Advise In Applying For Construction Jobs

Are you thinking about finally making that move within the construction industry that you've been considering for a while? It can be a daunting task and hard to know where to begin if you haven't applied for a role recently! We thought we should share a few helpful tips to help you prepare, so here goes...

THE CV

Writing a good construction CV and being well prepared for the all-important job interview are vital components in getting noticed, nailing the interview and consequently starting your dream new construction job. This blog will look at these components and offer some advise from our experienced consultants in making sure you are ready when the opportunity presents itself.

Regardless of the industry, first impressions count and a neat and carefully presented CV represents an individual who cares about what they do. Good layout and presentation means nothing if bad punctuation, spelling and grammar litter the writing so be careful to spell check thoroughly. Some areas of the CV benefit from bullet points, especially when listing your most impressive achievements in your personal profile so try to single out 3-5 of your key selling point to list in a quick and easily digestible format.

Industry qualifications and relevant experience from previous construction industry jobs will certainly be brought up in the interview process, so be sure to be honest and truthful with details you give in your CV as you will likely have to provide evidence of the experience at a later date!

THE JOB INTERVIEW

If your CV ticks enough boxes for your prospective employer you may well be invited for an interview, at which point, preparation is the key to success. Here are a few of our tips:  

Estimate travelling time and allow plenty of extra time for getting stuck in traffic, trains running late etc. This also applies for virtual meetings; leave plenty of time to spare for computer glitches!  Check your software and headset are installed and are working in good time before the meeting start time! Appropriate dress is also important even if it just means wearing a shirt and tie on a videocall.  It is better to overdress than to underdress and regret it.

Avoid detailed negative comments about any previous employers as this can reflect badly on you. Consider your answer before starting a response to a difficult question and if needed, ask the interviewer to explain the question further before starting to answer it. You generally want to portray a confident demeanor, displaying positivity and enthusiasm while remembering that it’s not just the answer you give that matters but also the manner in which you handle the questions.

If you are thinking about taking the next step in your construction career and would like some further advise on how to put your CV together or master the interview process, feel free to reach out to our experienced team for a confidential chat, its what we do! Just give us a call today: 0115 900 3171