Story by Gemma Beasley / October 3, 2022
Project lists are an essential part of applying for new jobs in construction. They can make the difference between securing an interview or not and can help improve your performance in interviews because you will have real-life examples you can draw from and talk through.
Firstly – Create a separate document
Have your resume as one document and your project list as a separate one. This is better than continuing to add extra pages to your resume and will be easier for a potential employer to read and digest. In the example I send to candidates, I break it down into these six columns:
It’s never too early (or late) to create a project list
Graduates/ entry-level – Adding each project to your list from the start of your career will save you time as you progress throughout your career and allow you to share a project list with a potential employer quickly. Add projects you worked on during internships or summer breaks, too; it will all help build a picture of your experience, even at the very start of your career.
More experienced professionals – even if you aren’t looking for a new job and have no intention of doing so anytime soon, it’s still worth putting together a project list and keeping it updated. Many of you will have had one put together for you by your current employer, and it is an excellent way to help you succeed when your team is attending client interviews by drawing on your previous experience.
Regardless of how much or little experience you have, if you add to this list every time you complete a project, you will save yourself lots of time (and stress) in the future.
How many projects should I include?
Include all job sizes and sectors, don’t leave anything out when you start. This will show versatility and breadth of experience and make it easier for you to pick out specific examples based on the company and job(s) you apply to. You can then highlight those as part of the application and interview process.
If you’d like further information on this, or to request this in a word document please send an email to gemma@hudsoncoopersearch.com and I’ll send you the template.
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