Thinking about getting into the construction field? Ireland’s construction industry is experiencing strong growth, which means there is a significant demand for new workers. However, there are plenty of applicants, which means that you could be overlooked in favour of someone else. To help avoid that, you need to ensure that you are seen as the best candidate for the job. How do you achieve that? Here are a few crucial tips.
1. Your CV Matters
First and foremost, if you have already completed your education and are in the job market actively seeking a construction job, then you need to give your CV a close look. Make sure that all relevant experience and education is highlighted, but you also need to double-check for things like spelling errors, typos, and the like. Anything that might make it seem as though you were asleep at the wheel when writing the CV needs to be remedied.
2. Your Experience Matters
If you have construction industry experience of any sort, make sure that information stands out in your CV. Even if you only spent a summer helping your uncle build a barn in the country, that can make a difference, particularly if the hirer is comparing you to someone who has never used a hammer in their life. Experience, no matter how minimal it might be, matters a lot.
3. Your Education Matters
Another crucial consideration here is your education. Sure, hirers are going to be looking for those with a basic education, but they are particularly interested in potential new hires who have taken the initiative to complete construction training courses on their own. Core safety and building programmes, building regulation programmes, site management programmes, tendering courses – these are just a few of the options available to you.
4. Consider an Unpaid or Entry-Level Position
It could be well worth your time to consider an unpaid internship position, or an entry-level trainee position, particularly if you have an interest in construction but no formal experience. These positions often translate into short-order hiring. In other words, employers look to those within their organisation first and then hire outside.
5. Find the Right Specialty
Last but not least, make sure you’ve chosen the right speciality. There are plenty of different career paths within the construction industry, and they’re not all the right fit for every worker. Are your skills better suited for tiling? Are you a better fit for carpentry? What about pipe-fitting or electrical work? You get the idea.
Ultimately, these five tips will help you become the best candidate for a construction job.