Career

Career Essay

I have always wanted to be able to do the same work that my father does. I have always found it fascinating when there are only a few people who organize, lead, and manage the people, materials, and processes of construction in a company. I always enjoy being outside and working with my hands. Over the summers I work for construction companies in Palestine , and want to continue that when I get out of College. I feel that if I come out of college with a BSBA in Real Estate and Construction management that I will be able to find a good job that will allow me to get my feet wet in the construction business. I then would be able to work my way up the corporate ladder, where I can become an owner of a Construction company just like my father.

Construction managers are the planners and the directors of the construction companies. They are similar to doctors in the respect that they are required to be on call 24 hours a day, something on the site might go wrong and need their immediate attention. There are many ways to become employed as a construction manager. They may be owners or employees of a construction management or contracting firm. They may also work under a contract as an employee for the contractor, developer, owner or management firm. There represent the owner or developer on the construction site, even thought they might not have a direct role in the actual construction. Construction managers determine the labor requirements that will be needed for a certain site. They are also responsible for ensuring that the work will be completed on time and correctly.

There has been a recent boom in business, which is requiring construction and industry executives and professionals. The construction of new buildings will always be necessary. "The construction industry is one of the more resilient industries in an economic slowdown, so even with signs of a slowing economy, there won't be a sharp drop in business like there has been in prior cyclical declines," says Robert A. Murray who is the vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill company. Even if there is a slow down in the economy, there will always be the need for construction of new buildings because of the population growing.

In the year 2000 construction managers held about 308,000 jobs in the US. 75,000 construction managers where self-employed, 24 percent where employed by specialty trade contractors, and 59 percent where employed in the construction industry. 28 percent where employed by general building contractors. The U.S. Commerce Department Census Bureau tells us that in February of 2001 the construction put in place was estimated at 834.2 billion, which is an increase of 18.2 billion dollars from the past year. Both residential and construction companies are looking for experiment professionals, in all areas and levels of business.

Businesses are looking for persons who not only have the education but also the experience from working on a construction site. Businesses are looking for people who are also experienced in handling tasks such as paper work and communicating with clients. Duane McClain, president of Construction Search Specialists Inc., said "During the past few years, many companies were in such desperate need of professionals that they moved inexperienced people with very little training into project manager