Quantity Surveyors in Canada | The Importance of Chartership

Job openings for Quantity Surveyor jobs in Canada seen to be appearing at an fast-growing rate, with cost consulting and quantity surveying playing an essential role at each point of the construction and building process. More so, the demand for Chartered Quantity Surveyors is also rising. This article will discuss the entry points to chartership alongside how to succeed on your CV and in interviews.

The Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (CIQS) and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) are two examples of premium professional associations that set the highest standards for cost and contractual best practice in the infrastructure and construction industry worldwide. However, the designations they offer do differ.

The CIQS provides the opportunity to become a Professional Quantity Surveyor (PQS) whilst the RICS offers an Associate membership RICS (AssocRICS) and the esteemed MRICS. Both the CIQS and RICS require prospective members to undertake a series of written examinations, interviews, and assessments to obtain their respective membership status. Additionally, those with five years of post-PQS experience are automatically eligible for direct entry to MRICS, making the conversion process all the easier.

Why do I need to Get Chartered?

Although Chartership isn’t a compulsory qualification to obtain a Quantity Surveyor job, it does provide a massive advantage in comparison to candidates without it. Carrying the MRICS qualification acts as a signal to others that you have achieved a recognized standard of competence and capability and uphold the agreed professional standards. Obtaining MRICS shows your likely capability to counsel developers, designers, contractors, and building owners through every stage of the construction process.

The RICS encourages its members to develop and maintain professional relations with other members, allowing early access to the latest insights into the construction sector. This allows you the chance to network, often with those overseas, enhancing your overseas career prospects and giving insight into the possible benefits to you of working overseas. It also goes without saying that an MRICS provides a gateway to advanced career progression, and higher pay rates.

So, how does this affect the Canada job market for Quantity Surveyors?

The RICS Q2 2021 Construction Monitor, released in early August, reported an increase in workloads for the construction sector as a whole. They also reported on a likely spike in hiring rates for Quantity Surveying jobs – specifically in rail, power, and the built environment. This increase in demand has certainly matched what the team at Maxim have experienced! We currently have 35 live vacancies in Canada, with 24 of them being for Cost Consulting and Quantity Surveying related positions. 

This sector of the construction industry is set to grow steadily, with a call for overseas workers to migrate over. As reported by Statistica, a shortage of skilled trade workers in the country is already being seen, with suggestions this will rise. Subsequently, this is leading to a likely pay increases across the construction sector. There’s never been a better time than now to consider a career move to Canada, and as a MRICS qualified Quantity Surveyor, you will be in particularly strong demand!

How can I best use my Chartership to stand out?

So, you’ve got your Chartership – great! Now, the key is to make the most of it. In the current age of “Quick Apply” job applications, making a CV stand out amongst the hundreds of applications is crucial. One step to making this possible is clearly presenting your qualifications, Chartership or otherwise.

Labelling your “Education/Professional Qualifications” section with a distinctive header, and ensuring you clearly present your qualifications gained alongside the date you obtained each is useful for standing out to a recruiter. Giving insight into how your chartership has helped at previous and current jobs can also help show an active approach and mindset to your work. This proactivity can really help highlight your CV when it comes to applying for overseas QS jobs. Additionally, it can also help during interviews! Take a look at a previous article written by our own Steve Thomas on Writing a Good CV to get an in-depth look into CV success.

Summary

I hope this blog article helps to explain the value of Chartership and how it can help make a good Quantity Surveyor into a great Canada-bound Chartered Quantity Surveyor that receives lots of high-quality job offers! Being Chartered optimizes the likelihood of your CV being recognized and shortlisted ahead of other candidates.

While MRICS isn’t a guaranteed ticket into your dream job anywhere in the world, it certainly gives one of the biggest possible advantages to those looking for their dream construction Quantity Surveying and Cost Consulting job.

Whether Chartered or not, or wanting to work in the UK, Canada or other exciting international locations, we encourage all Quantity Surveyors to take a browse through our range of Quantity Surveying, Cost Management and Commercial Management jobs around the world and to get in touch with an updated CV!

Katie Donnelly
Graduate Recruitment Consultant