5 Must-Have Skills for a Career in Facilities Management

A career in facilities management is incredibly varied and rewarding. Maybe that you are considering entering the sector. Or perhaps you are looking for your next move. Either way, it’s important to know the essential skills that all employers look for.

Before you enter the sector, you need to know if it will be the right choice for you. A lot of the skills you need are what we call ‘soft skills’ when you are starting out. So, if you are able to tick all the boxes, and simply lack hands on experience, it could be a great long term career choice. More on this later.

When you are looking for your next step, it’s easy to overlook soft skills on your CV. But these are still key to the hiring process. Future employers will want to know that you are the full package when it comes to successful facilities management.

Here’s our top 5 skills you’ll need for a career in facilities management –

Communication

This is the very foundation of facilities management. Without communication, you will not know what’s really needed from you and your team. As facilities grow more complex, it’s vital that you understand all the individual elements. And to do this, you need to be able to communicate across the entire company. Great facilities management is all about co-ordination of tasks. Communication makes this possible.

People Skills

Moving on nicely from communication is people skills. Regardless if you are managing a team or not, you need strong people skills for a successful career in facilities management. It may be that you are liaising with tenants or working on a project. Dealing with people is as important as dealing with facilities.

Adaptability

When you choose a career in facilities management, no two days are ever the same. You need to be prepared for last-minute changes to your schedule. Despite your best efforts, things will break. Sometimes things are outside of your control. Keeping a cool head whilst dealing with these changes is key.

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Data Driven Mindset

A successful career in facilities management will need an analytical mind. Data is king, and you be expected to process a considerable amount of data in your role. And you need to make sense of key numbers. Utilising data effectively can not only help you to stay within budget. It can also help you to understand how to be most effective in your role. Using metrics for the % occupancy of particular spaces, or total downtime of any machinery will give you a clear picture of what’s required.

Empathy

The role of a facilities manager has evolved over recent years. It’s now a highly people-centric role. You need to be able to understand and empathise with the requirements of the users. The function of a workspace is now very different post-pandemic. As opposed to just being centred on the building, a career in facilities management means that you also need to understand the value it gives to its users. Creating a happy, and healthy working environment is a big part of your role.

How Catch 22 can help

From advising on the perfect role for you, to sharing CV writing tips, we have an expert team on hand. Now in our 40th year, we pride ourselves on knowing everything there is to know about the FM jobs market.

Find out more by visiting our website, or get in touch with our team today.