Construction Resume Examples, Template & Writing Guide for 2024
If you've never written a resume before, spending hours trying to decide what things to include in your construction resume may seem daunting. However, like constructing a house or commercial property, beginning with a proven plan, and using the appropriate tools will considerably reduce the workload. This is precisely what we'll give you in this article.
In the information within this article, we'll provide you with a structured plan for writing resumes for those working in the construction trade. A good construction industry resume follows a proven plan and outline from construction laborers to project managers and similar jobs. In fact, the best construction resume samples include keywords that will capture the attention of hiring managers and recruiting agencies.
Additionally, we'll provide a few real-world samples of construction industry resumes so you can compare our notes to a practical example.
Construction Resume Examples
We strongly believe that it's best to review practical construction resume examples to help job candidates understand the format, how to write the construction resume objective, and which types of jobs to include in the work history sections.
While the qualifications of construction workers will vary based on each position, the general resume template for construction jobs follows a similar structure.
Our professional writers have written two construction resumes, following the best practices we'll mention below. The first is for a construction laborer job, and the second is for a candidate applying for a construction project manager position.
Construction Worker Resume
General construction jobs are generally advertised on internet job boards or recruitment websites. Candidates must create a user profile and upload a construction labor resume for which they will be compared to employers based on the document's contents.
To accomplish this, they use automated software solutions that search for keywords or action verbs relevant to specific industries.
When you go over the whole example resume from beginning to end, you'll see that it tells a narrative – describing John's desire to work for a construction business that specializes in residential home building. It also demonstrates that he has mentioned his two previous laborer jobs, both of which were with housebuilders in his previous hometown of Gilbert, Arizona.
He employs a variety of action verbs, such as "measure, erect, power tools, collaborate, build, trim, fit, carpentry," and "calculate," which are all tasks that most construction workers will be performing daily. He also includes specific abilities on his resume to demonstrate attention to detail, heavy equipment operation skills, technical understanding, problem-solving abilities, and commitment to safety regulations.
These are all keywords that recruiting firm software programs search for with construction company resume submissions by candidates.
The resume's one-page length is a good sign that you're in the clear. It also shows that it's easy to write a single-page document and communicate your talents succinctly. Most job seekers are not aware of this critical point.
Construction Project Manager Resume
In contrast to many other laborer jobs, recruiters do not advertise most project manager posts in the construction industry on search engine websites. In most situations, professionals in the field inform qualified prospects locally when a position becomes available.
However, this isn't always the case. You'll need a well-written resume and probably a cover letter to attach to your resume if you're applying for a position posted online or just one of a limited number of people vying for it.
You'll notice that it tells a narrative when you read the entire sample resume from beginning to end. It describes Steve's ambition to work for a developer in Texas who focuses on residential house construction. The resume begins with a professionally composed resume summary, followed by his three prior project management experiences for builders in the same line of business he is applying for.
His professional experience, education level, three construction-related professional references, certifications, and a set of skills particular to being an exceptional project manager in the residential building sector are all included on his resume.
Writing a Construction Jobs Resume in 2024: Full Guide to Successful Construction Resumes
When you have a strategy to communicate your message, it's considerably easier to produce a resume - especially for those in construction. We usually start by using an accurate word document or a "master resume" to create the layout, format, and add content to each content piece.
Here is how you can do this while creating the content for your resume for construction jobs.
Step 1: Create a new Microsoft Word document (or your Apple equivalent) to begin the resume writing. This document will be used as a worksheet to insert all significant sections in each category, arrange the inclusions, edit everything, and read through each section before being ready to paste into a resume template.
Step 2: Here are some suggested sections that we believe should be included in every construction resume. Make the headings underlined in BOLD TYPE bold and place many spaces between them - then write them below.
Personal Contact Information: If you're going to apply for a job, the recruiter needs to have your correct contact information.
Professional Summary: The construction resume summary is a one-minute sell of yourself to a recruiter or hiring foreman for a construction firm.
Employment History: Consider including relevant work experience when organizing this area. For example, use that industry to your advantage if you seek employment in the commercial real estate construction sector.
Education: This is more of a technicality than a labor requirement. Simply put, the highest degree obtained is sufficient in this area. This can be found below to assist you in how to include it on your resume.
