What a Project Manager at CBRE Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Commercial Real Estate Industry
Brad, a project manager at CBRE, wishes he had better understood the significant role of contracts and legal considerations in the industry, noting that "everyone you work with...is gonna be contracts," requiring a deep understanding to ensure deliverables align with agreements. This contrasts with his prior architecture experience, highlighting the unexpected shift towards more clerical work and contract management in this project management role.
Project Management, Contracts and Legal, Industry Processes, Client Communication, Problem-Solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Brad Meyerson
Project Manager
CBRE
University of Arizona
NA
Architecture, Interior Design
Architecture, Construction & Design, Real Estate
Operations and Project Management
Worked 20+ Hours in School, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Project management involves more clerical work and paperwork than initially expected.
2. Understanding contracts and legal aspects is crucial, even if not directly drafting them.
3. Working knowledge of contracts ensures alignment between deliverables and agreements, preventing disputes.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
A lot of things. My team was very transparent during my interview process, even to the point where I wondered if things were really like that. After working through it, I realized there's something I wish I had known a little more about going into the industry: project management.
Coming from architecture, I was focused on drawings daily. I knew switching over would involve more clerical work and paperwork. I also didn't fully expect the extent of dealing with contracts and legal aspects.
This might be unique to my role, as many organizations have specific contract specialists. However, as a project manager in this industry, you'll work with contracts constantly, aside from the client. You need to understand contracts thoroughly.
Ultimately, you need to ensure deliveries align with the contract. You also need everything documented so that any disputes can be addressed within the contract. You must understand what will be delivered, as people might say, "We're not contracted for that."
So, understanding contracts is something I wish I had known would be a bigger part of my role.
Advizer Personal Links
No