Finding your perfect role in the construction industry

With so many different career paths to choose from in the construction industry, Randstad offers some guidance, explaining how you can find the perfect role to suit your soft skills and professional talents.

The construction industry offers stability in uncertain times. Even as the Brexit debate rages on, the sector provides some certainty with the recent Queen’s Speech promising infrastructure spending, the continuation of the HS2 rail project, and a commitment to more house building. 

However, the industry is still not fully understood. Far from being just about manual labour, construction encompasses jobs relating to engineering, surveying, urban planning and many other roles. 

Working in the construction industry

With so many different career paths to choose from, finding your perfect role in construction is not easy. Job candidates will need to possess the required professional qualifications for their chosen role, but also the right soft skills to thrive in the industry. 

Just take engineering as an example. Most candidates would be aware that a degree from a reputable university is a must, but having a successful career relies on more than just paper credentials. 

Attention to detail is vital in the field of engineering, as it is in many other construction roles. The smallest mistake can undermine an entire project, whether you’re designing a housing estate or a solar farm. 

Likewise, communication skills are hugely important for jobs as diverse as an architect or a road worker. The vast majority of construction jobs involve team efforts, which means communication skills are essential. 

Using soft skills

Understanding where your soft skills and professional talents would be best deployed can be another challenge. There is a lack of awareness surrounding the multitude of different construction jobs available. 

Therefore, the first step to finding your perfect role in the construction industry begins with exploring your options. Think carefully about whether your interests and experience would be better suited managing others on a construction site or carrying out tasks yourself, such as plumbing or painting.

Once you’ve settled on a role, create a personal plan outlining the skills you need, and how you can acquire them. 

The benefit of the choosing a career in the construction industry is that there are many routes that you can take. The industry is also becoming more inclusive, welcoming a higher proportion of female employees. 

With so much variety on offer, the biggest challenge facing you could be bringing some direction to your chosen career path. If you visit Randstad and use the career-match tool, however, you’ll see which of your soft skills are suited to each particular job role, which should help you narrow your options in this thriving industry.