In this Issue:
Topic of the Month: "Details,Details,Details"
Interview with Scholarship Winner Robert Sovie
Ask the Construction Career Doctor!
Article: Project Management Interview: Questions & Answers
This Issue's Cartoon!
Details, Details, Details
I know a recruiter who has worked in construction for 15 years, and he told me something startling the other day. He said, “A resume is important, but a project list is much more important.”
Now, that’s not to say that a solid, specific, and concise resume isn’t vital. It is. With that in mind, let’s outline some elements that hiring authorities indicate (to us here at ConstructionJobs.com) they find most helpful and persuasive in evaluating all candidates and selecting the right one.
Some authorities point to an introductory statement which shows off your best attributes and explains why an employer would want to hire you, as well as claims the type of job you want to secure. But that statement needs to be supported by specific examples of how you can save a prospective employer money or time and solve problems.
A resume should include schooling (continuing education, 2-year or 4-year degrees, night school … anything that widens your grasp of your profession).
Work experience must include time served at each previous employer (potential employers want to know if a candidate worked for solid stints of 4 or 5 or 6 years or, for example, 6 months or a year at a former place of employment). Include exact job titles and specific achievements.
But that is not enough.
It’s a cut-throat job market out there, and your name and proud career can be passed by if you fail to highlight your achievements in a way that is quickly noticeable and powerful.
So let’s return to the recruiter’s statement that a project list weighs more than a resume, and catches a hiring authority’s eye more reliably.
Suppose a construction company needs a strong Project Manager and the Hiring Authority has two resumes on her desk, she is going to look for some very specific things.
If Resume A portrays a man who is a Project Manager who worked for the last 6 years for Company B and that he can build Big Box, Retail, Mixed-Use projects, well, that’s fine.
But if Resume Y portrays a man who is a Project Manager who worked for the last 6 years for Company Z and that he finished a Home Depot a full month ahead of schedule and that he saved the company $500,000 on the Zenith Strip Mall job and that he had zero worker comp claims on the Downtown Mixed Use project … well, that Hiring Authority is sweeping all the other resumes off her desk and calling that man to schedule an interview.
The details – the concrete numbers and dates and problems that favor you – caught her eye.
Numbers leap off the page. If you made a company $1M dollars, say so. If you came in 3 weeks ahead of time, say so. If you replaced someone on a project that was lagging and whipped it into shape, say so.
Keep your resume clean and simple. Make sure the companies where you worked and the time you worked there are clear. Then, concentrate on the exact accomplishments you are rightly proud of: money saved, time saved, problems solved. What can you do – exactly and specifically – that no one else can do as well as you?
In other words, make sure that your resume includes a brief and specific list of projects that indicate your excellence and trumpet your ability to advance the cause of the next company for whom you will work.
They say that the devil is in the details. We say that details can be the best thing that ever happened to your career.
Kristen Ripmaster
Regional Account Exective
Interview with Scholarship Winner Robert Sovie
ConstructionJobs.com holds a deep interest in seeing that the Construction Industry finds and develops the next generation of builders, and that those up-and-coming professionals be as well-trained, motivated, creative, and eager as the men and women with whom we currently work in construction. To that end, we started the ConstructionJobs.com Scholarship for Students in Construction, a scholarship that awards $1000 to the students and future builders we select nationwide to assist in their tuition for a semester during their college careers.
For the Fall of 2008, for example, we awarded the $1000 scholarship prize to five students (in five different states: California, Missouri, Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina). And we spoke with Robert Sovie, a Senior in Construction Management at Western Carolina University who is excited about his future in construction.
CJ.com Newsletter: Robert, how did you hear about the Scholarship?
Robert Sovie: I heard about it from a professor and found the application on the ConstructionJobs.com website.
CJN: How was the application process?
RS: Very easy. The application process is quick. Applicants have to have a building professional call in on their behalf, but if you have worked as an intern or on a site, that isn’t a big obstacle.
CJN: Why were you chosen, do you think?
RS: I have a solid GPA and have worked in the profession during my college years. And I am committed to moving into the construction field. Those are all essential requirements for people who apply for the Scholarship.
CJN: Does the money help?
RS: Hey, I’m in college. Any financial help is beneficial. It was very much appreciated.
If you are a student in a construction-related field and want to apply for the scholarship, simply go to ConstructionJobs.com and visit the scholarship page. If you are a construction professional and know someone like Robert Sovie, feel free to tell him or her to find the website and turn in an application. The leadership at ConstructionJobs.com hopes to help those most deserving of the assistance.
Applicants have until December 1, 2008 to turn in applications for the Spring 2009 prizes. We look forward to seeing yours.
Article: Project Management Interview:
Questions and Answers 
During the project management interview you will be asked interview questions that focus on your training and experience with the successful delivery of different projects.
You can also expect behavioral or competency-based questions that explore essential project manager skills such as team building and team management, planning and organizing, negotiation, problem-solving, leadership and adaptability. » Read Full Article
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Happy Searching,
The ConstructionJobs Team
