Construction Jobs Blog

A recent survey of more than 3,000 job seekers and 1,000 hiring managers reveals that seemingly absurd questions are frequently finding their way into job interviews.  Examples of dubious questions ranged from the simply annoying to the patently illegal.  For companies, this raises concerns about how they are being represented, how their reputations are effected, and how to avoid possible litigation.  Job seekers, on the other hand, need to be prepared to handle tough questions that may not directly correlate to the position they’re applying to.

Scott Erker, senior vice president of selection solutions for Development Dimensions International (the company that co-conducted the survey with Monster), called the findings “a wake-up call for organizations that this is happening behind closed doors when the applicant is face to face with their potential boss.” Continue Reading »

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A couple weeks ago, I was working on a publicity project with a smaller, private homebuilder.  Their goal is to increase production from just under 1,000 units to about 5,000 units in the next five or so years.  I spent some time speaking with the President about the company’s future, and what he needs to do now to get it there.  I asked him what was most important for his success, and he said, “the need of the right people!”

I went on to ask him about the qualities he looked for in potential candidates.  “The right individuals,” he said, “are those that have the ambition to be part of a growing company.” 

“The people I look for are individuals with a strong passion for business, a high sense of energy and drive, and are well respected within the business.  Relationships are key, and the individuals must want and like to be part of a growing organization.”

Homebuilding jobseekers should take much of what this President said to heart.  There are great opportunities with many smaller builders right now, who have the opportunity to grab market share and experience tremendous growth on the upside of this cycle.  Those companies need a certain type of individual:  Continue Reading »

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It’s career fair season again.  With colleges and universities back in session after the break, students are bombarded with e-mails about resume workshops and mock interviewing sessions.  Loose fliers drifting across campus remind preoccupied seniors that they have just a few precious months to find a job if they hope to graduate with employment.  Hiring managers’ desks have piles of resumes from young hopefuls seeking their first full time position, or perhaps a summer internship.

I had the pleasure of talking to a few students from Emory University, who all voiced the same concern (among others!):  I don’t have enough experience to get the job I want.

This hurdle may cause more rejections and failures in a student’s jobseeking process than any other, but, ironically, this is rarely a result of actually not having enough experience.  Instead, young jobseekers, concerned about their lack of experience, sabotage their own resumes and interviews. Continue Reading »

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Want to remain unemployed?  Check out these 15 tips for throwing away that prospective job!

(1) While discussing your ‘green’ building experience, mention that your efforts often increase the cost of projects
(2) Show up late, and if questioned about your tardiness, hastily explain that you waited until the last minute to get directions to the interview
(3) Leave an e-mail with directions to a new job interview open on your computer at your current job
(4) When asked what interests you about the company, reply, “I don’t know, I hadn’t heard about you guys until I sent in my resume”
(5) Wear a golf shirt and/or sneakers to the interview
(6) When offered a position, immediately demand more money…it’s called ‘negotiating’
(7) When speaking about your qualifications, be sure to include a degree or award you don’t have.  Who actually bothers to check up on those things?

Click here to read the rest!

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Most people believe the myth that the holidays are a bad time to be looking for a job.  Tradition posits the time between Thanksgiving and New Years as a ‘no job seeking zone,’ a time when HR departments are not seriously considering candidates, and very few people end up getting jobs.

This is just simply not the case.  In fact, the holiday season is one of the best times to renew your job search efforts.  For starters, many people believe the traditional view and take a break from jobseeking.  This only means more exposure for you.  Also, many divisions need to spend the rest of their budget, and hiring fresh talent is an excellent way to do this.  Besides that, there are five great reasons why the holidays are the perfect time to be a jobseeker:

Click here for the full list!

Or, take this time to upload or update your resume on TopBuildingJobs.com

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A couple weeks ago, I wrote about 2 easy ways to make your resume more effective.  A focus of the article was on keywords, and the increasing importance they are playing with electronic resume databases.  I recently noticed a great article on key words from Dice.com.  This article goes further into how to identify the correct keywords.

For example:  “Most likely the same person who posted the job online is the one reviewing resumes for the position,” says Deborah Walker, a certified career coach and president of Alpha Advantage in Portland, Ore. “So they are looking for resumes that match the key words contained in the job description.”

And have you wondered where to put these “keywords” in your resume?  The article recommends locating your keywords in the top of your resume, where they are caught by keyword searches.  And by having them in the top third of your resume, they keywords are already in the best position for when a recruiter is personally reviewing it.  Walker reiterates what I said in my article about the incredibly short window of time your resume has to make an impression:   “Frequently, the recruiter won’t look beyond the top few inches of the resume, because they quickly review a batch of candidate resumes when looking for a match. They need to see those key words in the first 15 seconds or you’ll be eliminated from consideration.”

