Entry
Chloe walks us through the requirements and training required to become a construction project manager. We also go to a construction site with DPR Construction to get an insight into the daily life of a construction project manager.
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Hmm, construction project manager, yes, that's exactly what it sounds like.
The project manager is the person in charge of the construction project and responsible for ensuring that the work is delivered on time and on budget. That's right, you have plans, you have specs, buildings are practically built wrong.
The project manager has to deal with schedules: budgets, subcontracting and supplier communication between stakeholders.
Every day you have to make dozens of decisions to keep working.
There's a reason why project managers earn a lot. Guess what every project needs a manager for. Therefore, here in build your path, we will delve a bit into the role of a project manager and what it takes to become one.
What's up people, this is Chloe. Build your path before we dive in.
Special thanks to our amazing company that sponsors the general contractor and construction management company that builds amazing projects. We'll get to that in a moment, because if you want to go this route, you have to listen to what they have to say.
Therefore, every major construction project, from buildings to bridges and stadiums to roads, has a project manager, sometimes called a "manager".
The Prime Minister is only half of an integral construction team.
The other is the supervisor.
The role of the supervisor is a topic for another film, but first of all you need to know that the supervisor deals with the implementation of the project and PM.
The vast majority of the business aspects of building a workplace are not just bricks and mortar, it takes a lot of time and money.
Legal, regulatory and technical issues must be resolved from start to finish. This means they need an experienced and successful professional to guide them from the moment the contractor wins the project, through a competitive bid or a negotiated contract.
The project manager becomes active.
Usually a PM starts with an introduction to the project, plans, owner, architects and engineers, project manager, part banker, part designer, part lawyer, part diplomat, part boss, but these days every job becomes a project. WSS is a prerequisite for the performance of the manager's duties.
Typically, most construction companies hire applicants with a bachelor's degree in construction management or civil engineering.
These degrees are not exclusive and many companies will consider others.
You just have to be really passionate about educating people with degrees and work experience, because again, passion matters nationally.
According to the Department of Labor, the median salary for post-education construction managers in 2018 in some regions of the country averaged $93,370, entry-level construction managers earn $75,000 to $85,000, and full-benefit project managers can earn $150,000 or earn more annually.
The Labor Department also said the job market is expected to grow by 11 people by 2026.
Some megaprojects have project managers at multiple levels, including junior and senior project managers and project managers. A good communicator is probably the most important skill for APM when working in various positions at the corporate level.
From CEOs to brilliant engineers babbling about project management techno-babble, it usually means a lot of office work.
There are a lot of meetings, phone calls and a lot of time at the computer.
If the thought of sitting in the office all day scares you, don't worry, you still have plenty of time to spend in the field.
For entry-level positions, you'll likely spend more time onsite than in the office during your career, but you'll spend more time in the office than in the field.
There is not much physical development in this career.
So if you're someone who likes to work with your hands or spend all day outside, other career paths may be right for you, and now knowing that our sponsor was the project manager sounds really scary, but our wonderful sponsor was kind enough to give us some first hand experience PM.
So you know what that means.
Trip.
Construction management is fun, um.
Why? Because you learn something every day: there's always a challenge to meet.
You can wake up on Tuesday and face completely new, different challenges than on Thursday.
So if you like flexibility and a kind of change of scenery and something new every day, this might be the field for you.
Days always start early between 6:00 and 30:00 and 7:00 and you always start by meeting your subcontractors to find out what their goal is for the day.
Your plan for today, usually in the morning, is to experience all their problems and try to solve them so you can work with them.
In practice - or you may need to delegate these issues to a project team or team to understand what we do on a day-to-day basis, it's basically about getting other people to do what we need from them when we need them, if not necessarily interested.
So in construction management there is a project team, there is a construction team, we have commercial partners or subcontractors who specialize in their areas and all these people have to come together to deliver the project, and that really takes teamwork.
That is why I value and enjoy problem solving and cooperation.
It is also a very rewarding and fulfilling career because you get to touch something tangible.
Many young people are very afraid of getting their feet dirty.
Internship is the way to go because you have the opportunity to really try and find out if this is really what you want to do and also make a difference because we give interns a real job.
The typical path to entry into construction management is actually one of two paths.
You can level up through professions, develop skills and stay in the field.
You know your way to superintendent if you want or you can stay in office, through project engineer to project management track usually achieved after a four year degree, whether you plan to build or you want to be in the commercial industry and want to build housing or commercial buildings or healthcare projects, or you want to get into high tech.
It is possible to switch from one aspect to another at any time and continue to learn and grow.
So when her passion develops, it's about solving complex problems and challenges and constantly being in a changing environment.
