I Got Hired: Assistant Planner

Posted on: 9 January 2023 by Richard Finch in Graduate stories

Joseph Warren-McCoy is currently working as an Assistant Planner after completing his MPlan Town and Regional Planning degree.

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE ROLE?

I heard about the role at Planning Potential in Harrogate through an email circulated by one of the university’s professors.

HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?

I applied to as many planning-oriented jobs as possible as I wanted to continue in a career related to my degree. Obviously, there are knockbacks along the way, and this was time consuming, but it is useful to hone in on your application skills, by knowing what to put on a CV, and to improve your comfort in interview situations.

I applied for both private sector companies, including consultancies and developers, and public sector bodies, and in doing so was able to improve my awareness of the dynamics of working in the planning sector.

YOUR FAVOURITE EXPERIENCE AS PART OF YOUR ROLE?

As an assistant planner working in private sector consultancy, my main role is to support senior colleagues in the management of their ongoing planning projects for a range of client types, spanning from retailers to pub groups and private individuals.

It is great to watch and learn from people with experience who are clearly knowledgeable, and it is fascinating understanding the working dynamic between ourselves and clients and local authorities.

I’m lucky to have been entrusted with a degree of responsibility by my directors from an early stage in my career, and have really enjoyed the opportunity to oversee certain planning applications and to build relationships with our clients.

My favourite experience so far involved a buggy ride around a farm in North Yorkshire! To assist with a claim for reimbursement following the Environment Agency extraction clay from his farm, a private landowner had requested our assistance to appraise their land and present a case saying that planning prospects for personal commercial extraction would be high.

Although this was a particularly niche project, and one which I was really proud to have supported the client with, the exposure to a range of clients and the span of project types helps me to build my professional competency, and keeps me very much on my toes and enthusiastic during my day-to-day workings.

THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR GRADUATE JOURNEY?

Initially, dealing with rejection from interviews can be disappointing, especially when certain processes can be time consuming, but the learning curve of this process is definitely valuable and something that carries through well after studies.

TOP THREE TIPS FOR OTHER STUDENTS?

1. Always ask for feedback after interviews and be sure to ask for questions during interviews, as this benefits you significantly in the long run.
2. Don’t just take a job role because it is offered, make sure you are fully aware what the role entails, and that you will be able to actually enjoy it.
3. Make the most of networking opportunities during your course and after graduating. You never know who you might meet and the value they can bring to your future career!