Construction Manager Resume Example & Writing Guide

As a Construction Manager, you know how to examine a building project and oversee and monitor all the parts required to make it come together safely and with high quality. That puts you in good standing in your job search because it's what you must do to develop your Construction Manager resume. 

To make it easier, Resume.io has all you need to start applying for jobs, including more than 350 occupation-specific resume examples and writing guides. 

This resume guide, along with the corresponding resume example, is designed specifically for Construction Managers. It will cover the following topics:

• What does a Construction Manager do?
• How to write a Construction Manager resume
• The best format for a Construction Manager resume
• Advice on each section of your resume: header, summary, work history, education, and skills
• Professional resume layout and design hints.

What does a Construction Manager do?

A Construction Manager is a type of project manager specifically trained to supervise and orchestrate construction jobs. Construction managers handle a wide variety of tasks from receiving the initial project blueprints and budget to hiring contractors and laborers. Construction Managers also manage equipment and materials, and make decisions about how to keep the project on schedule.

Construction Managers work with a variety of other construction professionals. To find more inspiration for your resume, take a look at these related resume examples and writing guides in our construction category:   construction project manager resume sample, general laborer resume example, contractor resume example and construction worker resume sample.

How to write a Construction Manager resume

The very first step in writing your Construction Manager resume is understanding what sections to include. Your CV should contain the following elements:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

A great construction manager resume will show that you've gained the appropriate experience to manage both the intricacies of building projects and also to direct a team to complete a project within time and budget constraints. Make sure to focus on hard skills and use exact language from the job description to prove that you're the exact candidate hiring managers are looking for.

As you'll see in our Construction Manager resume sample, a persuasive job application should exude leadership qualities like confidence, delegation and time management.

Choosing the best resume format for a Construction Manager

Construction managers should have some previous experience in the field, which means that reverse chronological is the best format for your resume. This structure focuses on the employment history section where you can list your most relevant job titles going back for about 10 years. Make sure to use descriptive language and action verbs in each of the bullet points to illustrate how the experience has prepared you for the role of construction manager. This is especially relevant for those hoping to move into leadership roles.

While other resume formats exist, they are best suited for career starters, self-employed professionals, or those with highly-specialized skills. If this sounds like you, be sure to check out our guide to resume formats.

Resume header

Don’t overlook the impact of a well-designed resume header as a reader-friendly element. It should automatically draw attention to your job application documents — ideally a matching resume and cover letter pair with identical headers — and set you apart from other candidates with a personal brand. It also makes your name and contact information easy to find when recruiters are impressed enough to get in touch with an interview invitation.

Construction Manager resume summary example

Your resume summary, also known as a profile or personal statement, allows hiring managers to get an idea of your career achievements and your professional style. You have three to five sentences to show what you can accomplish as a Construction Manager, but also the way you operate on a job site and relate to the workers you supervise, clients, general contractors, and your own supervisors. 

Don’t worry if that seems like a lot to pack in. You will be going into more detail in the rest of your resume. You also have the option of adding information into your cover letter, which should complement — not repeat — your resume content. To narrow down what you want to highlight in this section, try answering these questions:

• What do I believe I will bring to a new job?
• How can I best demonstrate that using an accomplishment from my work experience?
• How would I describe my communication and management style?
• What expertise differentiates me from other construction managers?

Below you'll find the summary from our adaptable resume sample.

Employment history sample

Your employment history section, using the reverse chronological order resume format discussed above, is more than a listing of your job experience. It is the story of your growth in the construction business from the ground up. First, let’s review the wide range of abilities necessary to do your job. 

Because as a Construction Manager you oversee and monitor projects, you must showcase excellent project management skills. You are also responsible for ensuring that projects run smoothly and are completed within budget and on time. This entails overseeing plans and blueprints, establishing project timelines, and determining material and labor costs whether you are working a rehab project or in new construction.

You work closely with architects and engineers on construction sites to ensure that projects go according to plan. You may be involved in hiring workers and training workers on protocol and procedures on site including OSHA safety regulations. 

Each bullet point in your job description should show that you have done these tasks, but do not simply list them. Instead, give an example of a challenge you faced on the job, what you did to overcome the obstacle, and the results you achieved. Use strong action verbs to convey that you are a go-getter.

Below is a Construction Manager employment history resume sample you can modify.

Construction Manager resume education example

Your education section is a listing of your degrees. Only if you are entering the job market for the first time should you put this section above your work history. 

Construction Managers are usually required to have earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a construction-related field. Simply list all your degrees and any certifications you have earned here. If you have received any honors or distinctions, note those here as well. If you hold a degree higher than a bachelor’s degree, you may leave out your high school. 

Below you'll find the education section from our Construction Manager resume example.

CV skills example

Your CV skills section functions as a means for recruiters to quickly scan to see if you have the traits they seek. Examine the job listing carefully and make sure that you are describing skills your prospective employer wants. This will not only show that you are targeting that specific job, but it will help get you past the applicant tracking systems (ATS) that use algorithms to rank CVs based partly on keywords and phrases.

So which skills should you list?

As a Construction Manager, you have a set of hard skills that you learned in school and on job sites. Abilities such as cost-control, knowledge of building codes and OSHA safety requirements, business administration, and how to interpret change orders are all hard skills. First, use the ones that appear in the posted Construction Manager job requirements. Then, list any high-level skills that set you apart.

The other category of skills are soft skills. These are the interpersonal and organizational skills that are necessary for any job. To manage construction activities you need strong leadership, communication and negotiation skills, but you also have to be excellent at time management and problem-solving.

If you have expertise in a specific area of construction or project management, be sure to include that in this section. 

See our CV sample for the skills below.

Resume layout and design

While you may have a stellar resume, you should not underestimate the importance of document design. Recruiters will see your resume and form an impression of you before they begin to read. Make the reading easy by following these tips:

• Vary line lengths to create white space.
• Keep you contact information design simple and outside the header and footer sections of the page (ATS may not be able to scan them there).
• Make sure section headings can be found easily.

While formatting can seem like a daunting task, a professionally-designed resume template can help give you a head start. Once you've chosen a style that suits you and your prospective employer, simply fill in the template with your own details.

Finally, when you think you are done, you’re not quite there. Before you hit the send button on an application, have a trusted friend or colleague proofread your resume and cover letter. Mistakes in your application can eliminate your resume from contention.

Key takeaways for a construction manager resume

1. A great Construction Manager resume is the key to landing your next job — make sure to focus on leadership qualities.
2. An employer will be most concerned with your employment history section, so focus on related projects and relevant skills and abilities.
3. A mix of hard and soft skills are important in managerial roles, but don't forget to mention specific construction knowledge.
4. Our adaptable Construction Manager resume sample can give you a head start when it comes to creating an attention-grabbing page design.