How do they do it? Ellie Philcox

Ellie Philcox did an undergraduate and masters in town and country planning at University of Manchester in 2005 before joining Drivas Jonas' undergraduate programme where she stayed for 11 years, rising to associate director. She recently moved to Euan Kellie Property Solutions (EKPS) where she holds the same job title.

What are your objectives in your current role and how are you measured against them?

I deal with a range of clients and have developed a specialism in retail planning, so that's a big focus of my work. I am tackling a range of projects in Greater Manchester and across the north west and my objectives also include helping to grow the business. We have regular meetings but performance measures are a little less formal than in corporations, where I've worked before. EKPS is a smaller, niche business, so the culture is slightly different.

Q. What key lessons have you learnt in your career that helped you fulfil those objectives?

A. Say 'yes'. It's important in meeting any objectives to be positive, especially early in your career: you don't want to pigeonhole yourself, so try different things even if they are not your specialist fields; it will make you more agile in this continually changing profession.

Have opinions – and express them. It can be intimidating if you're in a team with more experienced people, but you've been employed for a reason so don't be afraid to give an opinion or challenge a decision. 

Build professional networks. Working with good people and those you like – both internally with colleagues and externally with co-consultants - will make your objectives much more achievable.