Amtec Hiring Guides

How to Hire Construction Foremen in Tucson

Amtec Hiring Guides

How to Hire Construction Foremen in Tucson

Current Environment

This hiring guide provides a comparison of the current environment for Construction Foreman recruitment with other cities and the nation along with details about this important role. A Construction Foreman is typically the point of contact between the management and the laborers and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operation of the construction build, ensuring that it is completed properly and on time. The foreman position should not be confused with the Construction Project Manager or Superintendent as each role has different responsibilities.

History

While job titles may have differed in the past, the role of the foreman has stayed consistent throughout the history of the construction industry. There has been, and always will be, a need for one main individual to be the responsible party for the overall completion of the project and the communication between the management and the laborers. Some construction builds have realized the need for this sooner than others as it is important to have elevated levels of responsibility identified so that each part of the project is completed on time and as expected.

Will COVID-19 Affect the Construction Management Field?

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected employment and the job market, however, while construction in some areas has seen a slight slow down, other areas have held steady or seen a slight uptick in activity.

2021 has seen a mix of responses as economies start to open up once again now that the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine has increased. There is much to be hopeful about. If history is any indication, when the economy improves (as many economists are predicting), there is usually a direct correlation between new construction activity; thus reinforcing the need for construction foremen and other construction professionals.

How will Recruiting construction foremen Help Your Company?

How will Hiring construction foremen Help Your Company?

Hiring a skilled construction foreman is essential. A construction foreman is responsible to lead a team or crew in completing a construction project. While the overall job may differ slightly depending on the trade, what is true of all foreman is this: they have learned the trade themselves, and are responsible for the completion of a specific project (whether it’s a new roof, a new building, etc.). They have to exercise strong leadership skills to oversee the entire project, ensure that their team is working safely and efficiently, and address any job site concerns. A foreman will also be responsible for communicating project progress to supervisors, training of other employees, ensuring a safe work environment, and more.

In addition to having a strong background in the construction industry, a Construction Foreman must have good communication skills, strong leadership, an ability to lead by example, experience with budgeting, and the know-how to plan and stay on a timeline.

construction foreman Details

Responsibilities

Before we get to exactly how to recruit the best Construction Foreman in Tucson, here are some of the details of the job …

The qualifications to become a construction foreman will vary depending on the trade and company you’re in. Some companies will promote from within, not requiring many/any qualifications, while others may require a formal “foreman training” class or certain safety certifications, etc.

Construction Foremen are typically responsible for the following:

  • Communication
  • Planning/Organizing
  • Flexibility
  • Interpersonality skills
  • Problem-solving
  • Teamwork
  • Responsibility
  • Technical ability
  • Management

Looking for another position? View other positions we place in Tucson, Arizona.

Education

While it may be possible in some trades to work your way up as a foreman without formal education, you will need strong math, communication, planning, and budgeting skills. The exact educational requirements to become a foreman will depend on the trade you’re looking to enter. Many will not require any sort of formal “construction foreman degree”, but all will require you to know the trade and construction process inside and out, and require you to do all job site calculations, cost analysis and budgeting, and communicate regularly with both your team and your supervisors to ensure successful project completion.

Depending on the trade you’re looking to enter, you may need a formal apprenticeship or vocational training degree to enter, and after growing in your skills and experience, you’ll need to learn what the unique requirements are in your company to become a foreman. There are also various training programs/courses that can be completed that can complement your work in the industry and prepare you for a Construction Foreman position.

Top Schools

  •

    Arizona State University

  • Wentworth Institute of Technology

  • Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College

2019 U.S. National Data

Salary Range

construction foremen in the U.S.

$42k
Low
$71k
Average
$107k
High

$66k

Average AZ
Salary

$31.88

Average AZ
Hourly
682k

Total construction foremen Employed in the U.S.

96.6%

Men

3.4%

Women

construction foreman Salary Comparison

National

The pay of a Construction Foreman can vary quite a bit depending on the size of the project, responsibilities, and/or crew being managed. However, the profession does provide strong earning potential, especially for those that may not have as much formal education and are looking to move up within the construction industry. The BLS projects slight growth in the field and indicates that pay can be in the six figures.

Arizona

The average annual salary for construction foremen in Arizona was 66k in 2019. The hourly wage averaged $31.88.

For more detailed compensation information for construction foremen in Tucson, download our free compensation/salary report below.

Working in Tucson

Do construction foremen like living and working in Tucson? It’s a quintessential western town with iconic natural scenery and history that make it an interesting and unique place.

Also with mild winter weather and big-city amenities, Tucson has established itself as a destination for resorts, golf, and outdoor recreation in the beautiful Sonoran Desert a wonderland with the magnificent giant saguaro cacti.

Here are some of the other good things reported about Tucson.

