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Episode 38 – Part 3: Top Tips When Applying to the RICS Matrics Awards - Zoe Baker and Joe Ellison
39 Plays1 year ago
In the final part of our episode with Zoe and Joe, we delve into invaluable tips for applying for the RICS Matrics Awards. Both Zoe and Joe share their unique experiences and strategies that helped them stand out in their successful applications. They discuss the hardest parts of the application process, the importance of providing evidence for different categories, and practical advice on time management and seeking feedback.
They also emphasise the significance of testimonials, creativity, and past work experience, even if it's not directly related to surveying. The episode concludes with final tips for enjoying the awards night, whether attending as nominees or guests. Join us for an insightful discussion that will surely inspire and guide your own award submission journey.
00:00 Introduction to RICS Matrics Awards Tips
00:21 Joe's Insights on Application Challenges
01:34 Zoe's Approach to a Successful Application
03:26 Balancing Technicality and Creativity
05:27 Importance of Testimonials and Evidence
06:57 Early Career Applications and Experience
09:49 Final Tips and Encouragement
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Transcript
Introduction to Rix Matrix Awards
00:00:00
Speaker
In this final part of our episode with Zoe and Joe, we're looking at tips for applying for the Rix Matrix Awards and and what potentially will will help you stand out with a successful application. So um yeah, don't I think you both potentially had slightly different um processes maybe for your first award, Joe, but did you did have you you both applied for the awards at some point? I think, yeah, you have. Awesome, okay. So I suppose, I don't know who wants to go first. um um maybe Maybe Joe, you this time, but... web
Challenges in Application Process
00:00:28
Speaker
What would you say to others thinking about applying in terms of what's the hardest part of of of the application or the decision or but certain parts of the actual form or whatever it might be? I suppose the hardest part because the way that the the matrix and submission has been in in previous years, whether that ever changes or not, I can't say what.
00:00:51
Speaker
and it's split into categories and you provide evidence for each category. So it's making sure that you've got got evidence to to cover each of the categories that it asks you and to to write about. and
Strategies for Completing Applications
00:01:08
Speaker
Take your time over it. um so Don't just rush something through. like Like we've already said, because I see it as a reflective process. So sit down quietly.
00:01:20
Speaker
and just reflect on what you've done and just start writing out ideas of what evidence you can use to support each of each of the different categories. That is probably the hardest bit in my opinion. It's going back through your mind of of what you've done and and ah matching up what you've done to each of the each of the criteria.
00:01:46
Speaker
and Interesting. what words similar Similar thoughts, I can see you nodding away, Zoe. Is it similar similar thoughts for you? Very relatable, yeah. um
Organizing and Feedback
00:01:53
Speaker
I think that one of the important things is start it as early as you can because they do release the the award submission date quite early and so I like to give myself plenty of time but also not too much time so that you you know you leave it and then you're panicking at the end but I sort of like Jo said it's split into sections so
00:02:19
Speaker
I would put as a diary appointment in my diary when I'm going to be focusing on each of those sections. So I'd spent a few days working on each one. I also did read it out loud to some people just to get their initial feedback on how it came across. and
Effective Communication
00:02:41
Speaker
Although they they weren't people that were even in the profession, which is quite good in a way because you you want it to be engaging and and enticing and you want to have got it across in the right way. um So I did get some feedback from people which which was quite beneficial. um But also try not to worry too much about the content because there is a word count. A word count and it's really, really important that you put
00:03:15
Speaker
the you know the focal point of each category within that word count and that you don't ramble, get it to straight to the point. and you know Even if you become if you do less of the word count, as long as you've hit the nail on the head with each with each point and got it across in the right way, then you know I think that's, like Jo said, it's all evidence-based.
00:03:45
Speaker
you want to be relating your achievements to each category. I found that putting my own sort of personality into it a little bit probably helped me out. and So, and you know, but you you can you can use your imagination there, but you get what I'm saying. Be be creative with it. Try not to be too technical because we we're we all sort of get a bit, we run away with that a bit sometimes.
00:04:12
Speaker
ah definitely I think it's a very good point because it's very easy when your head's stuck in something ah to to think you've answered the question, ah but if you need don't reflect and go back over it, but but also um yeah understand what's what's been interesting about it. so So it's giving it to someone else who's ah not seen it at all and goes, actually, you've said that thing three times or you've taken a thousand times longer than you needed to, to say this short sentence.
00:04:35
Speaker
yeah um so It's interesting, Zoe, that you and showed other people because I didn't show anybody. i I hardly tell any, I didn't tell anyone really. Oh, I'm talking about my mum here.
00:04:49
Speaker
ah Don't think I even told my mum until I was shortest. Yeah, I don't know. I think for me, it sort of just gave me a little bit of, what's the word? Like ah I was a bit sort of calmed down because it wasn't just all me.
00:05:10
Speaker
somebody else had said, yeah, that sounds good. And it just gave me a little bit of comfort. Or you could blame somebody else if you had not listed. I was like, choose your tactics. But I think like within the within the sections themselves, like I say, you know, it's so easy to start talking about something and then you actually go off topic. So it's always important to to just keep it refined and not overthink it because that's so tempting to do that.
