Construction resume 101

Every resume is basically set up the same, but each one will need a few unique aspects for the job that a person is applying for.  Therefore, a resume for a construction worker is going to be different than one for a bank teller or a daycare worker.

Here is everything that should be on a construction resume:

Contact Information

A person’s name, address, phone number, email, and even their LinkedIn profile page should be at the top of a construction resume.  This ensures that the employer can reach the person for an interview, follow up questions, or to offer them the job.

A Profile

The profile section of a construction resume basically lists a brief synopsis of what a person has accomplished in their time in the construction industry.  This can include how many years they have been in the field, skills they have excelled in, and how they see themselves improving in the future.  Everyone will want to remember to make this brief, while also ensuring that it stands out from the rest of the competition.

Education

While some people will skip this step, it is important to list any degrees or courses they have taken to reach where they are today.  While an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree is helpful, many people will get hired even if they only have a partial degree so far.

Professional Experience

This is the section where a construction worker will expand on their experience in the construction field.  This should include their job title, who they worked for, the dates they were employed there, and the main jobs that they performed.  Each one should be in an easy to read format, so that future employers can scan it quickly and pull out key components.  We recommend starting with your current, or last, job and then working backwards down the list.

Key Skills

Every construction worker needs specific skills, and everyone should list the ones that will stand out the most from all the other candidates.  In the construction field, this can include the ability to use any type of heavy machinery or power tool, speaking more than one language, lifting up to a certain weight, or being a team player.

Awards

Not every construction employee is going to get an award for doing their job, but anyone that has received one should list it on their resume.

Certifications

Construction workers are supposed to continue their education, long after they finish their schooling, simply because the industry is constantly changing.  These certifications can make potential employees rank higher on the list of candidates, because it shows that they are serious about the work that they do.

The above items are definitely necessary for a construction resume, but there are a few other things that construction workers should also consider adding.  One of those things is a list of projects that they have worked on in the past.  Word travels fast in the construction industry, so a person doing the hiring will most likely have heard at least a little about the projects that are listed.

When creating a project list, construction workers should include the name of the project and what it is, the type of project it was, the value of the project, and the role that the person had and the scope of the work that was completed.  This is not the time for elaborate details, but simple yet specific details are helpful.

While many construction workers include their awards and certification on their construction resumes, the better candidates will also include how they have managed to achieve some of their accomplishments or what obstacles they overcame on any projects that they have worked on.  This is not the time to be brief with a basic list.  Instead, construction workers are encouraged to provide evidence of the accomplishments or how they overcame the obstacles that were in their way.

A construction resume should always be professional, so no one should list any of their hobbies on there unless they pertain to the job that they are applying for.  The only reason a person should include a hobby is if they are trying to explain any downtime in their work history.

The last thing that a construction worker will need to do before sending their construction resume in is proofread it multiple times.  It is better if they can get someone else to proofread it as well, because any mistakes will stand out drastically under the eagle eyes of the employer.  This is not the time for spelling errors, grammatical errors, or missing words.

Only the best construction resumes will be accepted by employers and all the rest will be delegated to the bottom of the pile.  Therefore, it is necessary for construction workers to make sure that they have the best construction resume possible or they will never get the job of their dreams.