Construction Superintendent Resume Example & Writing Guide

Working as a construction superintendent means ensuring the success of construction projects and holding high standards for quality, safety, and timeliness. You’ve got to be on top of it all, but that doesn’t mean you feel on top of the job search game. 

That’s right, building a compelling construction superintendent resume is a must when you’re trying to land your next position. It’s the foundation of a successful career.

Resume guide for a construction superintendent resume

Pave a path to success with Resume.io. Our guides and resume examples cover over 500 professions, and our resume builder makes creating an excellent resume easier than ever.

This resume guide and corresponding construction superintendent resume example will cover the following:

• How to write a construction superintendent resume
• Choosing the right resume format for a construction superintendent
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your construction superintendent experience
• Listing your education and certifications
• Picking the right resume design/layout
• What the construction superintendent market looks like and what salary you can expect

How to write a construction superintendent resume

The very first step in writing your construction superintendent resume is understanding the building blocks to include. Your resume 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

Just like a construction project involves laying a foundation and building from there, your resume should outline your experience and then build out the most important details. How you structure this will capture your unique value proposition as a candidate and show why you’re the top construction superintendent for the job.

Stick to this plan to seal the deal: 

• Focus on your accomplishments and achievements, not just the day-to-day work. Anyone can list the tasks in their job description, but what will set you apart is showing how you made a unique impact.
• Tailor your resume to each job you apply for; this means adjusting the style and tone to that of the company.
• Use a resume template that’s polished and professional but not overly stuffy to show you fit in and understand the industry.
• Be sure to include relevant keywords to make your resume as clear as possible, whether it’s being viewed by a person or a system.

Choosing the right resume format for a construction superintendent

Just like your construction projects follow building plans, your resume should follow standard resume conventions and be straightforward, clear, and easy to read. 

The best format for a construction superintendent resume is reverse chronological. This format focuses primarily on your employment history, listed in reverse chronological order to convey your career story. 

If you have a more unique or varied background or are making a career pivot, a functional resume format could make sense. This focuses mostly on skills instead of direct work history. You can also consider combining these two formats into a combination that offers the best of both worlds. 

Select the format that best suits you when viewing the resume templates in our resume builder. There are plenty of resume examples that use all of the above formats.

Your resume’s layout also matters. Although no one expects you to be a graphic designer, they are hoping for a resume that’s easy to understand and navigate. That means using a clean, simple layout. 

Include your contact information

When you take on a construction project, it’s imperative that you know the location. After all, if you don’t know where you’re building, how will you ensure the job gets done? 

Your resume is the same: it must include a way for the recruiter or hiring manager to reach you. You can do this by creating a simple header.

The focus here should be on providing easily accessible contact information in a professional way. Include the following:

• Full name & title. List your first and last name. Use the title of the role you are pursuing.
• Professional email address. Use a clean format like [email protected]. Don’t use a quirky, unprofessional email address.
• Phone number. List a number where you can be readily contacted, with a professional voicemail greeting and a voicemail box that is set up and not full.
• Location. List only your city and state, not your street address or zip code. That’s both outdated and unsafe. Note 'Willing to Relocate' here if applicable.
• LinkedIn. If your LinkedIn profile is active and relevant, include it here.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth: This isn’t necessary and could potentially lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details: Marital status, social security number, passport number, etc. can all be kept off of your resume.

Make use of a summary

Think of your resume summary as the foundation. It’s where you’ll paint a comprehensive picture of your talents and expertise to get the hiring process started.

Using 2-4 sentences, you can use this space to introduce yourself to the employer and showcase your construction know-how. A summary done well will display the value and impact you bring, not just daily tasks. 

Use action verbs in the simple past or present tense and include quantifiable achievements where possible. Don’t just reiterate what’s on your resume. Instead, pull it all together to present yourself as a top-notch superintendent.

You can find adaptable construction superintendent resume example summaries below:

Outline your construction superintendent work experience

Your resume’s experience section is like your portfolio of past projects—a way to show your talents and achievements. 

Start by listing your current or most recent job at the top of the section, then work backwards through your earlier jobs. Only go back 10-15 years and stick to experience that’s related to the role you’re seeking. If you have additional experience you’d like to include, consider creating an “Other Experience” section. 

Under each employer and title heading, detail your achievements in concise bullet point statements. For maximum clarity and concision, avoid pronouns like “I.” Like in your summary, you’ll want to use action verbs here as well: built, negotiated, budgeted, ensured. 

Don’t just list the duties of your job. Take a look at these resume bullets:

• “Oversaw commercial construction projects.”
• “Managed a team of construction workers.”
• “Completed construction projects on time and within budget.”

Those are all important parts of a construction superintendent role, but those bullets could describe nearly any superintendent. Instead of being vague, replace those phrases with ones based on results. Think about the specific things you achieved: did you negotiate savings on contracts or consistently come in under budget? Did you have a proven track record of finishing projects ahead of the deadline? 

