People Series | Sophie and Jay

In this interview, we ask Sophie and Jay about their experience as graduates in real estate consulting in Deloitte Real Asset Advisory business.

Sophie studied International Business at The University of Leeds and gained experience during her studies working in Real Estate. Jay studied Management at The University of Kent and has a Masters in Real Estate from Bayes Business School.

1. Sophie, you have experience in an internal real estate team, what attracted you to make the change to consultancy?

Working in an internal team for my Industrial Placement year started my interest in real estate and allowed me to broaden my skillset and knowledge alongside my studies. Joining Deloitte has enabled me to use this previous experience and apply it to the variety of projects and opportunities offered within the team. During my year at Deloitte, I’ve worked for Public and Private sector clients, and with different teams across Real Asset Advisory, and the wider Deloitte business. This variety is what attracted me to Deloitte as there are endless opportunities to gain experience and develop; both personally and professionally.

2. Jay, you have joined following your Masters, what drew you to starting a career in real estate?

I wanted to start my career in the real estate as I found it to be one of the few industries that valued both creativity and analytical thinking. My Masters allowed me to learn about various aspects of real estate and the impact it has on its users. Working in the Real Asset Advisory team was a natural progression for me to apply this knowledge to real estate projects across different industries and markets, and help advise clients on their most complex challenges.

3. What can a graduate expect to be doing day-to-day in their first few years?

Sophie: The nature of our projects means my role is constantly changing and evolving. I am often analysing real estate data to support decision making or working with clients to develop requirements for a real estate project. Alongside this, I have regular college days to work towards the next exam in my qualification. This is a fantastic opportunity and supports my learning as well as complementing my client work.

Jay: A typical day starts with a coffee in hand finalising presentations for our client. I will attend meetings; overseeing the progress of the project and capturing actions to ensure the team follows the timeline. Outside of my client engagements, I support our internal communications and events team, which means l get to think creatively about topics we can cover and finding the perfect venue to host our team over drinks and nibbles.

4. What advice would you give applicants coming through similar routes to your own?

Jay: I would say to be authentic and highlight what makes you different. Deloitte encourages their employees to be themselves as shown through the range of diversity networks available to join.

Sophie: Use the experience you have already to show what makes you stand out in your application – whether it’s practical work experience, studying, or extra-curricular activities. Think about where you have developed your skills and bring this out – it doesn’t need to be from direct work experience to be applicable!

Find out more about Early Careers Opportunities in real estate- Early Careers Real Estate | Deloitte UK

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