Construction managers who are unable to obtain the necessary building permits required for their job will need to look for alternative careers. A construction manager should have a Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Construction Engineering or Civil Engineering along with years of experience in the field. Some companies require candidates to have at least five years of experience as a site supervisor or project engineer, or as both combined while others want seven or even more years before they hire them.
There has never been a better time to explore alternative careers for construction managers. Construction companies, particularly public works and government agencies, are looking for qualified professionals who are able to see contracts through from start to finish. Construction managers use their understanding of business management to stay within budgets and timelines. Reliability is another strong point for this occupation. If you enjoy working in the construction field, alternative careers for construction managers may be perfect for you.
Construction managers are responsible for overseeing the construction of a building or other structure, from planning to completion. They work with architects and engineers to ensure that construction proceeds according to plan, and they oversee all aspects of the project, including budget management. This article also share more information on construction manager career, construction project manager transferable skills.
But what if you’re not into building things? What if you’re more interested in managing people than managing buildings? Well, there are still plenty of careers for construction managers who want to work with people instead of concrete and steel. Here are some alternative careers for construction managers:
- Construction lawyer: If you love the law but hate working with people who aren’t lawyers, consider switching to construction law. This specialty focuses on contractual disputes between parties involved in construction projects, such as contractors and subcontractors who have worked together on a particular project but can’t agree on money owed or services rendered. Construction lawyers help resolve these issues by assisting clients with drafting contracts that reflect their needs and interests while also protecting themselves against potential lawsuits down the road.
- Construction consultant: If you’ve got experience managing projects from start to finish, and you’re looking for an opportunity to do something different without leaving your field altogether (or going back to school), consider becoming a consultant.
Alternative careers for construction managers
Engineering manager
Engineering managers typically come from a background in engineering and often hold a bachelor degree in the specific field of engineering. They must also have a professional engineering license, which requires extensive training and testing. This can be done through one of two ways: (1) earning an accredited master’s degree in business administration (MBA), with an emphasis on engineering management; or (2) earning a master’s degree in engineering management. Some employers may require that you possess at least five years of experience before applying for this position.
Facilities manager
A facilities manager is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all buildings and equipment within an organization. The job can also include oversight of outside vendors, such as a cleaning crew. Facilities managers also may be responsible for training and supervising a maintenance staff.
The duties performed by facilities managers vary depending on the position, but they typically involve:
- Inspecting structures to assess damage or wear; repairing broken items; correcting unsafe conditions; managing inventory and ordering supplies
- Evaluating facility usage to determine whether changes are needed (such as relocating office furniture or adding more parking spaces); developing long-term plans for space utilization (including new building construction)
Director of security
The director of security is responsible for creating and maintaining a safe, secure environment for the company. This includes implementing practices that reduce the risk of theft, as well as educating employees on how to stay safe both in the office and on work sites.
As with many other roles in construction management, it’s possible to become a director of security with an education focused on construction management or business administration. You can also pursue training through professional organizations like ISSA (International Safety Specialists Association).
Health and safety manager
Health and safety managers are responsible for ensuring that employees and the public are protected from workplace hazards. As a health and safety manager, you’ll be responsible for enforcing regulations, training employees in safe working practices and maintaining a healthy, safe workplace. Additionally, you may have to monitor the workplace to make sure that it is safe as well as report any hazards to management.
Health and safety managers must have at least a bachelor’s degree in business or engineering; however most employers prefer candidates who hold at least an associate’s degree or higher. Most employers also require previous experience in this field or other related fields such as construction management or project management.
Project manager
As a project manager, you’ll be responsible for managing the planning, execution and completion of projects. You’ll also manage and direct team members working on each project, work with vendors to ensure that they’re meeting your needs, coordinate with stakeholders to ensure that everyone is happy with how things are going (and if not, help fix it), anticipate and plan for potential risks (such as budget issues), manage communication throughout the organization about everything from status updates to problems or delays with certain aspects of the project(s) being managed by you at any given time in order to keep everyone informed about what’s happening so that they can make decisions accordingly.
