星空传媒

If you鈥檙e a professional in your late 30s, it seems the world 鈥� or the UK, at least 鈥� is your oyster. In fact, whatever your age and title, you鈥檙e in a pretty good position, if the results from the Hays 2004鈥�05 salary survey are anything to go by.

The recruitment firm鈥檚 latest research shows solid increases across the whole profession, from graduate surveyors to partners (see right) 鈥� on average, wages went up by 3.6%. These figures, however, appear to go only a small way to demonstrate just how much employers cherish their QS or project manager. Matthew Loughlin, a director at PCM Management, sums up the almost frenzied job market: 鈥淨Ss are so hot at the moment, you can鈥檛 get them and you can鈥檛 keep them,鈥� he says.

The knock-on effect of this is significant. In its report, Hays stated that in London and the Home Counties, 鈥榯raditional salary structures in the Southeast are being abandoned in favour of applicants being able to negotiate the salary they require鈥�. One employer cites a recent example where a 26-year-old qualified QS in the London region was lured by a contractor with a 拢45,000 package 鈥� a cool 拢10,000 rise in pay. 鈥淭here was nothing we could do,鈥� he says. Another worry for employers is the move to freelancing by salaried staff 鈥� an increasing trend, according to PCM鈥檚 Loughlin. 鈥淎 lot of agencies are being set up,鈥� he says. 鈥淲orking at an hourly rate of 拢30, an intermediate QS can earn at least 拢60,000.鈥�

A key finding of the survey is that the age-old salary gap between London and the rest of the UK is beginning to close. At almost every level, QSs and project managers outside the capital are seeing their paypackets increase faster than those of their London-based counterparts. In central London, salaries typically rose between 0 and 4% in the last year, but rises often reached 8, 9 or even 12% in the regions. The exception is graduate QSs, who enjoyed an 8% rise in London, from 拢19,500 to 拢21,000 and 6% rises almost everywhere else.

鈥淭here鈥檚 such demand at the moment, you don鈥檛 have to work in London to earn a lot of money,鈥� confirms Gareth Broadrick, manager of Hays鈥� property and surveying division in London. 鈥淔irms in the regions will match whatever people are already getting.鈥� Broadrick says the most in-demand group are professionals in their late 30s 鈥� a knock-on effect from the low number of graduates in the early 90s 鈥� and he鈥檚 seen many moving out of London.

Hays鈥� statistics show that associates, typically aged around 38 and ARICS qualified, saw their pay increase by 4% from 拢45,000 to 拢47,000 in central London, but 8% almost everywhere else 鈥� and in Wales they increased by 9% to 拢38,000.

There鈥檚 such demand at the moment, you don鈥檛 have to work in London to earn a lot of money

Gareth Broadrick, Hays Montrose

鈥淓mployees are earning a good salary and, unless they want to climb the corporate ladder, they don鈥檛 have to be in London to do their job,鈥� adds Broadrick. No surprise, then, that as pay gaps shrink, some employees are upping sticks and heading up to the regions from the Big Smoke (see factfile below).

Two regions seeing a particularly high demand are the Southwest and Northwest . The former saw an average rise of 8% 鈥� the highest in any of the regions. This is partly due to a skills shortage as well as the region鈥檚 housing market.

In the Northwest, Manchester鈥檚 construction boom continues, while Liverpool gears up to assume the European Capital of Culture title in 2008. Local firms are feeling the impact of national firms muscling in, says Andrew Taylor, finance director of Tweeds in Liverpool (home to 40 of its 140 UK staff). 鈥淎 number of UK and London surveyors have moved into the area because of the opportunities created by the building programme,鈥� he observes. 鈥淚t鈥檚 never been so hard to find staff.鈥�

Managers have, of course, been complaining for years that it鈥檚 difficult to find and keep good people and this research goes a long way to prove they鈥檙e right. All of which is worrying for the sector as a whole, but if you鈥檙e a young gun looking to shimmy up the career ladder, it鈥檚 very good news indeed.