One major contributor to employee burnout is boredom. When you aren’t being challenged in your job, your job satisfaction and motivation can plummet. When you lack stimulation or meaning in your job, it could be a sign that you are ready for something more, a sign that it is time for you to move up and take on greater responsibility on the job site.
Construction jobs run a high risk of becoming routine. Some workers find that comforting, while others are looking for something more. Are you ready for your next career challenge? Check out these five areas you can focus on to show the job site manager or superintendent that you are ready to accelerate your advancement.
Take it a step further
If you want the decision makers to see you as leadership material, you’ll need to show them in every action you take – big or small. Come in early and get a head start on the tasks for the day. Keep your area clean and organized and help others keep their workspaces safe, too. Let your boss know that you feel ready for a promotion and offer to take on a few new responsibilities to prove it. Most importantly, don’t just sit there and wait for a promotion to come your way, go out and get it.
Communicate effectively on all levels
Managers need to be able to communicate with workers above, below and on the same level. By enhancing your communication skills, you show that you can guide and direct the entire crew toward a safe and on-time project completion. Make suggestions about places on the site that could be run more efficiently. For example, if the carpenters constantly have to walk across the site to get access to tools that the skilled laborers also use, suggest a system that makes them more convenient for both groups, thus increasing their productivity. That kind of initiative can open doors to management roles.
Take on leadership opportunities
In order to move into management, you need to show you can manage – both projects and people. Ask to take the lead on a new project or volunteer to work on a committee that strives to improve. Showing you can succeed in project-based leadership roles shows you’re ready for a permanent supervisory spot. However, don’t become a door mat! You’re not doing these tasks for free; you’re doing them for a better future. Be sure to commit yourself to a specific time frame before you expect to be compensated for the additional work.
Collaborate with electricians, heavy equipment operators and dry wall installers
In other words, you need to show you can work with and get along with everyone. Management, no matter their work experience, will always have to lead other employees fairly. Collaboration is more than just sharing projects; it means listening to everyone’s issues equally and creating solutions that balance individual and project success. By taking on more collaborative roles, you can prove you work well with others and display your commitment to the company’s needs and goals.
Get up close with upper management
If those who decide who to promote have no idea who you are, how can you ever climb up the ladder? It’s time to make your presence known! Sit in on meetings, hand-deliver updates and start discussions over project progress with people either in those senior-level positions or who communicate with them daily. Don’t step on the foreman’s toes by going over his head, but show that you can hold your own at a management level.
If you feel stagnant in your position, don’t act like it. If there’s a drop in your productivity, you could lose your spot for advancement. Instead, channel those feelings into motivation for a promotion. This is the perfect time to create opportunities for yourself. Unsure how or where to start? Let the experienced recruiters at CCS Construction Staffing help. Give us a call and we can connect you with some of the top construction firms looking for management potential.