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Category: Job Search Advice

Maximising Your LinkedIn Profile for EU Construction Job Opportunities 

Posted on by Konstrukt Resourcing

If you’re an experienced construction professional, global opportunities beckon. It would be naive to underestimate the power of LinkedIn in the technical and professional industries. It remains the go-to hub for job seekers and recruiters, offering a vast pool of talent and opportunities.  

From our vantage point in construction recruitment services, we’ve seen firsthand how candidates’ well-crafted LinkedIn profiles can be their key to landing exciting international job opportunities in pharma, data centre, and battery tech construction sectors across Europe.  

In this article, we’ll show you how to optimise your LinkedIn profile, get noticed by relevant employers and present yourself as a top-running candidate ready to seize any opportunity in your field. 

How to Optimise your LinkedIn Profile 

Craft an engaging headline 

Your headline is the first thing potential employers see on LinkedIn aside from your profile picture, so make it count. Write an attention-grabbing headline that highlights your expertise, spotlight your industry, job function, and any pertinent experience you have. For instance, your headline might read, Project Manager | Data Construction | International Experience. 

Use a professional profile photo 

A picture is worth a thousand words, and on LinkedIn, your profile photo can speak volumes about your professionalism. Choose a high-quality, professional image that presents you in a positive and approachable light. Dress appropriately for your intended industry and make sure your picture conveys your reliability. It’s best to avoid including your family, dog, or pub friends in your profile picture — keep it simple and straightforward! 

Personalise your summary 

Your LinkedIn summary is your chance to introduce yourself to the world. Customise it to underscore your background, language skills, and cross-cultural proficiencies. Share your notable job accomplishments and express your eagerness to work in a global setting; this is your opportunity to tell your story and connect with potential employers. 

Showcase your language skills 

In the global job market, fluency in multiple languages holds significant value. Specify the languages you are proficient in and indicate your level of proficiency. If you possess language certifications, make sure to include them.  

Emphasise your international experience 

Your international experience is a precious asset. A detailed account of any international work experience, such as cross-border projects, internships, or study abroad programmes, will add heft to your profile. Highlight the skills and cultural insights you’ve gained from these experiences, demonstrating your adaptability and global perspective. 

Use relevant keywords 

Conduct research to identify keywords commonly used in your target industry. You can then incorporate these keywords into your profile, including your headline, summary, experience section and skills. Keywords help your profile appear in relevant searches and show you understand the jargon of your industry. 

According to LinkedIn, recruiters are now 50% more likely to search for candidates based on their skills, so be sure to weave the corresponding keywords into the skills section of your profile. 

Build a strategic network 

LinkedIn is all about connections, so be sure to connect with professionals and companies within your desired location or industry. If you have little to no connections on your profile, start by connecting with people you currently or have previously worked with.  

Connecting with new people on LinkedIn allows you to engage in conversations and join relevant industry groups, which can be effective ways to expand your professional network. The broader your network, the more expansive your reach. 

Seek recommendations 

Another way to connect with colleagues or clients you’ve worked with is to provide endorsements for their skills, as this can encourage them to return the favour. Just ensure you’ve added relevant skills to your profile first so you can receive endorsements as well.  

Recommendations and endorsements from colleagues and clients who can vouch for your expertise can add credibility to your profile and build trust with potential employers. 

Display relevant certifications 

If you have certifications or qualifications valued in your target job market, such as project management credentials or industry-specific qualifications, list each one on your profile. These certifications are like stamps of approval, showcasing your expertise. 

Stay active and engaged on LinkedIn 

Setting aside some time each week to consistently post and engage with content on LinkedIn is a powerful way to demonstrate your knowledge and passion for your industry. By regularly engaging with the platform, you can highlight your interest in industry trends and increase your chances of spotting job opportunities.  

Remember, your LinkedIn profile is your digital business card. When you optimise it to its full potential, it can open doors to exciting new opportunities on a global scale. 

Connect With Konstrukt 

Ready to find your next job opportunity in Europe? Take action by connecting with Konstrukt on LinkedIn. We offer construction recruitment services and direct access to jobs across Europe’s thriving pharma, data centre, and battery tech construction sectors. Or contact us directly to get started — our friendly team is ready to help. 

How to Become a Construction Site Supervisor?

Posted on by Konstrukt Resourcing

In the dynamic construction industry, scaling up and advancing your career can be an exciting and rewarding journey boasting several benefits – from increased responsibilities and payment to opportunities for skills development.

Whether you already working in the industry or starting from scratch, read on to discover key strategies for becoming a Construction Site Supervisor.

What is a Construction Site Supervisor?

