Readying for an interview for a building surveyor job? Then read these top tips for making the most of the interview opportunity.

Dress neatly and smartly for the interview; a smart suit or dress will give the impression of professionalism. Ensure you know where the interview is, double check the interviewer’s name, and take plenty of time to get there. Read through CVs a few more times until confident about current and past roles as well as any relevant qualifications.

Read up on the prospective employers and think specifically about the role being interviewed for, and think how to tailor answers to highlight the key qualities the interviewers will be looking for.

9 Building surveyor job interview questions.

  1. When did your interest in surveying as a career first start?

  2. What would you say are the most important skills, beyond technical qualifications, that a Building Surveyor should have?

  3. What would be the first three questions you would ask a client when engaging on a new project with them?

  4. Can you tell me the most important safety rules when on a building site?

  5. Describe what you envisage as a typical day for a building surveyor.

  6. What do you think is the most challenging element of being a building surveyor?

  7. What would you say will be the key industry changes that will affect surveyors over the next few years?

  8. What do you think the most effective ways of measuring the job performance of a surveyor are?

  9. You may also be shown pictures of a building or structure with defects and be expected to comment on the key issues you see.

Interview tips for building surveyor job candidates.

Employers of Building Surveyors will be looking for people who not only have the qualifications on paper to be able to do the job, but can also practically implement those skills successfully in a pressurised environment. Think about past experience that highlights successful teamwork, and focus on demonstrating organisation and efficiency.

Interviewees will be expected to be able to communicate ideas clearly and concisely both verbally and in writing, and be able demonstrate the ability to multi-task and run several projects at once. Questions are likely to come up not only about general experience and qualifications, but also about job specific challenges, as well as an opportunity to ask the interviewer questions.

General interview questions.

  • What would your key strengths and weaknesses in the work environment are?

  • What kind of further career qualifications are you looking for?

  • What are your long term goals within the industry?

  • What are the key attractions of our company as an employer?

  • What makes you the best person for this job?

  • Are you deadline or solution driven?

Scenario interview questions.

  • Describe to me the most challenging design or repair problem you have worked on

  • Tell me how you would deal with a situation where the client was unhappy about the plans you had designed

  • Talk me through your most successful project to date - why do you think it was successful?

tags:

more interview tips articles.

read more about careers in quantity surveying.

see all articles