Amtec Hiring Guides

How to Hire Construction Foremen in Reno

Amtec Hiring Guides

How to Hire Construction Foremen in Reno

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.

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 Reno, 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 Reno, Nevada.

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

$71k

Average NV
Salary

$34.20

Average NV
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.

Nevada

The average annual salary for construction foremen in Nevada was 71k in 2019. The hourly wage averaged $34.20.

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

Working in Reno

Reno, Nevada, is a unique little town nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains on the eastern border of California. It’s a short drive to the beautiful Lake Tahoe, hiking and biking trails in the Washoe Valley, and the famous ski resorts such as Squaw Valley, Heavenly Mountain Resort, and many more.

It’s a historic town. With the gold rush in full swing, the community was officially established in 1868, the same year the transcontinental railroad reached the town, and these roots have given the town a wild west feel.

Tourism, entertainment, and gaming drive the economy, but the area is also immersed in commerce, described as the place where the  largest alpine lake collides with the Biggest Little City in the World.”

Here are a few things residents describe as the most positive things about Reno.

 

 

Pros

    • Outdoor adventure. All four seasons, there’s something to do outside in and around Reno. Skiing, hiking, boating, biking the area has it all.
    • Money. From the perspective of taxes, Reno is a great place to live, work, or own a business. Residents of the state of Nevada do not pay state income tax. Nevada is one of only seven states in the U.S. with no personal income tax and one of five states with no corporate income tax.
    • Convenience. Although the city is a little isolated from other major cities, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport is only a few miles east of downtown.
    • Although tourism and gaming are the economic behemoths of the area, there is also a growing focus on high-tech companies and startups. Microsoft, Apple, and Gigafactory for Tesla have set up shop in the city.
    • K-12 schools. The city maintains a healthy 21:1 student-teacher ratio as well, creating one of the highest-rated college readiness scores for a metro area of its size in the country.
    • Amtec’s recruitment and staffing services are available in Reno too.

While there are many “pros” there are also a few “cons” to working life in Reno.

Cons

    • Cold. The city has a high desert climate but does experience four seasons. Although the summers are warm, winter is cold and averages about 22 inches of snow per year
    • The city is expanding and there are some excellent healthcare, construction, tech, and teaching jobs, there’s just not the variety or quantity that you would find in larger metropolitan areas. This means salaries tend to be a little lower than larger cities in California and Nevada.
    • Public transportation is limited outside of the city center, so you will generally need a car to get to places outside of the city.
Reno, Nevada

Current Weather

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

Demand for construction foremen in Reno

Demand for construction foremen in Reno

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 Reno, Nevada 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 Nevada. If working in Reno 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