Skills: The construction resume skills section is essentially a list of bullet points. You'll want to pick five to seven skills:
- A solid work ethic
- Attention to detail
- Great attendance
- Adherence to Safety
- Heavy equipment experience (if applicable)
- OSHA Compliance
References: The references section attests to your integrity and work history by including previous foreman, supervisor, or personal mentors.
Step 3: Under each primary section, include supporting information. Use our sample resume as a guideline for what should go in each significant area.
Step 4: Use an online editing tool like Grammarly to check everything.
Now that you've established a solid framework for writing your resume, let's go through each principal component and explain why adding content is necessary.
Section #1 – Contact Information
A great construction industry employee is someone who is consistent. The first step in creating a resume is demonstrating your abilities, skills, and experience. As a result, it makes sense that the data included in your resume should be used to support this. Your contact information will begin this process.
Mismatched information on the resume and your personal contact information will result in a rejection. To ensure that you're not rejected for mismatched data, ensure all of the information you added to your application is consistent with its content.
For example, in our construction worker resume sample, John has provided his complete name, residential address, email address, and mobile phone number in the sample resume above. That's all there is to it. While we can't see his application, we'll assume that the data presented on it is correct.
It's also critical to include your current and future contact information. Some employment recruiters utilize an automated computer software program to notify potential job candidates of interviews. They'll send you a variety of emails and SMS text messages.
You may find yourself in this scenario: You've filled out the online application with all of your demographics, skills, and hobbies. The company's website has suggested that you apply for a position, and they've provided an opportunity to schedule an interview.
But as you know, a construction firm or employment agency isn't going to wait for your response. The initial people to contact are generally given job interviews. You'll be able to respond quickly to queries by making sure your email is linked to your mobile device.
How to Format this Section
A resume template is a type of resume that is formatted and ready for customized content. This will make creating a suitable resume format much more straightforward. If you can create your resume on a typical word document, try to stick to the style demonstrated by the example, including your name, mailing address (city, state, and zip code), email address, and mobile phone number.
Section #2 – Resume Summary
A resume summary is a chance to express your talents and work ethic to a potential employer. The skills you possess as a construction industry employee are the essential parts of this section. These are referred to as hard and soft skills.
The ideal technique to organize this portion is to list the necessary hard and soft abilities that will aid you in completing the activity. You have a vital skill that allows you to complete your duties effectively and/or with fewer mistakes.
Once you've compiled a list of talents that are relevant to this role and are applicable, it's time to put it all together. For a workable illustration, consider John's construction worker resume above.
In his first phrase, John explains that he is seeking employment with a commercial construction firm. This meticulous attention to detail may make a significant difference, especially compared to most other candidates who submit generic written resumes. It also allows the automated software to look for commercial construction opportunities and notify businesses in those areas about your interest.
John then tells us that he has five years of commercial and residential construction labor experience. Finally, the remainder of his resume summary summarizes his competencies in terms of assisting him in being a fantastic employee.
How to Format this Section
The greatest resume summaries are written in a professional yet laid-back style. Please keep it to 150 words and remember to read it aloud many times. The most important thing to remember is that this resume summary should appear natural (as if you're speaking directly to the hiring manager).
Section #3 – Employment History
In today's competitive market, having the appropriate job experience is more significant than having a lot of work history - especially in the construction field. Contractors and developers nowadays want to hire workers who have previously worked on similar projects.
As with the contact information, the job history should correspond to what you've stated in an application. The primary goal is to guarantee uniformity, which leads to honesty and transparency. Assume you over-emphasize a prior position on one document. In that scenario, it's conceivable that a future employer will second-guess your application.
We recommend listing your two most recent jobs on a construction resume in reverse chronological order (or newest to oldest). You'll want to include the company's name, dates of employment, location, and a few important bullet points of job responsibilities - or areas where you excelled.
You'll also notice that John has included two commercial construction projects in his sample work history section. The first was for a general contractor, the second for a construction development firm. During both periods of employment, he has listed three bullet points on all the things he did while working there.
These bullets also provide an excellent opportunity to utilize interesting action verbs like general labor or construction work, drywall, handsaws, heavy equipment, team player, bricklaying, building materials reading and comprehending blueprints for forklift operation roofs, or entry-level electrical and plumbing.
