Construction Manager Resume Guide: Examples & Pro Tips

Looking for your next construction manager position? You handle blueprints and budgets with ease, but when it comes to detailing your career on paper, you hit a brick wall. Mapping out your professional specialism—whether it’s residential, commercial, or infrastructure—isn’t the problem. Covering everything from your knowledge of local regulations to demonstrating your adherence to budgets can be tough.

What’s more, since you pull long hours on site, you may struggle to build a professional network. Expanding your connections and finding new contacts is a savvy way to learn about new opportunities.

In the following guide, we’ll share the best way to plan and create your next construction manager resume.

How to use this Construction Manager resume guide

Designed to showcase your leadership, project management, and operational expertise, this guide equips you with tools, tips, and examples specific to the construction management field.

You’ll learn how to stand out in a competitive job market and streamline the process with our resume builder, ensuring a polished and professional finish.

With this guide and our resume builder, you’ll have all the tools you need to craft a resume that emphasizes your leadership, project management, and technical expertise.

What to focus on when writing your Construction Manager resume

Don’t waste any time. Your construction manager resume must immediately showcase your leadership, project oversight, and operational management expertise. Share your ability to manage construction projects, comply with safety and building regulations, and deliver projects on time and within budget.

Highlight specific project achievements

Avoid vague statements and instead focus on specific project achievements. Wherever possible, add metrics to claims. Numbers and percentages allow you to illustrate the impact of your hard labor. Pick a few exemplary accomplishments and include them when writing about work experience on your resume.

Include the right certifications

Showcasing certifications like PMP, LEED, or OSHA can be tricky. It’s a challenge to highlight them effectively without sounding repetitive or overly technical. Many job seekers struggle to decide which certifications are most relevant to prioritize for a specific role.

Showcase your software experience

The construction industry heavily relies on modern technology. Let the hiring manager know you’re a whiz with certain programs and systems. Examples of the software you may want to list include Buildertrend, Autodesk BIM 360, Sage Estimating, Primavera P6, and iAuditor.

Highlight your problem-solving skills

Construction managers have to be innate problem-solvers. However, it’s no good simply saying that you’re a “problem-solver”. You need to show it (and detail the impact your creativity had!). One way you can do that is by discussing a situation in which you used this skill and what happened as a result.

How to choose the right resume format

Next, you need to choose the right format for your construction manager resume. We recommend the reverse-chronological format most of the time. This is the standard approach in the U.S., so hiring managers expect to see it.

This resume format details your professional history in reverse order. That means your most recent experience goes at the top of each section. As you move down, you also go backward in time.

As a general rule, your construction manager resume should include these sections:

• Contact Information
• Professional Summary
• Work Experience
• Education
• Certifications and Licenses
• Skills
• Projects or Case Studies
• Professional Affiliations

If you’re unsure how to outline your next resume, we have a selection of resume templates you can use. Select the right one for your job search and fill it with your most recent information.

What to include in your resume header

Next up, you need to create a clear resume header. This section works like a business card and includes your name, job title, and contact details.

List the following:

• Your name: Start with your first and last name.
• Acronyms: Show off your certificates by adding acronyms after your name. Examples include PMP, CCM, and CMAA.
• Job title: Add the same job title as the role you’re applying for.
• Contact details: Write your professional email address and business phone number.
• Location: You shouldn’t add your entire address

If your LinkedIn is up-to-date and active, include a hyperlink to it in your resume header. That way, the hiring manager can quickly and easily connect with you there.

How to write a resume summary

Your resume summary sits at the top of the page. It’s a short paragraph, similar to an elevator pitch highlighting your top achievements, awards, and talents. Use concise language and powerful action verbs when writing this section of your resume.

Consider what makes you unique. For example, reflect on the specific skills you've developed.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Are you skilled in project management?
• Do you have a knack for ensuring projects are completed on time and within budget?
• What’s your most impressive skill and how has it been applied?
• Do you have construction certifications that align with this role?

• What software are you a pro at using in your field?

Before you start writing your summary, check the job advert. Tailor this section to meet the needs of the vacancy at hand to give yourself the best chance of success.

The above summary hits the mark. It accentuates the construction manager's experience. Boasting key accomplishments, showing off their ability to handle big projects, and detailing their accolades, it’s a stellar example. It also includes vital details by highlighting specific achievements with numbers, key software skills, and important certifications.

How to write a quantifiable resume experience section

Writing about your work experience on a resume is an important part of the process. If you’ve had a long, illustrious career in construction, now’s the time to shout about it. Once again, you should use the reverse chronological order—starting with your most recent position at the top of the section.

Don’t go back more than 10-15 years in the past. This experience is no longer relevant and can lead to age discrimination. Equally, you only need to list positions that relate directly to the vacancy. Ensure your language is simple, straightforward, and easy for the hiring manager to understand.

