By Alex Orsini, Resource Manager – Northern New England

Make no mistake! In order to land the career opportunities of your choice, you need to provide potential employers and hiring managers a clear picture of your professional background and experience. You need to show them that you are the right person for the job and your resume is the best tool to make that happen. It gives you the ability to present your construction career and talk to your construction skills and how they relate to the position you apply for. Below, we provide some tips to help you build a solid construction resume that differentiates you from other construction applicants.

Talk to Your Work History
Making vague statements about your experience in your resume won’t get you too far. For example, if you apply for a painter job and your resume simply states that you are a painter with 11 years of experience, chances are that your application will end up at the bottom of the pile. Your resume needs to explain your work history and demonstrate your construction skills. It needs to include previous employment and responsibilities that speak to your construction career. Past experience from similar jobs is the first thing hiring managers and construction recruiters are looking for from a candidate.

Tailor Your Profile
Are you using the same resume to apply for every electrician job you come across? If you do, then it’s like trying to hit a target in the dark. Not every construction job is the same, and to see the difference you need to dig into it. In order to build a solid construction resume, you first need to read the job description carefully and see how your construction career relates to the needed construction skills. Once you have a clear understanding, you need to tailor your resume accordingly. Include specific examples of similar work you have performed and projects you have worked on and explain how they relate to the position you want to land.

Draw Attention
Another important factor to build a solid construction resume is the language you use when you describe your construction skills. When reviewing resumes, hiring managers and construction recruiters are looking for specific terms that relate to the needs they have. Your resume has a limited window of opportunity to make it to the next round, so it is important to catch the attention of the people who read it. For example, if you are an electrician, use keywords that highlight your experience with industrial and/or commercial electrical systems or if you are a mason include your knowledge of related tools, masonry techniques, equipment and materials. In other words, use your resume to talk about your professional credibility.

Show You Are Ready
Contractors are excited to come across candidates who are ready to hit the ground running. They want to see applicants whose certifications and licenses are up-to-date so that they can join their workforce right away. That being said, you need to make sure that, first your permits and certifications are always valid, and second that you include them in your resume every time you go for a job. The less hiring managers and construction recruiters have to dig into a candidate’s profile to find information, the more likely it becomes to choose them for the next round of the application process.

Work References
One more material you need in order to build a solid construction resume is that of work references. References are the best tool you can provide to your potential employers who want to get an insight to your construction career and see how your construction skills fit their needs.  Work references also help hiring managers and construction recruiters get a better understanding of your personality because they get to talk with people who worked with you in the past. List references that prove the value you bring to the table, as well as your ability to handle responsibilities and assignments.

Key Takeaways for Building a Solid Construction Resume:

1. Talk to your work history and professional background
2. Tailor your resume to relate to the position you are applying for
3. Use industry keywords that grab the attention of potential employers
4. Keep your certifications up-to-date and include them in your resume
5. List work references that prove your professional value

About TradeSource
Founded in 1993, TradeSource is a construction labor solutions firm focused on delivering labor solutions to contractors throughout the United States. By supplying skilled tradespeople – where and when they’re needed – we help contractors grow their companies, without the associated costs and hassles of full-time hires. Likewise, we match qualified employees with rewarding and well-paying job opportunities in the construction industry. www.tradesource.com