Career In Construction ManagementBuilding Project Manager by Institute For Career Research

Author:Institute For Career Research
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Institute For Career Research
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Personal Qualifications

A career in construction manageMENT requires both technical knowledge (hard skills) and favorable personal attributes (soft skills). The basic technical skills for the construction industry can be learned in school and on the job. However, basic management skills and personal traits are also important to achieving a promising career as a CM.

Good communications skills are essential. You will do more than simply lead the team. You will be dealing with a variety of people on a daily basis – engineers, subcontractors, company owners, trade workers, vendors, architects, inspectors, and laborers. They all have different issues that need attention, and you will need to listen carefully to understand their concerns. Not everyone on the work site speaks fluent English, so clear speaking plus some knowledge of languages like Spanish, Russian, and Polish can come in handy.

To ensure common understanding, you must communicate understandably and effectively – both speaking and writing. There will be plenty of paperwork, including emails, status reports, performance reviews, and bids for new projects. The ability to gather, absorb, and share a vast amount of complex data effectively will help you function better at the job site.

Sound problem-solving and analytical skills are also important. You must understand the complex components that make up a building project and how they interact, in order to create a reliable schedule. That allows you to determine which tasks must be done first, what skills a person needs to perform that work, and a reasonable time frame for accomplishing each task.

You will need to be a critical thinker who relies on logic and deductive reasoning to find solutions for the challenges of planning and executing the construction project. Throughout any large undertaking, there will be challenges (such as sick employees, delayed materials delivery, and stormy weather) that require the manager to reassess the current situation and reshuffle priorities to keep things moving. Creative skills are required as you determine the most cost-effective way to finish the project on time with minimal disruption and conflict.

Ultimately, people make a project run, so people skills are also crucial for a successful construction manager. Every worker is a member of the team, and cooperation among those individuals helps keep the project on track. Good managers must build trust and appreciation within the workplace. You also need to be a good judge of others’ abilities, as you often need to delegate tasks to trusted subordinates. While you are the leader of the project, you are also a participant and a team member. This role requires you to be a good listener, a solid communicator, and an active participant in group settings.

Good organizational skills are also vital. You will need to juggle multiple projects with different deadlines, and use sophisticated project tracking software to make sure everything is proceeding as expected. You also need to manage your time and yourself in a professional manner, setting the example that you expect team members to follow.

Hopefully you will enjoy the construction process and the constantly changing industry. Many building projects use innovative technology, such as environmentally-friendly construction.

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