So what do FMs (yes, really) do? Well, all sorts. The remit runs from energy management to security to travel, from office moves to car parking. They typically manage budgets that are second only to payroll and are responsible for some pretty major assets — an organisation’s offices and buildings. There are about 80,000 of them out there, although some do shy away from admitting they are part of the FM industry — they’d rather say they worked in personnel, purchasing or site services.

The BIFM chairman Mick Dalton is director of operations at the law firm White & Case. He offers a typical FM scenario. “I caused controversy recently by stating that while lawyers would still be able to order food through the intranet, they would not be able to eat it at their desks. They may be more productive sitting at their desk working while they eat, but from an FM point of view collecting all the dirties and the challenges of waste and pest control, complaints about cold food, missing cutlery and smelly bins were all too great.”

Does that sound like your kind of thing? Bear in mind that an FM responsible for a single site can earn anywhere between £25,000 and £60,000; while an FM director will be paid between £45,000 and £75,000.

Kerry Campbell, 34, is the estate director at More London, responsible for a development with space for 20,000 workers, which includes a children’s theatre, shops, restaurants and an 800-seat amphitheatre. She says: “If you believe you have the rights skills and personality, you shouldn’t let a lack of technical qualifications or specific experience hold you back.”

Jeynes agrees with her. “You could be a receptionist, engineer or an electrician and make a fantastic facilities’ director — there’re lots of different ways into it . . . ”

STEVE SMETHURST

Times Recommends

• Inspirational leadership
• How to get a new job
• The reluctant CEO