00:05:46
Speaker
So it's given me flashbacks of being at school where it's like, answer the question. Yeah, and you got to focus on that. It's it's true. It's the same if you're doing ah a job for a customer, you you've actually answered the question. But um I suppose ah but but within the different sections, does it matter? Some people might worry that they've not got completely separate examples for every part. Does it matter if you reuse an example, but from a different perspective to show that particular ah competency or section they're looking to hear about?
00:06:15
Speaker
I
The Power of Testimonials
00:06:16
Speaker
wouldn't say so. No, as as long as you can talk about it and relate it to the the section that that you're writing about, then it doesn't matter if you've not got that many examples. I think the the one thing that I find is that testimonials are so important and because you are encouraged to get testimonials and include that within within the the submission.
00:06:43
Speaker
and I think it's the proof that no matter what I'm writing about, if somebody else can say that about me as well, then that's just a double tick instead of instead of the single tick. Similarly, I think if you can, whilst like I agree with Zoe, don't be too technical, but if you can get facts and figures in there as well, that is proof that you are doing what you're talking about.
00:07:13
Speaker
if If you can talk about and how many instructions something and created ah off the back of something you've done, that is that hard evidence rather than just just talking. and So if you can get as much of that in as possible, then then I think that's the best way to get a good submission written.
00:07:41
Speaker
Yeah, it's evidence-based then, isn't it, Jo? You've got the result from what you're saying you've done. um We can all talk about what we've done, but unless you've got anything to to back it up. So yeah, absolutely spot on.
00:07:56
Speaker
if Interestingly, you you you both applied fairly soon after ah qualifying, which makes sense. It's it's yeah your first 10 years, but um to ah for anyone that's maybe only any sort of been qualified for for for one year, two years, is that I suppose there might be a fear you haven't got enough ah yet to to put in in the in the different sections. How how how detailed or how how spectacular do the examples have to be to be an evidence-based to be able to apply? do Do you need to wait a few years to be able to build up um that evidence? Or actually, is it surprising how how quickly how quickly you might not realize you built up that ah that base?
Leveraging Life Experiences
00:08:38
Speaker
Well, actually, I started my experience from when I was a hairdresser. Awesome. So I went back to when I was 15, and I incorporated how that you know ah led to what I do now. and
00:08:53
Speaker
the things that I took from that because I'd actually won awards in that industry. um So, you know, sometimes you think outside the box, you don't just have to keep it surveying related. And although I didn't qualify until two years before I submitted, I was still working within surveying companies before that. So there was a course and was' a journey to tell. So even if you've qualified and two years later you're thinking,
00:09:23
Speaker
you know, oh, shall I? And then before that, you was in marketing. What can you bring from all of your work experience and relate it to to what you do now? Because we've all got previous work experience that contributes to why you started surveying in the first place and then how you've managed to build on that since. Definitely. Any any thoughts from you, Joe? Yeah, I mean, when when I won the award in 2019,
00:09:52
Speaker
I'd only been qualified six months. So I think that just goes to show that you you don't have to wait a couple of years. and Like Zoe said, i I focused a lot of my submission at that point on what I've done, because I did the two year structured training in a civilian firm. So I had I did have two years of experience before qualifying to to talk about and before that I'd i'd done admin work in in the same firm. So I've got plenty of of of years worth of experience. and
00:10:29
Speaker
like one of the categories in the awards at the minute is the apprentice of the year. A lot of the apprentices aren't qualified yet and are going through the apprenticeship. So it's not a hard and fast, you must have been qualified a certain amount of time before there's any way you could have got the experience.
Judging and Final Encouragement
00:10:52
Speaker
The fact is a lot of these awards like the Matrix Awards and many others are judged anonymously.
00:10:59
Speaker
So it doesn't matter sort of where you are in terms of how many years of experience you've got, as long as you've got some some quality evidence that you can use, then it's great. Yeah, very good point. um I think it's ah overall been a very interesting episode and and and thank you both for coming on. I suppose there's a ah parting ah parting piece that to leave with Do you, what are your, maybe your top tip or top couple of tips, either for the application or maybe just even for going to the awards night, maybe not even ah a nominee, but either the awards night or the application, have you got any tips on how to get the most out of it? Yeah, I would say take take your time with it. um You know, believe in yourself, don't
00:11:49
Speaker
Don't worry about anything else other than what you're doing and and just enjoy it as well. You know, try not to worry too much. Just enjoy the process. Enjoy. yeah Even if you're just going to the awards, like you say, enjoy that environment and and get to know how that feels. And yeah, just if anyone is looking to to go for it, just just go for it because it's it's a great experience, even if you don't win.
00:12:19
Speaker
You know, it doesn't it doesn't matter. Ultimately, you you've still achieved something. So and yeah, that's what I would say. And that's passing words, isn't it? Anything from you, Jay? Yeah, I was just thinking of the term before you said it, enjoy the process, because I think that that is the key to it. You know, just reflect on what you've done.
00:12:42
Speaker
Enjoy writing about what you've done. Enjoy getting testimonials from people who will tell you that you've done well. And then, yeah, just go and have a a brilliant night, whether you are shortlisted, whether whether or not you're just there to to attend. It's a highly inspirational night all around. And just enjoy it.
00:13:10
Speaker
Definitely. Lovely final words from you both. Thank you very much for coming on today and and sharing your thoughts and look forward to catching up again soon. Thank you. Thanks for having