If you have a strong work ethic and are willing to put in time and dedication, this is an extremely rewarding and well-paying field and the world will not stop changing and we are always looking for ways to innovate and work. Create better as your knowledge base grows.
You can take on larger and more complex projects.
A path beyond project management usually leads to senior positions within the company where you can work on talent, recruitment, operations, development and strategic partnerships, you can even acquire an ownership stake in the company or possibly start your own business. We will not stop building, and if every construction project needs a manager.
What are you waiting for? Highly talented, skilled, commercially savvy and communicative construction project managers who will ensure our built environment is built on time and on budget without their heads exploding? Either way, visit buildyourpath.org most days for more information or search online for a study program near you.
Thanks for watching this episode of Build Your Path.
Stay tuned as we create new career videos until next time.
Z.
FAQs
How stressful is being a construction project manager? ›
High stress and pressure: Construction project management can be a high-stress job with tight deadlines and a lot of responsibility. The job often involves managing multiple projects simultaneously, which can be stressful and require a lot of multitasking.
Is it hard to be a construction project manager? ›Construction Managers are in charge of construction projects from beginning to end. This level of responsibility can be very difficult, especially when working in construction, where the product is typically a building or other structure that people will be using every day.
What makes you the ideal candidate for this position project manager answer? ›Project management is a field where people skills can make or break a candidate. If you're less familiar with the technical side of project management, emphasize people skills you have like leadership, communication, and organization.
What questions do you answer when you manage a project answer? ›- Tell me about your favorite project that you've managed and what you enjoyed about it. ...
- What communication style do you use with a team that you're managing? ...
- How do you set project goals? ...
- How do you deal with team conflict?
Project managers are generally happy and there are many reasons for this. Below, we list five of the most important factors that make project management a satisfying career path.
Where do construction project managers make the most money? ›- San Diego, CA. $113,354 per year. 193 salaries reported.
- New York, NY. $110,624 per year. 471 salaries reported.
- Raleigh, NC. $103,943 per year. 252 salaries reported.
- Atlanta, GA. $99,940 per year. ...
- Denver, CO. $99,181 per year. ...
- Show more nearby cities.
The project manager often has a better understanding of the client's goals than the construction manager because of their early involvement in the project. Besides, project managers tend to work more closely with the client and understand their needs outside of their real estate.
Why am I good fit for project manager? ›Talk about your experience and how you exhibit these skills to emphasize what you're good at and sell yourself. Some skills to talk about include strategizing, organization, leadership, teamwork, compassion, communication, relationship management, and software know-how (like ability to use project management software).
How do you pass a project manager interview? ›- Emphasize your knowledge and experience.
- Demonstrate good communication skills .
- Prepare talking points about the different tools used in project management.
- Outline your organization techniques.
- Highlight your focus on customer satisfaction.
What are the 4 main roles of a project manager? ›
Project managers play the lead role in planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing out projects. They are accountable for the entire project scope, the project team and resources, the project budget, and the success or failure of the project.
What is the most important thing a project manager does answer? ›Budget management
One of the most important responsibilities of the project manager is to create a viable budget and control it throughout the lifecycle. Project managers usually need experience to be able to effectively identify where costs are being overrun and what changes they need to make to control the costs.
- Earn a bachelor's degree. Many project managers begin their careers by earning a bachelor's degree, as this is usually the minimum education requirement for the job. ...
- Choose a specialization. ...
- Become certified. ...
- Gain experience. ...
- Network. ...
- Engage in continuous learning. ...
- Build your management skills.
- Good Judgment and Prioritization Abilities. ...
- Effective, Efficient Communication Skills. ...
- Empowers Individuals on the Team. ...
- The Ability to Strategize. ...
- An Expert in the Project's Main Focus. ...
- The Ability to Empathize with Team Members. ...
- Risk Management Insights. ...
- Stays Ahead of the Curve.
The work can be stressful
Because the construction manager is often responsible for delegating tasks and meeting the client's goals, they may be subject to a good degree of stress.
Being that project managers are responsible for the team's coordination and performance throughout a project, the role of a project manager can often be extremely stressful. It is no news that increased stress can negatively impact your productivity, from missing deadlines to going over-budget.
What is it like being a construction project manager? ›Construction project management can look very different depending on the employer and the project type, but generally speaking, the role involves planning and facilitating building projects, first by planning how the work will be done, then by communicating, reviewing, and revising that plan.
What type of personality does a construction project manager have? ›They're super organized.
Construction project managers need to be able to juggle a lot of tasks, sometimes for multiple projects at once. They need to ensure these tasks not only get done, but also get done well and on time. In addition to being organized, it helps to be tech-savvy, which we'll go into next.