A Construction Site Supervisor works to oversee teams/projects on construction sites, ensuring they are smoothly executed. They are responsible for managing and coordinating various aspects of the construction process, from planning/organising resources to monitoring team progress and resolving any issues that arise during a project. Some of the key skills, knowledge and requirements of a Construction Site Supervisor include:

  • Project management: Site Supervisors require fantastic project management skills, ensuring that work is carried out according to the schedule, specifications and quality standards. They must also coordinate with contractors, subcontractors and other stakeholders to ensure project execution.
  • Building & construction knowledge: A detailed knowledge of the workings of a construction site is the bread and butter of a Construction Site Supervisor. From understanding building and construction processes, techniques, materials and industry standards, this specialised knowledge allows a Site Supervisor to effectively oversee and evaluate the progress and quality of construction work.
  • Flexibility: Construction projects can be unpredictable, and Construction Site Supervisor jobs require adaptability and flexibility. An ideal candidate should be able to handle changing priorities, unexpected challenges and evolving project requirements while maintaining productivity and meeting deadlines.
  • Health and safety awareness: A strong understanding of health and safety regulations and practices is crucial for a construction site supervisor. One of their many responsibilities is ensuring compliance with safety guidelines – this includes regular safety inspections and proactively addressing any potential hazards or risks to maintain a safe working environment.
  • Communication & interpersonal skills: Effective communication is another essential skill for a Construction Site Supervisor, who constantly interacts with stakeholders such as construction teams, clients, architects and subcontractors. Strong interpersonal skills enable them to build positive working relationships, resolve conflicts and facilitate smooth collaboration among team members.
  • Full driver’s license: A full driving license is often required for construction site supervisors. They may need to travel to different construction sites, meet with stakeholders, or transport equipment and materials as part of their responsibilities.

Whether you are an experienced construction worker or someone with other business experience looking to move into the UK construction market (valued at a whopping $467.8 billion USD in 2022), each will bring you one step closer to becoming a Construction Site Supervisor!

Assess Your Current Position

The first step in your journey towards becoming a Construction Site Supervisor is evaluating your current position and skillset. This will help you identify any knowledge or experience gaps that must be addressed. Consider the following steps:

  • Self-assess: Evaluate your strengths, weaknesses and areas of interest within the construction industry. Reflect on your current role and determine if you possess the necessary skills and qualifications for a supervisor position. Do you need more experience or training with project management, or do you already have a background in leadership? Do you feel you know the ins and outs of a construction site?
  • Job market research: Investigate your region’s requirements and expectations for Construction Site Supervisors. Understand the certifications, qualifications and competencies that are sought after by employers. You can do this by searching for job vacancies online, seeing what they are after, or undertaking research. For example, the UK National Careers Service has a comprehensive guide to the role, including average salaries, pathways, skills required and day-to-day tasks of a Construction Site Supervisor.

Enhance Your Knowledge and Skills

Now that you’ve reflected on your knowledge, skill gaps, and strengths, it’s essential to fill any gaps to increase your chances of scaling up to a Construction Site Supervisor. Consider the following avenues, depending on your experience:

  • On-the-job training: If you are already working on construction sites, seek opportunities to expand your expertise by taking on additional responsibilities or assisting current supervisors on-site. Actively engage with experienced professionals will allow you to observe their leadership and management techniques, giving you a much needed leg-up into the role.
  • Professional certifications: You may find it beneficial to obtain a relevant certification in construction site supervision. In the UK, there are two key requirements for those looking to become a Site Supervisor – a CITB Site Supervision Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) Certificate and the Gold CSCS card.
  • Leadership and communication: Leadership and communication are paramount for Construction Site Supervisors. Whether in a work setting or otherwise, constantly seek opportunities to develop these skills – whether through workshops, seminars, or courses, or even just talking to people more!

Planning Your Career Progression

Once you have assessed your current position and begun developing your knowledge and skills, creating a clear career plan outlining your path to becoming a Construction Site Supervisor (and any upscaling you may aspire towards beyond this) can be helpful. Consider the following steps:

  • Set clear goals: Define your short-term and long-term career goals. These goals could include achieving specific certifications (ie getting your Gold CSCS card), gaining experience in various construction roles, or taking on progressively more project responsibility.
  • Seek mentorship: Identify experienced Construction Site Supervisors – within your organisation or in the broader industry – who can provide guidance and mentorship. Their insights and advice can be invaluable in helping you navigate your career progression.
  • Speak with your employer: Initiate a conversation about your career aspirations. Communicating your desire to advance within the company can open up doors you may never have expected – plus, this already tells your employer that you are a great communicator (one of the keys to being a Construction Site Supervisor). Some organisations may offer formal promotion pathways or training programs.

Getting on the Right Path

With the right planning and dedication, you’ll be on the right path toward becoming a Construction Site Supervisor in no time.

