Moving into construction management is a logical transition for people who already have extensive experience in hands-on construction and want to improve their earnings and expand their job opportunities. This is a career suited for people who see beyond the work assignment given to them on any given day by a construction supervisor to the big picture and understand how everyone’s work around them contributes to the finished project. Practical study on the job, alongside a bachelor’s or associate degree, is the best training you can get for a career in construction management, according to the Princeton Review.
Construction management is a smart choice for those who seek a career in management, but hate the thought of spending all of their time in an office doing the same thing over and over. With construction management, it is possible to have a great deal of variety within one construction project and also from project to project. If you want to take charge and exercise your ability to lead a team, construction management is right for you.
If you consider yourself to be a good verbal and written communicator and highly organized, construction management could be a wise career choice for you. Construction managers must be able to maintain a good rapport with a reliable list of contractors, various project owners and their investors, local and state officials and the people who work under them. After all, word of mouth on your solid performance as a construction manager is what will take you far in this industry. Construction managers often act as liaisons between the owner and contractors, another reason good communication and negotiation skills are needed here.
Construction management is right for you if you are open to a career that could involve a lot of travel. Construction managers travel frequently because work sites are often far from the manager’s home office, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. You may even travel out of the state or country and work out of field offices so you can keep an eye on projects.