At Macro, our people are at the heart of everything we do. In our People Spotlight series, we get to know more about the individuals who drive positive change for our clients and communities.

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Miles Cassidy, Building Surveyor and Project Manager, who recently joined our consultancy team and works on the Surrey County Council account.

Tell me about yourself and your current role.

I recently joined Macro’s consultancy division as a Building Surveyor and Project Manager, working on a UK Public Sector client account. I’m a family man, equal parts rugby enthusiast and cooking lover, and I’m excited to share a bit about my journey so far.

Describe a typical day in your work life.

There is rarely a typical day for me, but using today (Wednesday 13 August) as an example…

There’s rarely a “typical” day for me, but here’s an example of a recent Wednesday:

• 06:30 – Early morning walk into town for a coffee and to think through the day ahead.
• 09:00 – Site visit to a local library and listed Mansion House to meet with the Conservation Officer about glazing designs.
• 12:00 – Technical submission reviews for major roof replacement projects.
• 13:30 – Reviewing fire stopping details with the main contractor.
• 15:15 – Preparing pre-tender estimates and floor plan mark-ups for a community centre refurbishment.
• 16:00–18:00 – Wrapping up with emails, phone calls, and admin.

No two days are the same, which is exactly what I enjoy about the role.

How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?

I’ve always been an overthinker. It hasn’t aways been a positive way to navigate difficult situations, but I have now (in my 30s) learnt how to use it to my advantage.  By thinking through all the possible eventualities and ramifications, I now often ease the burden of responsibility and decision making on myself, and I like to think of it as almost a super-power to be honest!

Who have been your strongest influences in life?

I can never give my family and my fiancée of nearly 14 years enough credit! I’ve been lucky enough to have an incredibly strong support network in them.

What led you to your current career path?

I first graduated in 2017 with a BSc in Business Management and spent the next two years working in a sales role in a country club. I was headhunted by a member of the club for a role at a FTSE10 organisation selling exhibition stands and then project managing the builds during the expos across the world (Africa, Europe, Americas).

I sadly lost my job at the start of the pandemic, and I decided that I needed to find a more ‘bullet proof’ job and retrained as a Building Surveyor at a Surrey-based chartered surveying practice and completed my master’s degree in the evenings and weekends. I spent four brilliant years at my previous firm before moving to Macro.

What are you most proud of accomplishing?

Taking the decision to take a significant pay-cut to retrain in a brand-new industry and pursue a master’s degree. At the time it felt like a huge set-back, but five years on it was the best decision I’ve ever made!

If you had a chance, what would you do differently?

I probably wouldn’t change a thing, but I would maybe wish I hadn’t worried so much in my 20s about my career, and where I thought I should have been in comparison to others! Everyone is on their own time horizon…

What are the most important life lessons you’ve learned?

Work hard and you’ll reap the rewards.

Remember to take a step back every so often and be grateful for what you have.

What’s something about yourself that you want to improve?

I want to get fitter and break the sub-20-minute mark for a 5km run.

What do you like about Macro?

It’s great to be part of a company that are making an impact on the communities that we serve, and that we are always striving for improvement and growth.

What do you enjoy most about your current role at Macro?

I love being able to take complete ownership of my own projects from brief through to completion. It is also massively rewarding to see the end-users and communities in the spaces that we have designed and delivered.

How do you drive for a better way?

By never compromising on my values and taking pride in the work that I deliver.

What has been your proudest achievement at Macro so far?

It is probably too early to say, but there are several exciting projects and pending wins in the pipeline!

What motivates you every day?

I genuinely enjoy what I do, I like winning and pleasing people, so inevitably work hard to ensure that is the outcome. My fiancée and I have a daughter on the way and we’re super excited and motivated for what’s to come. I regularly think about the day that I will look back on my career, and I want to be confident that I worked to the best of my ability and provided for my family.

What skills do you need to be good at your job?

Interestingly, Surveyors and Project Managers alike can be successful with completely different skills but for me it is underpinned with a strong work ethic, always maintaining a solution-focused approach to everything and by being personable.