You’ll also be responsible for managing quality control during production stages so there are no mistakes made when building whatever product/product line(s) we’re talking about here; ensuring procurement is done correctly (i.e., getting exactly what’s needed at prices negotiated between buyer & seller); tracking progress against metrics set forth by yourself or another person within management who oversees multiple teams within an organization like this one—and more!
Construction managers have many options.
If you are a construction manager and have been thinking about a career change, you may be wondering what other jobs could be a good fit for your unique skillset. Luckily, there are many options! There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to transitioning from construction management into another industry. However, there are some common traits that people with experience in project planning and safety management will find useful in the workplace:
- Project Planning
- Safety Management
- Risk Management
construction manager career
As a construction manager, you will be responsible for overseeing all the logistics of a construction project. Duties may include creating work schedules for your team, and allocating responsibilities. You might also be required to conduct site visits and report to senior managers on project progress.
The role of a construction manager involves the following duties:
- Overseeing the logistical requirements of a project
- Delegating work to colleagues within your team
- Meeting regularly with clients, third parties and other managers to report on progress
- Setting targets, objectives and responsibilities for all supervised staff
- Regularly reviewing timings, budget, labour, risk and project plans to ensure work stays on track
- Setting and agreeing budgets
- Conducting site visits to inspect work, check materials and ensure staff are following health and safety guidelines
- Dealing with contracts and mitigating the impact of any issues
- Ensuring the delivery of high-quality work within contract timescales
- Working in an office and on a construction site.
construction project manager transferable skills
The success of a Project Manager is determined by the level of efficiency in achieving the project’s primary objective, regardless of industry.
The ability to manage projects effectively often depends on a Project Manager’s core set of skills. For example, a successful Project Manager must be able to identify and mitigate risk, manage challenging stakeholders, and fulfill the project deliverables.
Communication, stakeholder management, and planning in support of execution: these are the essential skills that all Project Managers must either possess or develop regardless of the industry.
Communication
In Project Management, communication is an essential skill for successful project delivery. According to PMI, 1 out of 5 projects are unsuccessful due to ineffective communications.
Without effective communication, the risk of misalignment emerges, leading to inefficient workflows that can ultimately reduce the project’s value. It is also fundamental in managing relationships and influencing project teams. As Project Managers, we place our highest efforts on continually improving our communication skills, which can facilitate our transition into new industries.
Stakeholder Management
The Project Manager role has expanded from performing technical activities to requiring leadership skills in order to influence others. Stakeholder involvement is critical to the success of any project to ensure it delivers optimal value. Alternatively, the complex demands of stakeholders can produce disruptive scope modifications.
Deborah Vogwell, in her paper presented at the PMI Global Congress on Stakeholder Management, states that, “It is important that Project Managers strike the right balance between stakeholder involvement and isolation of the project from external influence, to achieve delivery on cost and time, but also to maximize the benefit for the client and stakeholders.”
It is important that Project Managers strike the right balance between stakeholder involvement and isolation of the project from external influence, to achieve delivery on cost and time, but also to maximize the benefit for the client and stakeholders.- Deborah Vogwell
This ability to navigate stakeholder’s influence helps Project Managers enter new industries and promptly provide value.
Planning
Finally, project planning is another transferable skill that supports a Project Manager’s transition into a new industry by discovering and documenting the necessary actions for successful project execution.
Effective Project Managers accurately identify requirements early in the planning stage to avoid delays and wasting precious resources. Additionally, tracking and reporting project metrics allows the team to monitor the progress of the project. These metrics enable the Project Manager to translate data into actionable items that support project execution. Being skilled in project planning, monitoring, and execution can further facilitate a Project Manager’s shift into new industries.
However, as with any new role, there are challenges and a learning curve that requires navigating.
Common Challenges
Some of the most common hurdles Project Managers will need to overcome are knowledge gaps and industry standards. These knowledge gaps include technical terminology, strategic perspective, and market conditions. Other common challenges are understanding the most valuable aspects of Project Management practices within the different industries.
These challenges may be daunting and can cause Project Managers to second guess their desire to enter a new industry. While these concerns are valid, Project Managers should know they are still able to change industries and become valuable assets to any organization. Here are three tips that helped us in making the transition.
