We recently welcomed a new face to the Arden Dream Team. Natalie Walmsley heads up our Facilities Management and Manufacturing Division and what she doesn’t know about recruiting in these sectors isn’t worth knowing. We sat down with Nat to get her top tips for anyone who might be considering a career in Facilities Management.
Grab and pen and take note – this girl knows her onions…
What does a Facilities Manager do?
A Facilities Manager is responsible for making sure that buildings and their services meet the needs of the people that work in them. Facilities Managers oversee all of the important services that keep the building and its employees running smoothly such as cleaning, security, and parking. Basically, they are there to make sure the building and its surrounding environment is in a suitable condition for work. This could be for one business or multiple businesses in a shared building.
What skills do I need for a career in Facilities Management?
You really need a diverse set of skills to call on because Facilities Managers work in loads of different sectors. So to start with, a great candidate needs to have an active interest and sound knowledge of the industry that their potential employer works in.
Problem solver: You need to be a good problem solver because you are basically a troubleshooter for your building and the people who work there. And problems can arise in many different areas!
Technical knowledge: A technical knowledge of building services is an absolute must for any facilities manager – how do buildings work? What goes on behind the scenes? It is your job to understand this.
Numeracy skills: As a Facilities Manager you will work closely with the Finance team in balancing a sometimes-complex budget, so sound financial skills and skills are a must.
People person: You will work with lots of different teams within your role as a Facilities Manager so you need to have a flexible and practical approach to working with different teams and departments. Get ready for some negotiating and mediation between departments!
Negotiating skills: You will very likely have to oversee and agree on contracts, and source providers for different services throughout the building, including security, parking, cleaning, maintenance, catering, technology, energy, grounds work etc.
Practical knowledge: You may be called upon to ensure that basic facilities throughout the building are well-maintained – such as water, heating, and electrics.
What qualifications do I need to be a Facilities Manager?
There are no set qualification requirements in Facilities Management, but some kind of qualification in facilities management and management experience is generally required. Any qualifications in other subjects like business studies or surveying would be very beneficial. Have a look for Health and Safety qualifications. It goes without saying that you will need good grades in core subjects like Mathematics and English.
If you lack in qualifications and experience you could look for a Facilities Management Apprenticeship which will give you the opportunity of on the job training while gaining a qualification at the same time.
How to stand out in an interview for a Facilities Management role
When you interview for a role in Facilities Management you need to display positive energy levels – show that you are up for any job and not afraid of hard work. Demonstrate your amazing communication skills and show off your people skills! Try to give examples of your excellent organisational skills and how have solved problems or negotiated tricky situations in the past. Poor interpersonal and communication skills will let you down – radiate positivity and show off that ‘can-do’ attitude and you will shine!
Where can I find Facilities Management jobs?
That’s easy! Get in touch with Arden Personnel! We have new roles coming in regularly and once you are registered as a candidate, we can start recommending you for roles. You will need to send us your up to date CV and we may require you to come in for an interview – or this could be carried out over Skype or telephone. We will also offer you some basic skills tests and invite you to take a personality profiling quiz – this helps us determine the right roles and employers for you. Meeting with us is a great chance to ask any questions you may have, we’ve been in this business for a long time and we have lots of knowledge to share.
For our latest vacancies please visit Arden Personnel at www.ardenpersonnel.co.uk and on all social media applications.
Arden Personnel are committed to finding you your next position, we will help you find your perfect opportunity. If you apply for a role we aim to contact successful applicants within 24 hours, if you do not hear from us within 48 hours it may mean that your application has been unsuccessful. However, we may have other opportunities that would suit you.
We recruit in the following sectors:
Commercial – Administration, Accountancy & Finance, Sales & Marketing, Customer Service, HR and IT.
Building Services – Operational Management, Engineering/Facilities Management & Electrical, Supervisory, Contract & Project Management, Business Development, Senior Level
Manufacturing – Technical, Engineering and Manufacturing
The areas Arden Personnel recruit in are:
Alcester, Redditch, Studley, Bidford-on-Avon, Stratford-upon-Avon, Evesham, Broadway, Pershore,
Moreton-in-Marsh, Bromsgrove, Chipping Camden, Warwick, Leamington Spa, and Henley-in-Arden