The UK is currently experiencing unprecedented demand for workers to fill a host of open construction jobs. That’s great news if you’re looking for a new role in the sector!
But even in this favourable climate, preparing an attention-grabbing construction CV remains crucial. It’s often the difference between landing an interview for a job you really want and being overlooked.
Let’s get to some expert recruiter tips about how to write a construction CV that captures a hiring manager’s interest.
Construction CV Layout
Hiring managers sift through mountains of CVs in their search for new hires, so using an overly complicated layout risks your CV getting passed over. Try something simple like this:
Contact Details – name, contact number, email
Summary – a brief description of your work and industry experience
Key Skills – a short list of relevant hard (technical) and soft (interpersonal) skills
Education and Certifications – any formal education and certifications you hold
Optional sections
References – you can state they’re available on request
Interests – a short list of your interests or hobbies
Now let’s dig a bit deeper into what to include in each section.
Customise the Summary
Your Summary is a brief statement that highlights why you’re the right person for the job. It’s also a great way to customise your CV directly to the open role to not only showcase the matching skills you have but also indicate your interest in their company. This is a must, as recruiters can spot a generic resume a mile away.
Let’s look at an example of an open labourer role at a leading aggregate company with a strong safety track record:
Reliable construction worker with over a decade of experience in plant operations and safety management. Adept at understanding and following instructions in dynamic environments, ensuring that tasks are completed efficiently and safely. Eager to bring my expertise in equipment operation and safety protocols to contribute to [Company Name]’s success.
Highlight The Right Skills
Your Key Skills section is like the toolbox of your CV – it shows off the tools you’ve got in your belt that prove you’re the ideal person for the job.
The most important thing is to choose skills that highlight your proficiencies related to the role. For instance, for the aggregate role you might include:
- Technical knowledge of aggregate production
- Safety protocols expertise
- Proficient in heavy machinery operation
- Adaptability
- Problem-solving
- Collaboration
Work Experience – Highlight Your Achievements
Now we get to the most important section in your construction CV, your prior experience.
Start by organising your work history with the most recent information first. For each role, include these details:
- Employer
- Job title
- Work dates
- Brief outline of your duties and responsibilities tied to your achievements
When describing what you did in each role, you can demonstrate your success by linking it to an outcome. Using numbers is the best way to highlight your achievements. You will score bonus points if you can identify any problems you’ve solved for your previous employers, or how your efforts directly contributed to company success.
An example:
Instead of: “Assisted in various construction phases, from excavation to finishing.”
Say: “Played a pivotal role in all construction phases from excavation to finishing. Overcame tight deadlines and resource constraints to actively contribute to the completion of 10 projects over 3 years, resulting in high client satisfaction ratings of 90%+.”
Education, Certifications and Licenses
Here you list your relevant education, certifications and any special licenses you hold. Again, start with the most recent and include:
- Qualification/certification achieved
- Name of the institution where you studied
- Date of study
Note, unless you finished high school within the past couple of years, it’s usually best to leave this detail out.
Give more prominence to the qualifications that are most relevant and important for the roles you’re applying for. Don’t forget to include your first aid certificate if you have one.
A Few Extra Construction CV Tips
Keywords
Many hiring managers use Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software to automatically collect and sift through CVs, as this cuts down recruitment time. An ATS will scan CVs for specific keywords to determine how well your CV matches the job description. This is why it’s vital to include relevant keywords throughout your construction CV.
To identify the most important keywords, review the job ad and description. If you have the skill, qualification or experience mentioned, include that phrasing within your CV.
Proofread
Carefully proofread your construction CV several times. It’s a good move to ask a friend or family member to review your CV, as it’s really easy to skip over a small error, especially when you’ve reread it multiple times.
Get Support with Finding Construction Jobs
Devoting effort to creating a high-quality construction CV is always a worthwhile investment, regardless of your experience level and specialism.
If you’d like extra help learning more about how to write a good construction CV, whether it’s choosing the best skills, incorporating those tricky keywords, or getting your summary statement worded just right, the recruitment specialists at Mando Solutions are just a phone call away.
We also have an ever-changing rotation of fresh construction jobs across the UK, both permanent and temporary, so be sure to check out the vacancies on our website.