Pros

    • The University of Arizona, the state’s first public university is a pillar of the Tucson community. With a population of over 20,000 students, the university gives the city a vibrant atmosphere and enhances the city’s diversity and culture.
    • Outdoor adventure is a huge draw for Tucson. Five mountain ranges surrounding the town for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. From an easy stroll along the Rillito riverbed to a rugged climb up to Finger Rock, the Sonoran Desert is a huge draw.
    • Tucson’s Urban Loop, bike-friendly streets, and awesome off-road trails make it a top cycling destination.
    • Clear skies and high mountains make the town perfect for stargazing, and you can do that at some of the world’s most-respected observatories.
    • Lastly, the city claims to be the Mexican food capital of the United States.

On the other hand, some people have a few complaints.

Cons

    • It’s hot! In the summer months, the temp is often higher than 105 degrees.
    • It’s a car require kind of town. There’s very little transit, and the roads, meaning cross-town traffic and gridlock, are terrible according to some.
    • Some say wages and salaries are depressed here and not rising at the same rate as the cost of living.
Tucson, Arizona

Current Weather

Not your city? View other cities where we place construction foremen.

Demand for construction foremen in Tucson

Demand for construction foremen in Tucson

Construction Foremen will always be an important part of the construction industry, providing opportunities for a diverse pool of candidates. While there is much work still to be done in order to increase women and minorities in the field, there are new initiatives regularly popping up that are working to increase the overall representation in the field.

The supply of candidates and demand for open positions have a direct correlation to a company's ability to hire. Download a free Supply and Demand report for construction foremen in Tucson, Arizona below.

How to Hire the Best construction foremen

Finding and hiring the best construction foreman candidates can save you money right away and well into the future.

The costs of making a bad hire are well documented. The cost can run as much as 30% of the employee's first-year earnings according to the US Department of Labor. Bad hires can cost a whopping $240,000 in expenses related to hiring, compensation, and retention per The Undercover Recruiter. 74% of companies who admit they've hired the wrong person for a position lost an average of $14,900 for each bad hire according to CareerBuilder. These statistics support our long-held position that behavioral questions are the best way to get to know your candidates and past behavior is the best indicator of future performance.

Recruiting Best Practices

The information below comes from the best practices Amtec uses for finding the highest quality candidates.

Defining the Position

When defining the role you are creating, we recommend a position profile to fully evaluate the position you are hiring for. You must decide if the engineer can work remotely or must work in Arizona. If working in Tucson is essential, make sure you include that in your job posting so candidates can decide how many miles they can commute.

How to Source the Best Candidates

When you are looking to source the best quality candidates for your open positions, make sure you have done the legwork to hire an "A Player". You can do this by making sure your company's perspective is aligned with the current market, you have taken into account the job responsibilities, as well as what type of characteristics you are looking for to fit your company culture. Then proceed to write a job posting to attract high-quality candidates.

Characteristics of construction foremen

Construction foreman positions tend to be in particularly high demand when the economy is good and housing prices are rising. Being a construction foreman for residential, commercial, infrastructure and many other types of projects requires on-the-job experience as well as education.

If you need to recruit the sharpest construction foreman:

  • Look for candidates who can demonstrate problem-solving skills.
  • Seek out candidates who are organized and good communicators.
  • Often, due to the prevalence of Spanish speakers in the industry, being bi-lingual is a valuable skill.
  • Consider candidates who will best fit your construction environment.
  • Partner with a recruiting agency that specializes in Construction Management to find the best candidates.
  • Look for candidates who revel in analyzing and solving problems.
  • Seek out candidates that are focused, self-motivated, and innovative.
  • Consider candidates who will best fit your engineering environment.
  • Partner with a recruiting agency that specializes in Aerospace Engineering to find the best candidates.

How to Screen Candidates

You wrote a job posting, posted the position online, and received a lot more resumes than you’d bargained for! Next comes the enormous task of sorting through those resumes to eliminate the ones that are clearly not a good fit. Now, you have a stack of resumes for candidates who have potential. So how do you go about screening the remaining candidates?

It starts on the phone! As a recruiter, the goal of your telephone screening is to learn more about your candidates. You can confirm that they have the educational qualifications and relevant experience, but you also need to determine if they would fit into your company's culture. To make this job easier, use a system to consistently evaluate results. This way you can equally and objectively compare candidates and evaluate their "soft skills", like communication and thinking process. Download Amtec's Professional Assessment Questionnaire below to help with screening candidates.

Free Professional Assessment Questionnaire

An individually customized questionnaire that helps assess a candidate's competence with written communication skills, thinking processes, and other relevant skills.

How to Interview Candidates

At Amtec, we believe in the power of behavoral interview questions to go beyond the experience and skills listed on the candidate's resume. Although you will want to confirm in the interview that the candidate does indeed have the experience listed on their resume, your assessment needs to go much deeper than that. An interview using behavioral questions can help you determine how well the candidate will fit with your company culture.

Download Amtec's best practices on conducting super effective interviews to find the best candidates and fill your open jobs.

Behavioral Interview Guide

Get the info you need to hire the best construction foremen

Free Interview Guide