How to hire construction managers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, or design professionals to discuss and resolve matters, such as work procedures, complaints, or construction problems. • Determine labor requirements for dispatching workers to construction sites. • Develop or implement quality control programs. • Direct and supervise construction or related workers. • Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations. • Plan, schedule, or coordinate construction project activities to meet deadlines. • Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports. • Prepare contracts or negotiate revisions to contractual agreements with architects, consultants, clients, suppliers, or subcontractors. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Bachelor's degree] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, active learning, monitoring, reading comprehension and speaking skills • Working knowledge of building and construction, administration and management, mathematics and engineering and technology • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $55.28 an hour ($114,990 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for construction managers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, or design professionals to discuss and resolve matters, such as work procedures, complaints, or construction problems. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to determine labor requirements for dispatching workers to construction sites. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to develop or implement quality control programs. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct and supervise construction or related workers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about something new you had to learn quickly for work. How did you learn it?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What construction managers do
- Confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, or design professionals to discuss and resolve matters, such as work procedures, complaints, or construction problems.
- Determine labor requirements for dispatching workers to construction sites.
- Develop or implement quality control programs.
- Direct and supervise construction or related workers.
- Inspect or review projects to monitor compliance with building and safety codes or other regulations.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate construction project activities to meet deadlines.
- Prepare and submit budget estimates, progress reports, or cost tracking reports.
- Prepare contracts or negotiate revisions to contractual agreements with architects, consultants, clients, suppliers, or subcontractors.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for construction managers
- Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree (BLS)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +9.1% over ten years, much faster than average · about 49,700 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay construction managers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| New York | $155,360 |
| Washington | $155,070 |
| Massachusetts | $145,010 |
| Alaska | $139,190 |
| New Jersey | $138,230 |
| Alabama | $96,960 |
| West Virginia | $95,740 |
| Arkansas | $86,310 |
See construction managers pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.