apc case study candidate guide

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Your case study is one of the most pivotal sections in your APC submission. It is a major component in terms of quantity, as the basis of your ten-minute presentation and the subsequent questioning.

An ideal project will have drawn on your professionalism to consider key issues and options, then make recommendations for resolution. You should have a choice of projects that you are working on so you can evaluate which are best for your APC.

Evaluate Your Projects

You will spend time and effort preparing the submission and presentation, so focus on your project with the greatest potential. A good starting point is to evaluate your projects against the Understanding the APC guide   to eliminate those that fail to meet the criteria, then reassess the remainder as they progress for your best choice.

Sometimes the project that you had the highest hopes for falls by the wayside or fails to meet the criteria in some way; it helps to have an alternative project as a contingency. Be proactive in gaining advice and guidance from your APC supervisor and counsellor when selecting your case study.

What could you look for in selecting your project?

First, you should ensure the project is within two years of your APC submission date. Many candidates select a project where they are actively involved within one year of the submission date – if they are on the two-year structured training route they are likely to be given more responsibility in this second year, so it will be fresher in their mind and in certain circumstances it might be re-used if they are referred.

Second, if you provided reasoned advice on Building Surveying Level 3 core competency matters, then it has potential. Ideally, you will have identified the project early on as one where you are likely to be personally involved at Level 3.

Third, if your project has two or three key issues that relate to your Building Surveying competencies then it starts to look very promising. These will vary by project; examples include building defect investigation and repair, redesigning a refurbishment due to a client change, or the selection and specification of a product.

There should be meaningful options to consider when determining how the key issue should be resolved. If you had to research or reflect on an event in order to reach a reasoned decision on the project then this could be a key issue. Where you had already identified the project early on as a possible case study then it is a great help if you note key issues as they arise so you can select from these and have a ready-made aide memoire.

If you feel there are no meaningful key issues or options then do discuss the project or projects, key issues and options with your supervisor, counsellor or others involved in the projects; they may provide useful suggestions or advise you towards another project.

Ensure you provide clarity and detail

When preparing the 3,000-word case study, it can be tempting to select more than one project and also three key issues. While the 3,000-word limit is usually easily reached, the challenge is often to provide the clarity, accuracy and detail. This can limit your demonstration of the issues, decision-making ability, reasoned judgement and so on. Do take your supervisor’s or counsellor’s advice on the number of projects and key issues to cover. You may have a valid need for more than one project and three key issues.

Many case studies are on a single project and two key issues. Using two instead of three allows more detail, which should enhance clarity while helping you to keep to the word limit. An additional benefit of a single project and two key issues is in your ten-minute presentation, as it will also allow you more time per issue.

Take pride in it

Once selected, then make the case study your own. It is a key part of the APC in representing you and your work, so take pride in its preparation and the chance to show assessors your professionalism.

Ewan Craig is an APC assessor, APC coach and local director with Right Surveyors  

The above article originally appeared in RICS Built Environment Journal April/May 2019 titled The case in hand

Any Questions?

During an online Q&A with the RICS Training team candidates got to ask their questions on the APC case study, below are the questions raised and answers.

I have just started my APC and was wondering when I should be thinking about my case study?

If you’re on the Structured 24 route, you shouldn’t worry about it until the second year. Firstly, you may not have the range of live experience to choose from. Secondly, if you rotate seats and undertake different types of work, you may have not found something you are best suited to yet. Your first year is really about your learning and development as a surveyor. In your  pathway guide ,  there will be a timeline that help’s you to manage this.

Would it be better to write about a project from start to finish or should I look to target one specific aspect?

Target one aspect, so for example, foundations. The project does not need to be completed 100%, just the part you are writing about.

Are you able to use a project undertaken whilst working for a previous employer?

Your project(s) needs to be undertaken up to two years before your assessment. As long as this is the case, altering your employment will not be a problem.

How do I find hooks in all mandatory and technical competencies?

In your pathway guide, there is a Case Study checklist that brilliantly bullet-points potential hooks you could use. Keep in mind though that the checklist is not a syllabus - you don’t need to know or do all of it. Think of it more as a menu where you can pick and choose the tasks and activities you have carried out.

When it comes to the presentation, do you have an opinion on whether assessors prefer visual aids, or do you just want to hear about the case study?

The most important thing is that you are comfortable. Some people get in a muddle, others like to use visual aids as a crutch. If you have one, make sure it is relevant and not a distraction - use it to enhance, not dominate your presentation.

Related links

• Sector pathways
• Enrolled Candidate Guidance

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PROPERTY JOURNAL

Preparing for your APC online assessment

What does RICS’ decision to take APC final assessment interviews online mean for candidates?

