Construction Project Manager Resume Example to Build Yours

What to Highlight in a Construction Project Manager Resume

Construction project managers need to show hiring managers and recruiters that they can take a project from the planning stages to successful completion. This means showing them you know building codes, can translate construction plans, drawings, and blueprints, and have necessary construction project management skills like budgeting, people management, and more. As project managers need many skills to successfully do their job, candidates need to show that they have lots of work experience working on construction sites. Doing this helps show the recruiter that candidates can fulfill the job description.

The Structure of a Construction Project Manager Resume

Construction project managers need to use a chronological resume format to show their years of experience. Functional resumes are a good option for junior jobs, focusing on skills. Combining both formats is excellent for those with lots of experience.

Header

The resume header is at the top of your resume and contains your contact information. Include your name, location, phone number, and email address. You can also link to a professional networking site like LinkedIn to give the hiring manager more information.

Resume summary or objective

Every resume will have a resume summary or objective. This section contains two to three brief sentences that summarize your resume. A summary features key achievements in a project manager position as well as a rundown of your top qualifications and an objective emphasizes skills rather than work history.

Skills

While project manager roles are likely to use a chronological format, the skills section is significant in the resume. It should have a good mix of hard and soft skills. Hard skills are job-specific and help candidates read blueprints or construction drawings. Soft skills (also known as intangible skills) are transferable across many industries. If you can’t think of the skills for a construction project manager job, then consider including these bullet points:

• Cost control
• Risk management
• Quality control
• Problem-solving
• Microsoft Office
• Project timelines
• People management
• Working with stakeholders
• Knowledge of civil engineering
• Working with many team members
• Working on large-scale and small-scale projects
• Communication skills
• Working on commercial projects

Work history

The work history section is an important part of showing the hiring manager or recruiter that you have the knowledge to be a successful project manager. This section can include brief bullet points under each job title that points out key responsibilities.

You should only include relevant information in this section and remove examples that don’t relate to project management of construction work. You should also have the employer’s details like company name, location, date started, and year finishing. 

List your years of experience in reverse chronological order. This means starting from the most recent example. Doing this ensures you provide the most up-to-date information.

Education

Construction project managers usually need a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, science, architecture, or a relevant degree. You can also include certificates. Here are examples of valuable courses for construction professionals:

1. OSHA safety certificate 
2. Certified safety manager

Do’s and Don’ts for a Construction Project Manager Resume

Do:

• Use a resume builder that gives you professionally-designed template and job-specific advice to work from.
• Proofread your resume at least once you have finished writing it.
• Study the job posting in your job search. This can help you understand what construction project manager skills the specific hiring manager values; address these needs in your summary, skills and work history sections.

Don’t:

• Include your high school GPA. This might be unnecessary information that clutters your resume.
• Go into too much detail about every professional experience you’ve had. This might bore the hiring manager.
• Forget to use a professional resume template that’s easy to scan by employers and applicant tracking systems (ATS)