Look how much more impactful those bullets become when they demonstrate tangible accomplishments:

• “Oversaw 10 commercial construction projects per year, managing multiple projects simultaneously.”
• “Managed a team of 25 construction workers across 10 job sites.”
• Achieved 100% under-budget project completion in 2023, with 90% of projects completed before projected deadline.”

Take a look at the  employment history from a construction superintendent resume sample below.

How to write a construction superintendent resume with no experience

While most construction superintendent roles will require experience, you may still decide to take a chance and apply even without relevant work history. 

To do so, it’s essential to focus on your transferable skills and your passion for the construction industry. That means including any related education or training, but also any work you’ve done that’s construction-adjacent. Perhaps you have some experience on a construction site and that, combined with your leadership experience from another industry, makes you a compelling candidate. 

Or, maybe you have relevant volunteer experience like working with Habitat for Humanity or helping another non-profit renovate its building or make repairs. 

While it’s not typically recommended to include personal interests or hobbies on your resume, this is a case where it can make sense. If you’ve personally handled construction projects around your own home, you may want to call it out. 

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great construction superintendent

The skills section is where you show off the tools of the trade. 

Your skills list can include both hard and soft skills that, together, showcase your comprehensive expertise. Hard skills are those that are demonstrable and measurable, like experience with construction processes and techniques, knowledge of building codes and regulations, or understanding how to read blueprints.

Soft skills, on the other hand, can include leadership, communication, or attention to detail—all of which are just as important for construction superintendents as the hard skills. 

The resume builder offers you several key skills to choose from, along with proficiency ranges you can select. You can also write in your skills if you’d prefer. 

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our construction superintendent resume template. 

(Note for uploader: skills box) 

While the skills section is important, it’s not the only place to showcase your key skills. Instead, try to weave them in throughout your resume. Take it a step further and use specific examples and achievements to really show how you have used those skills. 

For example, in your work experience section and professional summary, highlight your:

• Leadership skills by describing your role overseeing project teams or your success training junior construction workers
• Technical skills by detailing your use of construction-related software tools
• Problem solving abilities by providing examples of challenging projects you successfully completed

Look to the job description as a guide for what key skills to include.

Detail your education & relevant construction superintendent certifications

The education section is where you cement your knowledge and expertise. A fairly straightforward part of the resume, it comprises a list of your academic accomplishments in reverse chronological order. If you have a college degree or higher, you can remove your high school information. 

Aside from formal education, this is a great place to share certifications or other construction-related training programs. For example: 

• Training and certifications. Have you taken any courses, workshops, or even webinars that enhance your skills or knowledge?
• Internships. Earlier in your career, did you hold any internships or apprenticeships that set you up for success?
• Professional development. Have you joined any industry associations like the Construction Management Association of America? This shows your passion for the industry and willingness to stay in the know.

Unless you’re a recent graduate, your education section should stay below your employment history when using a reverse chronological format. If you’re using a functional resume format, you may move the education section higher to put the focus on a relevant degree instead of irrelevant work experience. 

Pick the right resume layout and design for a construction superintendent resume

The layout is the floor plan of your career. It directs employers where to find the pertinent information about you and your experience, so you want to make sure it’s done right. 

A resume for construction superintendent jobs should be reader-friendly, clean, and professional. However, construction isn’t a stuffy industry, so it’s okay to show a bit of personality too. 

We recommend a simple, modern font. While a pop of color is okay, don’t go overboard with multiple colors or any graphics. You want your resume’s layout to call attention to the most important thing—the content—not distract the reader with colors and pictures. 

Although there’s no shortcut to a well-crafted resume, there are ways to make it easier. One way is by using our field-tested resume templates, where we take care of the most tedious formatting and structure tasks for you.

Construction superintendent text-only resume example

Construction superintendent job market and outlook

Construction will always be needed in some form, but the demand ebbs and flows depending on the state of the economy. 

Right now, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects construction manager employment to grow 5% in the next decade, which is faster than the average position. 

In fact, U.S. News & World Report listed construction manager as the #2 best construction job, noting a low unemployment rate of just 2.5% for those in the role. 

What type of salary you can expect as a construction superintendent

According to the BLS, in 2022 construction managers earned a median income of $101,480 per year or $48.79 per hour. Payscale, however, shows an average annual income of $80,491. Of course, compensation varies based on location, years of experience, and individual performance. 

Some construction superintendents may earn bonuses or participate in profit sharing, and depending on the role, some earn overtime pay as well. 

Key takeaways for building a construction superintendent resume

Working as a construction superintendent lets you blend leadership, project management, and construction work into a fast-paced role full of variety. It’s a great career for those who are detail-oriented problem-solvers and enjoy doing work that makes a difference. After all, whether commercial or residential, everyone needs a roof over their heads.

Utilizing our online resume builder can streamline the application process, making it more efficient and less daunting for construction superintendent professionals.