In the construction industry, finding work may not have been difficult for you – it’s a demanding field and many people aren’t up for the long hours and heavy labor. So, while it may seem to some that there are more jobs than workers available, some of the steadier and better paying jobs may be for companies that are able to screen candidates and only hire the very best.

When you’re applying for a competitive job that may have many applicants, you’ll probably be asked to submit a resume. If writing about your accomplishments and formatting fancy-looking documents aren’t your thing, we’ve got you covered in this how-to resume preparation guide.

What Information Should Be Included?

It’s a safe bet that your resume should include at least sections for education, experience, and certifications/professional organizations. You may also choose to include a summary statement, a section on skills, and a section for volunteer/community involvement, depending on how much experience you have. Here’s what is generally included for each section:

Education: List your formal education (usually just the highest level you’ve completed and any technical/vocational schooling). This is usually the first section of your resume if you’ve completed your education recently. It should go after the experience entry if you’ve got a few solid years of relevant experience in the field.

Experience: List the jobs you’ve had with the most recent first and include the dates. More on how to write this section below.

Certifications/Professional Organizations: What extra certifications do you hold or what professional organizations do you belong to?

Summary Statement: This section is optional and replaces the old-fashioned “objective.” Your summary can give hiring personnel a quick glimpse of what you offer their company. It should be a few sentences highlighting your experience and how you can benefit them. This is about what you offer, not what you want out of the job. Usually best placed near the top.

Skills: If your work experience doesn’t fully convey what skills you can offer, this section is a way to beef up your resume. For example, you may have a woodworking hobby even though you’ve never been paid for your carpentry skills. Only include relevant skills here.

Volunteer/Community Involvement: If your resume is sparse or you’re new to the field, this is an optional section to fill in some extra space and show that you’re a community-minded citizen.

How to Write Accomplishments

In the “Experience” section, you want to list your accomplishments and responsibilities in a way that showcases what you can bring to a position you’re applying for. Avoid the word “I” here or in any part of your resume and focus on what you achieved. Some examples:

● Supervised on-site safety trainings and developed safety resources for new hires.
● Managed a framing crew of three people.
● Worked with subcontractors to develop schedules and followed through to make sure projects were completed on time.

It’s helpful to look at the “minimum requirements” and “job responsibilities” sections of the job post you’re applying for, which will often include a list of skills they want. Your goal is to show how your experience qualifies you to fulfill the position.

How to Design Your Resume

There are many free resources available to design your resume, like Cultivated Culture, Indeed, or Resume.com. These websites all have free options, although there are many other paid services as well.

If writing and designing your resume is still a daunting task, your local library, county employment office, or university business development center may offer free resume writing help. It’s worth contacting these places to see if they do or if they know of other local options you can use.

We hope these tips are helpful! When was the last time you updated your resume? Did you need a resume to get your current job?