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.
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This resume guide and corresponding construction superintendent resume example will cover the following:
The very first step in writing your construction superintendent resume is understanding the building blocks to include. Your resume should contain the following elements:
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:
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.
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:
Don’t include:
Firstname Lastname
Construction Guru
345-234-0908
bigmanlovescoffee@gmail.com
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.
If you need inspiration, check out our related resumes:
You can find adaptable construction superintendent resume example summaries below:
Enthusiastic recent graduate with a bachelor's degree in Construction Management and one year of experience as a construction worker. Eager to apply additional experience gained through internships and coursework to support construction project management activities. Strong communication skills and a proactive attitude toward problem-solving, ready to contribute to construction projects and make an impact.
Experienced construction professional with 5+ years of proven success in supervisory roles. Track record of managing multiple projects simultaneously while ensuring adherence to budget and timelines as well as compliance with safety regulations. Adept at coordinating with diverse teams and stakeholders to drive projects to completion.
Accomplished construction superintendent with 15+ years of successfully leading large-scale commercial projects from conception to completion. Adept at overseeing all aspects of construction operations, including budgeting, scheduling, quality control, and safety management. Recognized for fostering collaborative environments and developing junior staff to achieve project success on-time, within budget, and in compliance.
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:
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:
Take a look at the employment history from a construction superintendent resume sample below.
Construction Superintendent at Turner Construction Company, Chicago
June 2016 - Present
Senior Construction Superintendent at Lendlease Corporation, Chicago
April 2010 - May 2016
Construction Superintendent at Skanska USA Building Inc., Chicago
July 2005 - March 2010
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.
Not sure if being a construction superintendent is the perfect career for you? You’ve got options! We’ve pulled together a list of 13 of the highest-paying trade jobs.
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.
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:
Look to the job description as a guide for what key skills to include.
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:
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.
Bachelor of Science (BS), Construction Management, Purdue University, West Lafayette
September 2002 - May 2005
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.
Profile
Experienced Construction Superintendent with over 15 years of experience in managing large-scale commercial and residential construction projects. Strong leadership skills and a proven track record of completing projects on time and within budget.
Employment history
Construction Superintendent at Turner Construction Company, Chicago
June 2016 - Present
Senior Construction Superintendent at Lendlease Corporation, Chicago
April 2010 - May 2016
Construction Superintendent at Skanska USA Building Inc., Chicago
July 2005 - March 2010
Skills
Education
Bachelor of Science (BS), Construction Management, Purdue University, West Lafayette
September 2002 - May 2005
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.
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.
Worried about how to respond when an employer asks how much you’d like to earn? Look no further than our guide to answering the dreaded “what are your salary requirements?” question.
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.