Your work experience section should include:

• Company name and location
• Your official job title
• Dates of employment
• Bullet-pointed achievements

Remember to tailor your experience—particularly the accomplishments you share—to the job listing. Consider the demands of the role and write bullet points that speak directly to them.

Focussing on successful project management, team leadership, cost savings, and software use, the above is an excellent example. The use of metrics and specific details means that a hiring manager would instantly be able to see what the candidate brings to the table.

Moreover, the language is simplified and easy to read regardless of whether you have a construction background or not. By steering clear of industry-specific jargon, this example is accessible to everyone.

Construction Manager resume experience samples

If you’re not sure where to get started, we’ve got you covered. There are many strategies you can employ while writing your experience section.

Here are some resume examples you can use for yourself:

Achievement-focused sample

Are you a real go-getter? If you've adhered to budgets, smashed timelines, and excelled at every feat, include these details in your work experience section. As always, you should add metrics to the mix. These work as evidence, backing up the big, impressive claims you make.

Software-focused example

Can you use a diverse range of construction software? Are you a technological whiz-kid? If so, you should use this as your unique selling proposition (USP) when applying for positions. Mention the software that you use and how you use it. Wherever possible, add facts, statistics, and details to back up your points.

Responsibility-specific focused example

As a manager, you have a ton of responsibility. The success of any construction project rests on your shoulders. Remind the hiring manager of this fact and focus on how you led teams toward success. Include details about your past triumphs and the responsibilities you faced along the way.

Listing your skills on your resume

Next, you’ve got to decide what skills to put on your resume. Construction managers wear many hats—not just a hard hat. You’ll be in charge of budgeting, project planning and scheduling, team leadership, operations management, and even conflict resolution. However, it doesn’t end there.

You should also include knowledge-based skills, including any software you use at a professional level. While we’ve already covered some options, additional programs include Procore, Bluebeam Revu, and CoConstruct. If any are mentioned in the job advert and you know them, be sure to list them.

Don’t forget to tailor your resume skills section to the job advert. Comb through the core criteria and check for any hard (i.e. technical) and soft skills you already have under your belt. Adding these to your list of skills may instantly increase your chances of getting to the interview stage of the process.

Best hard skills to feature on your Construction Manager resume

Hard skills are the foundation of your role as a construction manager. If you don’t get these right, there’s no way you can deliver results and complete large-scale projects. Of course, there’s a wide range of hard skills you may list. These include financial management, budget adherence, business intelligence, and data analysis. Think about which make you stand out and were listed on the job advert.

Best soft skills to feature on your Construction Manager resume

Every manager has to deal directly with their team. It’s your job to make sure that every employee does their part. To keep things ticking over, you’ll need a selection of soft skills. These are often harder to identify—and certainly harder to quantify. However, they are entirely necessary for the job.

How to include your education on your resume

If you want to land that all-important interview, you’ll need to list education on your resume. Use the reverse chronological order once again.

Here are some of the qualifications you may consider:

• Academic background: Feature any degrees, diplomas, or other formal qualifications you have. You should only include your GPA (3.5 and above) if it’s exceptional and puts you in a good light.
• Professional training: Add professional certificates, such as OSHA Training, Forklift and Heavy Equipment Operation, and Hazardous Materials Handling (HAZWOPER) Training.
• Software certificates: Do you have any certificates in the software you’ve used? If you’ve completed courses in them, it may be smart to add them. List the date you achieved them and whether you’ve continued your training.

Extra sections to include in your Construction Manager resume

Building a compelling construction manager resume involves more than just listing your work experience. You want to show that you’re a well-rounded person. To do that, you can include your skills, languages, hobbies, volunteer work, and even the books you've read, that showcase your strengths and interests.

Language section

Working with international businesses? If so, your language skills may come into play. Mention any languages you speak and your proficiency level, such as "Fluent in Spanish." This skill may help you to stand out from the crowd.

Hobbies and interests section

What do you do outside of the workplace? Only include hobbies and interests that demonstrate relevant skills like "Woodworking" or "DIY projects.” Every hobby you include should speak to the vacancy. For example, if your interest is in “Celebrity Culture,” that has nothing to do with construction work.

Volunteer work section

Before you landed your first construction manager role, you may have completed some volunteer experience. Should that be the case, you can include an entire section dedicated to it. Add in any skills you developed or achievements you gained during this experience.

Conclusion

By this point, you should be ready to ace your Construction Manager resume. Be sure to tailor your resume to meet the needs of the vacancy. Show off your relevant experience, back it up with metrics, and use simplistic language. Generally speaking, you should use the reverse chronological order.

If in doubt, use our resume builder tool to effortlessly create the perfect application for the job.