23 October 2020

Although RICS has moved all APC final assessment interviews online in response to the ongoing pandemic, they will still be conducted to the same standards as they were when held face to face.

As a candidate, therefore, the first thing you should do is ensure you have a device such as a laptop, tablet or phone on which you can use Microsoft Teams; this can be run through a browser without the need for installation. Test out the system with a friend, family member or colleague beforehand. Don’t leave it until the day of your interview to do this – as a trainer, I have found this is the most common reason for disruption and delay during mock interviews held online.

Good-quality internet or network reception is essential, so plan ahead and make sure that you have sufficient connectivity for your interview. If you live with others, perhaps ask them to refrain from being online during your interview to avoid taking up bandwidth.

You may need an external microphone or webcam if these are not integrated into your device, or if you are concerned about getting your set-up right. Should cost be an issue, first test the quality of your existing devices with a friend, family member or colleague. If they are not sufficient we recommend looking at a webcam initially, as these often come with in-built microphones.

"Test out the system with a friend, family member or colleague beforehand"

Setting up your interview space

It pays to put the camera a little further back if possible so that the panel can see you clearly – much as if you were across the table from a client or colleague in a meeting. Try to keep the camera level and pointing directly at you or at a very slight angle

You will be on camera, so you should try to ensure you are in a professional environment. The chair will also ask you to show the panel a 360° view of your surroundings to ensure you are receiving no support. The ideal setting would be against a plain wall with good natural or artificial lighting, so that your assessors can see you clearly.  

Sit at a desk or table, where you are comfortable and can adopt a good posture to ensure that you present professionally during your interview.  

Close the door and ask other members of your household to minimise noise and disruption for the duration of your interview, if possible.  

We recommend that you dress professionally, as you would for a client meeting. First impressions still count, particularly as you are one step removed from being face to face with your assessment panel.  

Make sure you spend some time in your environment ahead of the interview, or if that is not possible – for instance, if it will be in an office meeting room – then visualise what it might be like. This will help to calm your nerves on the day and allow you to prepare effectively.

Interview structure

• 10 minutes: your case study presentation.
• 10 minutes: case study presentation questioning.
• 30 minutes: discussion on overall experience, including CPD, technical competencies, Rules of Conduct and professional practice.
• 10 minutes: chair's questioning, which may include professional and technical matters, CPD, Rules of Conduct and mandatory competencies; then close of the interview.

How will the process work?

• Join the Teams meeting between 5 and 10 minutes before your interview start time. This you can do by clicking on the Teams link in the meeting request.
• You will arrive in a virtual lobby and will need to wait to be admitted to your interview by your assessment panel, around 5 minutes before the scheduled start time.
• As you join your panel in the online interview room, you will be able both to see and hear them. Your microphone will initially be on mute, and you should wait for instructions from the chair or RICS staff member before speaking.
• When instructed to, you should activate your microphone and keep it on for the duration of your interview.
• There is an instant message (IM) button in Teams, but this should only be used to alert the staff member to problems with your video or audio. All participants will be able to view these messages.
• When all participants are ready, the staff member will hand over control of the meeting to the chair and this will be the start of your 1-hour interview.
• Your chair will ask you to show a 360° view of your interview space to ensure you do not have any support from other people or technology. The only material you may have access to is your presentation notes, in the form of cue cards for instance, and those for the duration of the presentation alone. The request for a 360° view may be repeated at any time during your interview.
• If you require time to think about your answers, you may need to confirm to your panel that your audio is still working. Do anticipate some audio or video delays with the online format.
• At the end of your interview, exit when instructed to do so by your chair. There may be technical issues during the interview; these will be recorded by your chair, and any time lost added to the end of the interview to ensure you receive your full hour. If more than 10 minutes of technical issues are noted then the chair may, with your agreement, terminate the session and rearrange your interview for a later date.

Top tips for your online final assessment

• Test your system well in advance, checking that your microphone and video both work and are at the appropriate volume and brightness levels. Make sure that your microphone and webcam are turned on.
• Check that your device or laptop is plugged in to avoid running out of power during your interview.
• Don’t forget that you are on camera – your assessors will still pick up on both verbal and non-verbal cues, so be conscious of your body language and facial expressions when on camera.
• Review any visual aids you intend to use for your presentation. It will pay to keep these as simple and easy to read as possible, so they can be displayed via the "share content" feature on Teams during the assessment. It is also worth practising the "share screen" function beforehand so you are confident using it.
• Don’t treat your interview differently to the way you would if it were face to face: present professionally, prepare well and be confident in your abilities as a future chartered surveyor.

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