I'm considering taking Construction Management Technology for an Associate's Degree from a local community college once I finish up my Bachelor in Business management in February. I have a little less than two years until my sabbatical. At that time I will be looking for a career change and I think a Field Manager would be an interesting and rewarding job. I think I could get the degree within that time frame. I was wondering if anyone could give me some insight into the field?

Thanks!

 

reconsider!!!

 

Can you elaborate?

 

My best freind got a degree in construction engineering tech. (bs), he works for a custom home builder, basicly is incharge of getting the house built, spends alot of time on the phone, they only do 15 houses per year, but they build 2-5 million dollar houses. He loves his job.

My cousin and brother in law are in the same school program.

 

I've had to step into the position time to time over the years and have worked with a few that made a lifetime career out of it. It can be a really exciting job or can really stress you out, depending on your personality type. You kind of ride the line between upper management and the subs, and have to be able to handle yourself on both levels.

If you enjoy working 8 -5, five days a week, with a routine and standard breaks - you might not like it. If you love to stay really busy and travel, if you like being organaized and are goal driven - if talking to people makes you feel energized and you have self confidence, this job might be the best job you'll ever have.

A business degree would be a real benefit. There's a lot of emails, paperwork, scheduling and report type of things that your degree has prepared you to do quickly, without a lot of effort.

I'm at a point in my life where I like to watch my grass grow and hang out at the house, so I'm not working jobs where I'm on the road 150 nights a year anymore. Fortunately, my wife is the type where I could say, tonight, that I was taking off tomorrow for two weeks, maybe longer and she would pack my bags and ask me to give her a call when I get a chance. Not a lot of women are independant enough to do that. There's many factors involved.

 

Thanks a lot guys. It sounds like an exciting career. I need a job with a good amount of responsibility and leadership involved. I'd rather be involved in the decisions than simply taking orders. I make a really good living where I am now so I am worried about taking a pay cut in the transition. I could probably absorb a 10% reduction and work my way back up, but I'm not real sure how much the position pays. I know I would have to start at the bottom because I really don't have a construction background (other than what the school will teach me). Does anyone know what the career path looks like from the beginning field manager on up?

Thanks again!

 

I am a warehouse manager and a delivery coordinator for a major supplier in the concrete construction industry. I deal with dozens of projects at a given time, mostly establishing timetables for delivery on items that we sell and rent.

Project managers have the dubious task of being held responsible for every mistake, and given no credit for any triumphs. When something is off schedule, I have heard so many managers from both sides blame the project managers for things they had absolutey no control over. Things like weather, shortage of raw materials, strikes, wildcats, INS raids, and the like.

One note: if anyone Wal*Mart related has a project for you. RUN AWAY!!!!
Wal*Mart projects are the 'ghetto' of commerical construction. They want everything for free, and delivered yesterday. They want you to use the cheapest subs, the worst materials, and really don't care what kind of job was done.

Here is a dirty Wal*Mart story. One of my cousins is a commerical electrician. He only works on commercial or industrial projects. They were building a Wal*Mart near Buffalo. When they were laying 440 conduits from the main to the Tire Center. There are places when the conduits are fully 3" from the wall, and others in the same run where the conduit is tight against it. When the shot a laser line down the wall to find the problem, the wall isn't square or straight. It was almost 4" out of straight, and about 1" out of square. The Field Manager told the electricians to hurry up and finish as Wal*Mart paid for fast, not perfect.