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Quantity Surveyor CV example

Quantity surveying ads want to know which side you've worked on, contractor or consultant, the size of the projects and what you've owned from start to finish. This example makes all three clear, with numbers on every bullet.

Written for New Zealand, with notes for Australia · Checked

Free. Then compare it with a real Quantity Surveyor job ad.

The example

A Quantity Surveyor CV, start to finish.

Nadeesha Perera is made up, and so are the employers. The layout and the wording are what New Zealand employers expect: no photo or date of birth, the most recent job first, and every bullet showing what was done and what came of it.

Nadeesha Perera

Quantity Surveyor, commercial and education projects

Wellington · 027 555 0259 · nadeesha.perera@email.com

Profile

Quantity surveyor with seven years on both the contractor and consultant side, on commercial, education and apartment projects up to $40 million. Prepares cost plans and estimates, runs monthly valuations and variations, and gives clients clear advice on where the money is going.

Skills

Cost planning and estimating · Measurement and quantities · Tender documents and analysis · Progress claims and valuations · Variations and final accounts · NZS 3910 contracts · CostX and Excel · Client reporting

Experience

Quantity Surveyor, Te Whanganui Cost Consultants

Wellington · 2022 to now

  • Prepare cost plans for school and commercial projects from $2 million to $40 million, at each design stage
  • Run tender analysis for 10 to 12 projects a year, helping clients choose contractors with fewer surprises
  • Assess monthly progress claims and variations, keeping one $18 million project within 2 percent of its approved budget
  • Report cost and risk to clients each month in plain language, so boards can decide quickly
  • Guide a graduate quantity surveyor through measurement and their first cost plan

Assistant Quantity Surveyor, Kāpiti Construction

Paraparaumu · 2019 to 2022

  • Measured quantities and priced subcontract packages for residential and light commercial builds
  • Prepared monthly payment claims to clients, with claims paid on time over three years
  • Tracked variations on site with the project manager, recovering about $250,000 on one apartment job

Education

New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Level 6) (Quantity Surveying), Open Polytechnic

2021

Other details

Membership
Member of the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors (MNZIQS)
Driver's licence
Full
Site safety
Site Safety Card

Referees

Available on request

Nadeesha wrote a cover letter to go with it. Read the quantity surveyor cover letter

Skills and keywords

What quantity surveyor job ads look for.

Use the ad's own words where they're true of you. An ATS, and a recruiter skimming, both look for them.

  • Cost planningConsultancy roles ask for it by name. Say which design stages you've priced.
  • EstimatingContractor roles lean on it. Say what you've priced and how big the jobs were.
  • VariationsShows you can protect a budget or recover money owed. Give a number if you can.
  • Progress claimsEvery QS ad expects it. Say how often and on what size of project.
  • NZS 3910The common construction contract in New Zealand. Name the contracts you've administered.
  • CostXName the software you measure in. Many firms ask for a specific tool.
  • NZIQSMembership, or working towards it, shows professional standing.

Bullet points

9 strong lines to borrow from.

Each says what was done, how, and what came of it. Swap in your own facts: a line is only strong if it's true.

  1. 1Prepared cost plans for school and commercial projects from $2 million to $40 million, at each design stage
  2. 2Ran tender analysis for 10 to 12 projects a year, helping clients choose contractors with confidence
  3. 3Assessed monthly progress claims and variations, keeping an $18 million project within 2 percent of budget
  4. 4Reported cost and risk to clients each month in plain language, so boards could decide quickly
  5. 5Measured quantities and priced subcontract packages for residential and light commercial builds
  6. 6Prepared monthly payment claims to clients, with every claim paid on time over three years
  7. 7Tracked variations on site with the project manager, recovering about $250,000 on one apartment job
  8. 8Closed out final accounts within three months of practical completion
  9. 9Guided a graduate quantity surveyor through measurement and their first cost plan

Common mistakes

What costs quantity surveyor CVs interviews.

  • Not saying which side you've worked on.

    Say whether you've been a contractor's QS, a consultant's QS or both. The work and the ads are different.

  • Listing duties with no project sizes.

    Give the value and type of each project. A cost plan for $2 million and one for $40 million are different jobs.

  • Leaving out contracts and software.

    Name the contracts you've administered, such as NZS 3910, and the measurement software you use.

  • Keeping membership to the interview.

    Put your NZIQS membership, or your progress towards it, in your details.

New Zealand and Australia

What changes across the Tasman.

New Zealand

The New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors offers full membership (MNZIQS) and Registered Quantity Surveyor (Reg QS) status, so list the grade you hold or are working towards.

New Zealand CV format

Australia

The Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors gives the Certified Quantity Surveyor (CQS) designation to its Member and Fellow grades, and some clients and government agencies require it. Australian employers usually say resume rather than CV, and expect about two pages.

Australian CV format

Sources: NZIQS: Registered Quantity Surveyor, NZIQS: Becoming a Member (MNZIQS), Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors: membership.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something else on your mind? Email support@smartcvs.ai and a person will reply.

Should I list every project I've worked on?

List the most relevant five or six with their value and type, and group the rest. A long list hides your best work.

How do I move from a contractor to a consultant role?

Lead with any cost planning, tender or client reporting you've done, and show you understand the client's side of the budget.

Is a diploma enough, or do I need a degree?

Many quantity surveyors work with a Level 6 diploma. Check the membership grade you want with NZIQS, as the requirements differ.

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