This will give the firm an indication of your work experience, especially if they are searching for someone with your expertise. However, his two previous posts give him a lot of potential to handle many tasks; he has much potential that needs to be developed.
How to Format this Section
In the work history section, you should list the business's name, location, dates of employment, and a few bullet points of your responsibilities. Keep it to a few words with the bullet points – don't write paragraphs. Review the sample resume for a real-world example of how this section should appear.
Section #4 – Education
A construction laborer does not need a secondary education to be employed. However, a project manager likely will require at least a bachelor's degree. Regardless of what type of construction job you seek, you should list your highest level of education with any resume. The ideal recommendation is to include the highest level of education on your resume.
If you have a high school diploma but are presently enrolled in college (but haven't yet graduated), do not include the school in your Resume. Instead, use a cover letter or the conclusion of your resume to include that data.
How to Format This Section
The information you need to post in your education section is simple. Just list the name of the school, its location, dates, and the degree, diploma, or certificate earned.
Section #5– References
A resume will have two types of references: professional and personal. A former employer, supervisor, foreman, or construction manager is a professional reference. A family friend, previous instructor, or mentor are examples of personal references.
Although it is suggested that you provide three references for a resume, this isn't necessary (unless the job description asks for it). From John's example above, he has included two of his former supervisor's names on his resume. He left both jobs in good standing and had a lasting impact on those foremen.
Finally, that's who you want to choose for your references: someone who has a good impression of your workability. If you can't discover someone like that, consider someone you know with a positive reputation in the community or who holds a professional position (such as a doctor, entrepreneur, or lawyer.)
How to Format This Section
For the reference section, you document your reference's first and last name, their place of employment, and the phrase "available upon request." This will keep their contact information private unless the law firm you are applying to join is requested.
Section #6 – Skills
This article talked a bit about the skills required to be a great construction industry employee. The reason why it's crucial is that these 'skills' translate into searchable terms for recruiting office software. Since most construction laborer positions are posted online, this is likely the best way for future employers to find you.
With this part, you're merely selecting the top abilities you'd want to have to succeed at this position - and the most effective ones. When reading John's construction worker example resume, keep an eye out for them on the sidebar.
He puts a lot of emphasis on his soft skills and construction-specific talents, but he also includes some hard skills — or interpersonal skills that make him trustworthy, trustworthy, and dependable— to give himself an edge.
How to Format This Section
In bullet-point format, list your construction worker resume skills in your master resume. From that point, you can add them to a template – making them easy to read and seamlessly into your resume builder.
Related Resume Templates
We feel that the ideal approach to developing a resume is to study samples from other job candidates in your field. As a result, we've compiled several construction resume templates for you to look at. Take some time to go through the following examples of sample resumes. If it's appropriate, incorporate any ideas into your own resume.
Construction Worker Resume (link to the article once published)
Construction Project Manager Resume (link to the article once it's published)
Construction Superintendent Resume (link to the article once it's published)
Construction Foreman Resume (link to the article once it's published)
Final Points on Crafting an Effective Construction Job Resume
We try to emphasize the need for consistency throughout the application process when you look at several of our prior articles on resume writing. A well-written resume that is engaging, convincing, and inspiring action among hiring managers is meaningless if the information doesn't match your application or cover letter.
That is the crucial thing to remember while writing a construction resume. Make sure your contact information, prior employment history, and education are correct before you send it out. Also, spend some time editing your document using Grammarly or a similar online editor.
You may want to make a point of emphasizing your attention to detail. This attention to detail will significantly help you stand out from the crowd of other candidates who simply won't go for excellence. You can have a polished and sturdy resume like John's, which will help you get better chances for top-paying construction work, by following the guidelines outlined above and using the CVMaker.com online resume builder.
Here are some final tips to consider.
- Always write your resume on a plain white background with black font.
- Edit the document SEVERAL TIMES – through an online editor and then share it with a few peers to gain their perspective.
- Ensure it's well-spaced, organized, and professional.
- Finally, read it aloud a few times before you're ready to paste the content into a template for office assistants.
When you follow these tips and use a professional resume template, your construction resume will look great, read well, and hopefully gain that all-important interview.