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In 2001, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched the LEED Professional Accreditation program.  Since then, more than 40,000 individuals have taken and passed the exam, becoming LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs). 

According to the USGBC, “LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED APs have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System.” Thus, “the LEED AP credential represents the individual’s knowledge of the LEED Rating System and its application in practice,” as well as their ability to “facilitate the integrated design process and streamline LEED certification.”

For the past 6 years, this program has been run directly through the USGBC.  That is set to change this January (2008), with the establishment of the Green Building Certification Institute (www.gbci.org).  The USGBC is scheduled to transfer responsibility to the GBCI for the ongoing administration and management of the program, as well as exam development, registration, and delivery.  Furthermore, GBCI will be responsible for developing and implementing a “maintenance program” for LEED AP credential holders.

Credentials like LEED AP will only prove more valuable as green building picks up steam.  For jobseekers, not only is it great for your resume, but your name is also listed on USGBC’s web site directory of LEED APs.  Employers recognize the value of such knowledge, whether or not they are currently working on green projects.

View the Candidate Handbook, view the new GBCI site, or view the old USGBC site.

Click here to upload or manage your resume on TBJ…make sure you have all your “green” credentials listed!

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I recently interviewed the VP of Operations for a Top Ten Homebuilder seeking some advice for construction jobseekers in today’s markets.  His insights prove equally useful for both residential and commercial construction workers, and here is why:
As you know, the homebuilding industry has been devastated in many American markets, while commercial construction continues its solid growth. 

Homebuilders continue to hire for various positions, many jockeying for the best in a growing pool of talent.  Commercial construction continues to add jobs, sought after increasingly by former homebuilding employees.  But in both industries, companies are able to be selective, so distinguishing yourself is the key to both an effective resume and a successful interview.

The best way to distinguish yourself early is internships.  If you are a college sophomore or junior, you should be looking in the coming months to apply for a summer internship.  Most companies have internships that will fit your interests, whether they lie in customer service, sales, purchasing, or any other field.   The upcoming holiday break is the ideal time to network through your family and friends to find a summer program.  Exceptional service during a summer internship often leads to a job offer upon graduation.

If you are already in the industry, there are a few things to remember during this part of the hiring cycle.  The VP I interviewed noted that “leadership traits” were among the most important considerations.  So I asked him what exactly that entailed (for all the jobseekers out there) – CLICK HERE to view his response and get key construction and homebuilding jobseeking tips!

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First impressions go a long way during an interview.  While they usually don’t determine the outcome, they can, and at the very least they frame the way in which the interviewer views you and interprets your responses.

That’s where the number 7 comes in.

I got the “Rule of Seven” from an Independent article I read today.  It reinforces things I have said in earlier articles about preparation for and conduct during an interview.  The basic premise is this:

“The strongest impression you make on an employer happens in the first seven seconds, your first seven steps, and your first seven words.  So make the first seven count!!!  Make sure that you are appropriately dressed for the interview, and enter the building and the office confidently, with a smile and a handshake.  Maintain eye contact, be positive and confident.”

Check out my articles on Interview Presentation and Interview Performance for more advice on these key aspects of a successful interview.

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I read a blog post earlier today focusing on three “deadly mistakes” made during interviews.  I’ve written on the positive side of these things before, but looking at the negative side is useful too.  In other words, I wrote posts on what you should do, but looking at what you should not do may be equally useful, even though getting the first part right should automatically take care of the second.

The three mistakes were as follows:  “poor non-verbal communication image,” “poor verbal communication skills,” and “not asking questions.” 

I addressed the first mistake in my article:  Interviewing Part Two:  Presentation.  Poor non-verbal communication is a broad category.  It includes anything from general uncleanliness, to slouching during the interview, to not making direct eye contact.  Interviewing Part Two recommends shaking hands “firmly,” being clean without added scents, and wearing appropriate clothing, among many other things.  Interviewing Part Three:  Performance goes on:  “always smile and strive to maintain eye contact.”  If you read the series, you’re sure to learn more ways to improve your non-verbal communication image.

The second mistake, focused on verbal communication, is also taken up in Part Two and Three of my Interviewing series.  Generally, poor verbal communication falls in one of three categories…

CLICK HERE to discover the three categories and read the read of the article.

This article and the others in my Interviewing series can be found in the TBJ Career Center, or simply click for parts one, two, three, and four.

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