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Why It’s Getting Harder to Hire Good Surveyors (and What You Can Do About It)

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​The UK’s surveying industry is experiencing a talent crunch that’s affecting projects across the built environment. From infrastructure and real estate to utilities and development, employers are finding it harder than ever to hire - and keep - skilled professionals.

For businesses, this shortage isn’t just a hiring headache; it’s a strategic challenge that affects delivery, budgets, and growth. For candidates, though, it’s a moment of opportunity.

The Scale of the Shortage

RICS and Statista data make the issue clear: there are around 47,000 quantity surveyors and 60,000 chartered surveyors in the UK, but demand is significantly higher. Nearly 80% of employers in the built environment report difficulty filling technical roles.

Three key factors are driving this:

  1. A Growing Skills Gap - Years of underinvestment in graduate training have created a shortage of mid-level professionals.

  2. Intense Competition for Talent - Remote work means surveyors can take jobs nationally, not just locally, and overseas demand (particularly in Australia and the Middle East) continues to draw UK professionals abroad.

  3. Rising Expectations - Candidates are now motivated by flexibility, development, and culture as much as pay.

The result? Longer hiring times, salary inflation, and growing retention challenges.

How This Affects Employers

Hiring processes that once took weeks are now stretching to months. Recruitment data suggeststime-to-hire has risen by 30–40%, especially in cost consultancy and infrastructure roles. Meanwhile, salaries for experienced professionals have climbed, putting pressure on project margins.

This is especially pronounced in commercial real estate, utilities, and infrastructure sectors - areas where project deadlines simply can’t wait. To stay competitive, employers are rethinking how they attract, develop, and retain their people.

Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Talent

1. Invest in Upskilling
Internal training in digital surveying, data analysis, and sustainability is increasingly common. Firms that support APC progression or CPD see better retention - employees are 40% more likely to staywhen employers invest in their development.

2. Offer Flexible Entry Routes
Apprenticeships and traineeships are helping diversify entry points into the profession. Firms like AECOM and Savills have expanded apprenticeship programmes to build long-term pipelines, but smaller consultancies can benefit too through mentoring and structured on-the-job learning.

3. Strengthen Your Employer Brand
In a competitive market, salary alone doesn’t seal the deal. Candidates want purpose, progression, and work-life balance. Firms that highlight project innovation, sustainability, and career pathways consistently attract more applicants.

4. Partner with Specialist Recruiters
Recruitment agencies with sector-specific expertise can reach passive candidates - experienced professionals who aren’t actively job-hunting but may be open to the right opportunity.

What This Means for Candidates

For professionals, the skills shortage has created a candidate-driven market- a rare advantage in any career. Here’s how to make the most of it:

  • Pursue Chartered Status (MRICS) - Chartered surveyors remain in the highest demand, often earning up to 25% more than non-chartered peers.

  • Stay Tech-Savvy - Employers increasingly seek familiarity with BIM, GIS, drone surveying, and data analysis.

  • Be Adaptable - Surveyors who can operate across multiple sectors - commercial, residential, infrastructure - are more valuable.

  • Show Soft Skills - Employers want communicators, not just technicians. Negotiation, client liaison, and commercial awareness are key differentiators.

Looking Ahead

The surveyor shortage isn’t a short-term issue. The Construction Skills Network forecasts that the UK will need over 6,000 additional surveyors by 2028just to meet infrastructure and housing goals.
For employers, that means investing in people. For candidates, it’s about staying adaptable, learning continuously, and being open to change.

If both sides step up - firms by training and developing, and professionals by embracing new skills - the UK’s surveying sector will emerge stronger, smarter, and more sustainable.