Construction Project Manager Jobs in the United States

Construction Project Manager Jobs Overview

Construction project manager jobs are ideal for people who are highly motivated and organized. In this role, you function as the go-between for clients and construction workers. You help to ensure that the client's final goals for the project are met.

Depending on the workday, you might be doing everything from sitting in an office filing paperwork to walking around a construction site inspecting work. Common duties for construction project managers include creating work schedules, ordering materials, defining project stages, and coordinating with contractors.

You can work a full-time job that comes with many career opportunities and interesting responsibilities. This job lets you put your management skills to the test while still participating in hands-on construction work. It has a higher-than-average salary and a faster-than-average growth rate, so it's a very rewarding career.

Salaries for Construction Project Manager Jobs

As a construction project manager, you can expect an annual salary in the range of $68,000 to $119,000, with a median salary of $97,944 per year. Plus, it's typically a position that comes with benefits like health care.

Construction project manager jobs pay particularly well in big cities. If you have a lot of experience and are willing to take on larger jobs, you can also earn more. Cities where construction managers can earn the most include:

• Atlanta, GA
• New York, NY
• Los Angeles, CA
• Dallas, TX

Would you like to see how much people earn at construction project manager jobs in your city? Check the Monster salary calculator to get helpful salary data.

How to Find the Construction Manager Job That Fits You

Construction project manager jobs come in many shapes and sizes, so you might need to do a little research to find the perfect one for you. Many construction managers start their job hunt by thinking about their skills and experience. Depending on your background, you might want to specialize in things like residential construction, healthcare construction, or other fields.

Check Your Qualifications for the Job

As you look at job postings, pay close attention to the required skills and level of experience. Some construction project manager job descriptions may want more than five years of experience or knowledge of specialized tools like Procore or Autodesk BIM.

Consider Your Goals and the Company's Values

Think about your preferred level of independence at work. Some construction project manager jobs are one-time contracts where you sign up to work for the duration of a building project. Other construction managers prefer to trade independence for reliability, so they work as salaried employees for a construction company that hires them out to work on multiple projects.

Whether you want to work as an employee or independent contractor, pay close attention to the organization offering the job. Take a little time to look them up online, and see whether they have a reputation for being a dependable employer.

In addition to your skills and current workplace preferences, you should also think about your long-term plans. Ideally, you should look for jobs that help you advance your career. Consider things like whether the job gives you experience in your chosen field and whether the employer might provide promotions in the future.

How to Apply for a Construction Project Manager Job

To apply for a job, the first thing you should do is review the job listing carefully. Check to see if the company has any special requests or instructions because you should always follow their guidelines closely. Also, get an idea of exactly what qualifications the company is looking for.

Create a Construction Project Manager Resume

When describing your skills, make sure you include those mentioned in the job listing. Many companies scan resumes with applicant tracking systems (ATS) that filter applications based on resume keywords. Try to include common ones such as contract management, project estimation, civil engineering, cost management, and construction management.

Get your resume to stand out by highlighting soft skills like conflict management, flexibility, and leadership. Keep your resume to a single page, and remember you can leave out irrelevant or outdated information like, "Did musical theater in the 1990s." Take a look at our construction manager resume sample for inspiration.

Write a Strong Cover Letter

Many construction project manager jobs are more casual, so you just need to upload a resume and fill out the company's application form. However, some bigger projects may require a cover letter to land the job. Review this project manager cover letter example, and add concrete examples of how you've successfully managed construction projects in the past to your own letter.

Get Ready to Submit Your Application

Applying for construction project manager jobs is easy with Monster. Not only does signing up for an account let you access helpful features like professional resume reviews, but you can also save your workplace history and other information. Plus easily track all your applications in one place.

How to Follow Up With an Employer

When you submit your application, there's a chance you might not hear back for a day or two. However, if you still haven't heard back within a week, consider sending a follow-up.

The Follow Up Process

A follow-up message should be a polite email to the company's hiring manager. In it, you can express your interest in the job and highlight some of the reasons they should check out your application.

It's also acceptable to follow up if you received a reply to your application but were turned down. This type of follow-up can be a great way to get tips for improving your resume. In some cases, it can even build a personal connection that ensures you get recommended for future jobs at the company.

Interviewing Tips for Construction Project Manager Jobs

A great resume gets your foot in the door, but you also need to perform a solid interview if you want to seal the deal. Construction project manager interviews are important, but you don't need to stress. It's simply a meeting where you can provide more details about yourself and get an idea of whether or not the company would be a good fit.

Prepare for the Interview

Before your interview, make sure you brush up on your technical skills. If you mentioned knowing certain programs on your resume, you'll need to be able to talk about them coherently in the interview. To give yourself a little extra confidence, check out our common interview questions and prepare your own personal answers to them.

Make an Impression During the Interview

Approach each question during your interview as an opportunity to show why you'd be the perfect fit for the job. Construction project manager interviews often work well with the STAR interview technique where you describe a situation, identify a task, explain the actions you took, and discuss your results. This allows you to keep the focus on your skills and shows you have a proven record of being able to handle tricky projects in the past.

Some construction project manager interviews may include a technical portion where you need to do things like balance a budget or order supplies for a hypothetical project. In these situations, it's important to stay calm and approach the project logically. After solving technical problems, being able to discuss your reasoning and confidently explain why your process is the best option will help you stand out.

Follow Up After the Interview

After your interview, it's smart to send a thank-you note to the interviewer within 24 hours. This brief email gives you the chance to clarify anything you forgot to mention in the interview, and it helps to show that you're truly interested in the job. You can also send another follow-up if you don't hear back within a week.

How to Handle a Job Offer

If your interview goes well, you'll hopefully get a call or email letting you know that you got the construction project manager job. Though it's certainly tempting to accept right away, make sure to read their official offer carefully.

Due to the unique nature of this industry, pay close attention to what sort of salary and contract you're being offered. Check to see whether you're being hired as an independent contractor or a salaried employee. If you're a contractor, make sure the offer clearly defines how long the job lasts and how often you get paid.

In some cases, you might end up with competing job offers. To choose between offers, you'll need to closely consider your professional and personal priorities. Some questions you might want to ask yourself include:

• Will this job allow me to make valuable industry contacts?
• Which job provides better benefits, like extended vacation time?
• How will the experience from this position enhance my resume in the future?
• Am I comfortable working the hours that this position will require?

If a job seems promising but has a few potential issues, try negotiating your contract. Negotiation is a common tactic in the construction industry, so your potential employers probably expect you to request a higher salary or other perks. Approach the situation politely but firmly, and emphasize that you're truly looking forward to working for the company.

Career Paths for Construction Project Managers

Many construction project manager jobs lead down a career path that involves more responsibility and additional managerial tasks. You may want to become a construction director or even open your own construction company one day. Some construction project managers transition to being general contractors or the CEO of a construction business.

You might also consider using your knowledge of construction to transition to a related field. Many construction project managers get additional training and become civil engineers, architects, or urban planners.

Another option is to use your organizational and business skills to transition from construction project management to other types of project management. You might want to consider related fields like manufacturing project management or engineering project management.

Whatever career path you choose, additional education may be critical. You might want to consider going back to college and getting bachelor's or master's degrees in related fields like construction, business, or engineering. It can also be worthwhile to take the classes you'll need to pass certification exams from prestigious institutions like The American Institute of Contractors or the Construction Management Association of America.

Similar Occupations

Here are some other jobs that you could check out:

• vice president of construction
• construction engineer superintendent
• construction engineer
• construction estimator
• project manager