Looking for a new job in the construction sector can be incredibly stressful. You want to get a good salary and a job you’ll enjoy doing. To do that, you need to put your best foot forward and make a great first impression on the construction recruiter. Give yourself the best chance of getting hired by avoiding these mistakes when job hunting.
Avoid Making Your Resume Too Long While Job Hunting
You may feel tempted to include all of the skills and experiences you have that are somewhat relevant to the position you want on your resume. However, including too much information will put off the construction recruiting team. They simply will not want to sift through an overly long resume to find the relevant information.
This means that you should include experience and skills relevant to the position. But don’t include hobbies, irrelevant skills and experiences, and irrelevant information like when you graduated from high school.
Avoid Applying for a Job You Will Not Get (Or Will Not Accept)
While you can sometimes apply for jobs where you don’t meet all of the requirements, don’t take this too far. If a job asks for five years of experience and you have four, you can probably still apply. However, you don’t want to apply for a high-level construction leadership role if you have no leadership experience.
Applying for these jobs will waste your time and that of the recruiter. It will also likely hurt your self-esteem, as you will likely have another rejection on your list.
Similarly, don’t apply for a job that you have no intention of taking. It is fine to apply for a backup position in case you don’t get your dream job. But if it’s a job that you definitely would not take, then do not bother applying.
Avoid Not Researching a Potential Job and Company
If a construction recruiter is short on time and needs to decide who to hire or even who to interview, they will consider who likely researched the company. Recruiters want to see that research in your cover letter, as you should customize it somewhat for each company you apply to.
When you research the company, you show the construction recruiting team that you are serious about your interest. You also show them your initiative. At the same time, researching the company confirms that you would be happy working there.
Avoid Dressing Inappropriately for a Job Interview
When it comes time for the job interview, you want to make sure to dress appropriately. This can be somewhat challenging if you do not know what the atmosphere is in the company. That is because both overdressing and underdressing could be problematic.
How you should dress for your interview can vary greatly, depending on the construction career. For example, someone looking to show they are good construction leadership may want to wear a suit. But someone doing an on-site interview as a construction worker may want to dress in clothing more appropriate for a worksite. Try to figure out the dress code if you can. When in doubt, ask the company about appropriate attire.
How can we help you?
Searching for an opportunity in the construction industry? Contact The Birmingham Group’s team of seasoned commercial construction recruiters today to discuss your career path or browse our open positions.
Are you a hiring authority in need of construction talent? Submit a search request today.
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