Thursday 24 April 2008

Candidates and their solicitors

There is a thread currently running on the RICS forums on the pros and cons of taking your legal representative to the interview. I have no doubt that this would seriously hinder you chances of passing and below is my latest definitive posting on the above thread.


'When I started reading this thread, I thought it was a bit 'tongue in cheek' hence my rather flippant earlier reply. Like myself, the 3 assessors are experienced professionals who are giving up their time to help ensure than only candidates who are professionally competent and a 'safe pair of hands', in the opinion of their peers, are sanctioned to go out in to the world as a representative of the RICS, the most prestigious organisation of its type in the world.

It is hard work for the assessors too and their 'reward' of expenses is often immediately donated to the Lionheart fund. The assessors take their role seriously and as a general rule are very good at what they do. This can be evidenced by the fact that assessors complete their assessment sheets individually before the Chair reviews the collective assessment and in my experience this is usually a unanimous verdict, either for or against. They are also trained to be supportive and friendly; although admittedly some are much better at this than others.


If something goes wrong then the appeals system is in place to hear representations from the candidate and the Institution do take appeals seriously because the integrity of the process is vital to the Institution as well as to the candidate.

In this context the idea of taking a solicitor in to the interview is a complete non-starter. It will set the wrong tone for the interview right from the start ( and this is the most important part of any interview), discussion will be stilted rather than free flowing and the interview will probably be confrontational rather than a professional supportive assessment by your peers. As both an experienced assessor and an academic who taught interview psychology, please believe me when I say there is absolutely nothing good which will come of taking a solicitor in to the event.'

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