5 Must-Follow Steps Before Construction Management Job Hunting

So you don’t wind up in the wrong construction management job, again and again.

Before you jump into the construction management job market, it’s crucial to take some time for self-reflection and planning. Take some time to work through each step below to make finding the right job for you seamless and simple.

1. Why do you want to leave?

Before you begin your job hunt, take a moment to understand why you’re looking to make a change. What is really motivating you to leave your current employment?

Sometimes we think it’s because we don’t like our employer or the crazy long hours we’re working or the lack of time we get to spend at home, but if you look a little deeper, you may find it’s none of these things.

Maybe you think it’s about not feeling appreciated by your manager or not feeling recognised for your contribution by your team. Or maybe you think it’s feeling like the culture isn’t great or you’re not spending enough time at home.

But WHY? Why do you feel like this? And what’s driving your need to feel this way in the first place?

You need to find the cause of the problem, not just look at the symptom. Here’s what I mean:

Example reason: I don’t feel appreciated by my manager

John was sick and tired of feeling like he gave everything he had at work and never got any appreciation or thanks from his manager. It really bugged him and after 3 years, he’d had enough. But John’s need for recognition didn’t start in this job, 3 years ago, it started way back in his childhood.

John was raised by parents he could never please. No matter what he did, how he behaved, it just wasn’t enough for his parents. But he never gave up trying.

Over the years of his childhood he continued to do as much as possible to prove his worth. He always went over and above. He did his best, gave his best and was a great friend.

Through his teenage years and into adulthood, he worked really hard to please people, always looking for a kind word, to be included. To get recognition that he was worth something. That he mattered. That he was loved and ‘enough’.

The worst thing John could do though, was leave his current job just to go and find another where he was going to repeat the same patterns in the hope of feeling good enough. Feel good enough first and then you no longer need the recognition.

We’e all got stuff like this we carry around inside us that we don’t look at. Even if you had the perfect upbringing, maybe something happened in a previous job or a relationships or with friends or a sports club. We’ve all got stuff going on and unless we look at what drives us, we continue to make the same mistakes over and over again, in all areas of our lives.

Get to the foundational reason you want to change jobs, otherwise you’ll simply be taking your problems with you into your next job/position/employer. Leaving doesn’t always fix the problem, especially if the problem is an internal one.

2. Where do you want to go?

You won’t know when you get there if you don’t know where you’re going.

Think beyond your current job and imagine what your ideal role would look like (and feel like).

Consider the responsibilities, challenges, perks and growth opportunities you’re after. Which project values and sizes interest you? Are you happy to travel for the right role? Do you want hybrid or flexi opportunities?
What are your must-haves, like salary, work-life balance, and chances for career advancement?
What are your non-negotiables?

What DON’T you want? Sometimes it’s actually easier to start with this. Humans are hard-wired to move away from what we don’t want, not towards what we do. The trick is to use this list to help further define what you DO want.

The clearer & more comprehensive you make your list, the easier it will be to sort through the variety of opportunities in the market right now.

Your job search should focus on opportunities that align with your goals. Going after opportunities that don’t won’t fulfill you in the long-run, and will probably have you back looking for another role sooner rather than later.

3. Why?

Again, uncovering what’s driving your choices is key. Why do you want what’s on your dream job list?

What is your core driver?

This is deep work if you’re ready to do it. So many of us still carry around baggage from the past.

Is your why a higher salary? Why?

Is it a need for the stability of ‘enough’ money?

Is a need to feel successful?

Is it a need to feel ‘good enough’ as a partner/parent/provider/employee?

Is it to accumulate enough wealth to retire early? Why?

There are no right or wrong reasons, only your reasons. When you understand the thoughts driving you, you’ll make better choices for yourself and your future. You may even decide you want to make different choices based on what you find.

If you’d like to learn more about your core drivers, look in to Tony Robbins’ six human needs. Understanding your underlying motivations will help you make better decisions and get you into a role you’ll actually love getting up for every day.

4. Who would be a good fit employer?

When thinking about your ideal employer, think beyond culture, values, diversity and inclusivity policies. Consider companies with initiatives to improve work-life balance and employee well-being.

Consider the size and structure of the organisation. Tier 1 used to be the be-all and end-all of the industry but post pandemic, our lives have changed. Have you decided you want something different?

So many builders have smaller teams that provide access to mentoring and learning opportunities you don’t get in larger firms, not to mention a wide variety of day-to-day duties. Tier 1 is still a favourite though, with opportunities to work nationally, internationally and a diverse range of roles & career opportunities.

Consider the employer’s commitment to innovation and adopting new technologies like Building Information Modeling (BIM) or robotics. This shows their willingness to evolve and stay ahead in a rapidly changing industry.

What’s important to you in your employer? Define it.

5. Research the employer properly

Explore Conecta, company websites, social media, and industry publications. Use your current network and also connect with employees on LinkedIn. These firsthand experiences will help you find employers that align with your needs, wants and aspirations.

Stay updated on news articles and press releases about companies you’re interested in. Not only will it help you shortlist companies and give you a feel for how they conduct themselves, it’ll help you in an interview as well. Employers like to know you’re interested enough to do your research on them.

Reach out to people working with companies you’re interested in. Ask questions to gain deeper insights into the employer’s culture, growth opportunities, and day-to-day responsibilities. These conversations will provide you with valuable insider information and give you an edge in pursuing opportunities within that business.

While it’s important to do these typical kinds of research, it’s even more important to get a “look under the hood” of a potential employer. What you see on socials or in media is what a company wants you to see. Not everything is always as it seems from the outside looking in, though.

Take care to seek a wide variety of opinions, as its horses for courses: everyone has different wants and driving needs. While some people’s needs are met, others within that same company may not be. While some people thrive in a business, some people dislike the same employer with a passion. It’s simply what’s going to be a good fit for you (which is why it’s important to understand what you want and why you want it first).

Conclusion

By following these five important steps before you begin your construction management job search , you’ll significantly increase your chances of finding employment that meets all your needs & desires. Take the time to understand your motivations, define your dream role & employer and do real research. This way, you’ll give yourself the best chance for finding a construction management job that makes you feel great every single day.

Editorial Director & Managing Editor, Author
Tracey Rojko, Conecta Co-Founder, is Editorial Director, Managing Editor & sometimes Author of the Conecta Construction News Blog.

Tracey is also a certified Mindset Coach helping people crush the patterns keeping them stuck in groundhog-day.

Connect with Tracey on LinkedIn.

Conecta is online platform that connects construction firms and construction management candidates directly We’re not like other platforms: you apply and deal directly with the employer every, single time. Find out more about use here.

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