If you’re searching for the perfect Construction Site Supervisor role, enlisting the help of a UK recruitment agency might be your next best step. Our team at Konstrukt understand what it takes to become a Construction Site Supervisor, with access to a range of open Construction Site Supervisor jobs. We’d love to help connect you with your dream role – please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Why Video CVs Are Great for Candidates and Employers

Posted on by Konstrukt Resourcing

The construction industry is booming, despite the threat of economic uncertainty. You only have to glance at the figures to see that the need for construction professionals is set to keep on growing, with hundreds of thousands of workers needed to fill roles over the next three years.  

Working in the construction industry requires a high level of skill and expertise to execute projects to desired standards. And, with so many positions to fill, employers must find the best people for the right roles so they can build the strongest teams.

At Konstrukt, we understand that discovering top talent for construction roles is essential, but also that this must be balanced with efficiency. This is one of the reasons that we use video CVs to present our candidates to employers.

What is a Video CV?

As the name suggests, a video CV is a short video of an applicant presenting themselves to an employer regarding a specific role. This is an opportunity to explain who they are and why they’re the best choice for the position.

We use a tool called Hinterview to create a professional video for every candidate without taking up too much time. Once we’ve found and screened a candidate, we can usually create the video and send it off to the hiring manager on the same day.

The employer can then look at all the applications and make an informed decision about whom they’d like to shortlist.

Why Do We Use Video CVs?

Creating a video CV for a candidate is a great way to enhance the construction recruitment process – both for the candidate and the employer.

Using video CVs has helped us to streamline our recruitment processes and improve our placement rate considerably.  This improvement is down to the fact that video CVs offer additional value that conventional CVs can’t compete with, meaning they help hiring managers make better choices more efficiently.

Additionally, research into labour market discrimination highlights that traditional CVs can lead to unfair recruitment practices. A CV video is an innovative way to tackle prejudice because it allows an employer to see who the person is as opposed to just reading certain details on a piece of paper.

At Konstrukt, we place candidates in new jobs all around the world, so it’s important to us that the process is as fair and free from discrimination as possible.

Video CV Benefits for Candidates

Including a video resume in the application process is a great way to set an applicant apart from the rest. Through a video, a candidate has much more potential to articulate why they’re the best fit for the role. Their passion and enthusiasm for the job can shine through in a video, whereas it can be hard to adequately portray this in a CV summary.

Although a traditional CV is a simple way to share relevant information about yourself, it’ll never be as good as a video to explain who you are as a person.

Candidates for construction industry vacancies can often go through multiple interview stages before getting a yes or a no. The use of a video CV helps to speed up this process, as it usually means the employer won’t need to go through as many stages. A first interview is typically just a chance to get to know the candidate and learn about their skills and experience, so a video CV can remove this stage. By speeding up the recruitment process in this way, everyone can save time that can be put to better use elsewhere.

Also, if an employer likes the look of a candidate from their video and asks them to come for an interview, then the employer is already interested. This means the candidate has a good chance of securing the position they’re interviewing for and can invest ample time in preparing properly. When this is the case, both employer and candidate can go into the interview with confidence that the other party is genuinely interested in learning more about the other.

Video CV Benefits for Employers

In the pursuit of top talent, Hiring Managers will usually have many applications to get through. Finding the best candidates from a pile of CVs isn’t always easy, especially if the backgrounds and qualifications are relatively similar. However, with a video introduction, an employer can quickly get a genuine sense of a person and decide whether to progress them through the process.

An advantage that video resumes have over conventional CVs for employers, is that it makes it much easier to detect if a person is misrepresenting themselves. It’s simple to tell if someone is speaking confidently, authentically and with ease about their background, talents and ambitions, whereas it can be harder to pick up falsities from a written CV.

Since making a video for a job application is a bigger commitment than simply submitting a CV, this extra part of the process helps to eliminate timewasters. If someone isn’t serious about a job, then they typically won’t take the time to make a video CV. This can help to whittle down the list of potentials to the most interested candidates.

As you can see, the core benefit of video CVs to employers is time saved, meaning this time can be better spent on other tasks.

Are Video Resumes a Good Idea?

The short answer is yes! From experience, we can confirm that making a video to introduce yourself to an employer is a great idea and can boost your chances as a candidate.

That’s not to say traditional resumes aren’t a good place to start, but it’s worth considering which CV format is best for each situation.

Recruitment for Construction

Helping hardworking candidates secure dream jobs in the construction industry is our passion. If you’re ready to make your next career move, or you’re looking for your next hire, we’re here to support you through the process.

Get in touch with one of our specialist Recruiters today to take the next step in realising your construction career ambitions or growing your team.