A Day in The Life:
Field Researcher
What is your job about?
My job is to drive or walk along every street, road, avenue, industrial estate and shopping center and verify that all commercial property information in my assigned regions is accurate and up to date on our system.
If it's not there, I add it. If it's wrong, I investigate and correct it, my job is about ensuring data integrity from the street, from actually standing in front of a building and knowing the image is up to date and the best I can take, and the uses are right.
It's about producing excellent quality data, and the best way to do that is to stand in front something and verify it: as much as technology has advanced, there's no replacement for a good pair of eyes.
What does your typical day look like?
I'm currently collecting inventory in Manchester and this means, come rain or shine I'm walking or driving every street in my assigned postcodes and making sure that every single commercial property is accurately represented on our database. I need to check that the Footprint shows the exact location of the building, then I add a brand new high res image, and check all building information e.g. property type, is it industrial, office, retail, correct square footage, number of floors, and check for new availabilities within.
When in the car, I access our central database via my laptop that sits on a docking station and connects me directly to it. From here I can check and enter data, perform 'Google' and VOA searches and have full contact with my manager and Research associate team in the Glasgow office.
I arrive at a street and investigate the first commercial property I see, if it's already on the system I verify that all information is correct, if something is missing, I add it. If something looks wrong, I investigate it. If there's no image or its low res or out of date, I replace it, and if there is simply no record existing on our database for the building is see before me, I create it.
What's the most challenging part of your job?
For me every day is different and every building has the potential to throw up a new challenge.
I have learnt that if you don't take your observational skills out in the field and return to the office lacking vital information, you will soon be tripped up and end up having to revisit a property which can certainly slow down productivity.
Occasionally, I am approached by shop tenants or staff from industrial units who see me photographing their building, or maybe they have spotted the bright yellow CoStar research vehicle, and ask me what I'm doing. They worry landlords are selling the property or they will lose their jobs, I assure them it's nothing specific to their building, I am simply databasing all commercial property in the area, they always seem fine and let me continue.
Each day can turn up a new challenge, but so long as you don't act suspicious and if questioned explain calmly what your purpose is you can generally continue without hitch!
What's the best part?
I love that my job changes all the time, we are out in all weathers, assigned to many different cities and towns getting to see all sorts places and appreciate the beauty of Britain's cities, towns and varying architecture.
Projects change frequently too; we have images only, lead hunting, inventory and development projects. There are also occasional marketing projects where we get to go a little more "arty" with our images.
With CoStar you're not confined to your own job, city or even country, there are secondments to the States or other departments and plenty of potential to progress. All these things help me feel happy in my job as I couldn't ask for much more out of a career.
What advice would you give to someone interested in working for CoStar?
Go for it, this is a very forward thinking optimistic company that hold their staff in very high regard and greatly values your contribution.
You will be faced with many challenges, but every challenge makes us a bit wiser, and the more you are willing to learn the more you will get out of your day to day role. There is opportunity to progress, travel and make changes.
In four years of working for this company I have seen it continually evolve, sometimes changing can be tough but the majority has been great, and without the rough how can we appreciate the smooth?
