Get onto the Property career ladder

The property sector can be a tough market. Clients can appoint multiple agents, which makes competition fierce � and thrilling. For that reason, those who are best suited to this career are money-oriented sales professionals with a terrier-style attitude to clinching a deal.

Certainly, the main benefit is commission - most employers offer a basic salary, car allowance and uncapped commission based on sales.

The other good news is that it's easy to make the switch into property at starter levels if you can demonstrate sales and customer service skills. With a good employer you'll kick off as a negotiator and work your way up to senior negotiator, manager and then area manager.

For those of you starting out, most of the better companies will provide good training and will help you to achieve National Association of Estate Agents qualifications and/or Association of Residential Letting Agents exams, which will enhance your professional skills in sales and lettings respectively.

If you want to move on at some point, your professionalism in meeting targets, building rapport and sealing a deal should make you irresistible to most other sales sectors � particularly in financial services such as mortgages.