Superintendent Resume Examples

When seeking a job as a superintendent, you’ll need to create a resume that gives potential employers a chance to see what you can contribute to their business. To do this, it can be helpful to look at superintendent resume samples in order to get clear on how to create a resume that is compelling and professional-looking. In this guide, in addition to resume samples, you’ll learn what sections to include on your resume, how to format the document, and what mistakes to avoid.

The type of material you will want to include in your resume will depend on your own background and experience, as well as the type of superintendent positions to which you’ll be applying. For example, building superintendents, school superintendents, and the superintendent of a construction site will all have very different resumes as candidates need to tailor their application to the position in question.

Accordingly, there’s no one right way to format your resume, as this will be your own unique document. At the same time, there are certain general principles that apply equally to every type of superintendent resume. You should, for example, include at least the following sections.

• Summary Statement
• Skills
• Education
• Work Experience

Before creating your resume, you should determine whether you want to use the chronological or functional style. Chronological resumes, which focus primarily on work experience, are the best choice if you have experience as a superintendent. A functional resume is more appropriate if you lack relevant experience and want to highlight your skills instead. This format can also be useful for independent contractors who may have worked on a variety of jobs simultaneously. By looking at both chronological and functional superintendent resume samples, you can get a better idea of which would serve you best.

When you study superintendent resume samples, you’ll observe that these documents usually begin with a summary statement. This is a brief and well-organized section, consisting of between one and three sentences, that gives prospective employers an overview of what you have to offer as a superintendent. You’ll want to tailor this statement to the type of superintendent job you’re applying for.

Because there are a wide variety of superintendent positions, each demanding a different set of responsibilities, you want to be sure to address the demands of each business. For this reason, you’ll need to revise this part of your resume slightly for each job application. In all cases, however, you should always focus on emphasizing your most impressive skills and experience. The following are some examples of how the summary statement might read for different superintendent positions.

• Experienced construction superintendent with excellent communication and leadership skills. Has a Construction Trades certificate and is knowledgeable about all aspects of the construction industry. Able to supervise and monitor teams and ensure that high standards are met at all times.
• Building superintendent with thorough familiarity of building maintenance, plumbing, heating, and electrical systems. Has a hands-on approach and is able to multitask effectively. Able to work on solo projects as well as supervise teams.
• School superintendent with a decade of experience overseeing operations, managing budgets, and implementing educational programs in a variety of school environments. Able to liaison with teachers and other school employees and local civic leaders on issues such as curricula, budgeting, and school policies. Strong communicator and able to motivate and bring people together for common goals.

In the education section of your resume, you will want to include all of your educational experience from high school and beyond; though, if you have a college degree, you do not need to mention your high school diploma. You should also list any technical or vocational schools that you attended. Certain types of superintendent jobs only require a high school diploma, while others require a college degree. When studying superintendent resume samples, you’ll notice that applicants list any aspects of their education that are important for the type of positions they are applying for.

If you are applying for a construction-related superintendent job, for example, it would be helpful to list any licenses or certificates that you’ve obtained in the construction industry. For school superintendent jobs, your academic background will be extremely important, so be sure to list not only your degrees but any extracurricular activities that show your strengths. For any type of superintendent position, you will want to list any activities that demonstrated your communication, problem-solving, and leadership skills. Any honors you received should be mentioned. It’s not necessary to mention your grade point average. However, if your GPA was 3.5 or above, you may want to include it.

The way you organize the work experience section of your resume will depend on whether you are using the chronological or functional style resume. If it’s a chronological resume, you will be highlighting your work experience by listing your previous jobs in reverse chronological order. Always list your job title first, followed by the company name, company location, and dates of employment. You’ll also want to describe what you did at each position, emphasizing as many specific accomplishments as possible. Use bullet points to make this part of your resume as reader-friendly as possible, and consider making your achievements quantifiable so the potential employer can clearly see how you positively affected the bottom line of a business.

If you’re building a functional resume, you will highlight your skills rather than work experience. You still should include a work experience section, but you will only need to detail the position, company name, company location, and dates; leave out the details about your contributions and duties as you’ll cover this in the skills section. Refer to superintendent resume samples for guidance on what to include on both types of resumes.

No matter what type of superintendent job you’re interested in, you should always include as many action verbs as possible in the work experience section. This helps potential employers see how you can be an asset to their business, school, or building. The following are some action verbs that can help make your superintendent resume more compelling.

• Installed
• Calculated
• Supervised
• Negotiated
• Repaired
• Budgeted
• Mediated
• Operated
• Maintained
• Planned
• Managed

The skills section of your resume is emphasized in a functional resume but is also important to include in a chronological resume. As is the case in superintendent resume samples, you will want to use this section to list any skills and abilities that align with the job description and that cover any attributes that you haven’t detailed in previous parts of your document. For building superintendents, this might include knowledge of repairs, heating, plumbing, and electricity.

Superintendents for construction sites need strong communication skills as well as familiarity with construction procedures. School superintendents may have to draw upon skills such as operating various computer and networking systems, working with school staff, talking to political leaders on matters such as school budgets, and developing educational programs. Communication and leadership skills are helpful for any type of superintendent position. Again, it’s vital that what you include in this section reflects the needs outlined in the job description.

When you look at superintendent resume samples, you’ll want to notice not only what should be included but also mistakes to avoid. Most employers read lots of resumes, so they are often quite critical and quick to spot anything that brands you as less than professional in your approach. The following are some common resume mistakes you should avoid.

• Sloppy formatting. You want your resume to look neat and well organized. If there are problems with the formatting, such as too many spaces between words/paragraphs or different sized fonts used in the same section, it will look unprofessional. You should also test to make sure that the formatting looks right when you send the resume as an email attachment.
• Absence of keywords. Many employers now use software to scan resumes for keywords. That’s why you should research the keywords that are desirable for the type of superintendent position you’re seeking and be sure these are present in your document. Otherwise, your resume could be overlooked by employers who might otherwise be a good match for your job search.
• Your resume hasn’t been updated recently. Sending out an outdated resume can destroy your chances of getting an interview. Make sure the resume you are sending out has the latest information regarding your contact information, work experience, skills, and education.
• Focusing on skills that don’t match job requirements. This is a mistake that’s easy to make if you’re changing careers or industries. Even if your experience is limited, you want to focus on the skills that prospective employers are looking for. For example, if you are applying for a job as a building superintendent, it would not be helpful to emphasize your computer programming skills.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that jobs for construction managers, a job description that closely matches that of construction superintendent, will grow by 16 percent faster than average between 2012 and 2022. This is a considerably higher growth rate than that of the national industry average, which is 11 percent. Job opportunities will depend on factors such as the health of the construction industry in different locations. The BLS predicts that job opportunities for this type of position will be best for applicants who hold at least a bachelor’s degree.

Although the BLS does not list job growth estimates for school superintendents, they do estimate that job growth for postsecondary school administrators is expected to be 15 percent. Regardless of the type of superintendent position you are seeking, having a strong resume is one of the most effective ways to get job interviews. Studying superintendent resume samples can help you create resumes that highlight your best qualities.