerns.
Submission editing service, including proof reading and word count reduction.
If you are a residential estate or letting agent considering the AssocRICS (Real Estate Agency pathway) qualification in response to proposed Government regulation, read more about the changes in our article in Property Industry Eye here.
Our other services include:
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 a full submission editing service, including proof reading and word count reduction, as well as revision quizzes and revision guides.
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.