This is a guest blog post by Philip J. Reed of Westwood College.
So you’re considering whether or not you should go to school for a degree in construction management. It’s a job you think you’d be great at, and, if you’re good at it, you could have a pretty secure income for the life of your career. But there’s one thing bothering you: construction management just simply isn’t glamorous enough. Well, cheer up, friend, because it’s not as bad as you think! Join us, tongue firmly in cheek, as we take a look at 10 ways that being a construction manager is even better than being a movie star!
1. Your meals aren’t interrupted by autograph seekers.
Think about how fortunate you are, being able to eat a hamburger in peace! If you were a movie star you’d be hounded by all those annoying fans, pestering you to sign their napkins, repeat iconic lines of dialogue, or pose with them for photographs. Who needs it? You’ve had a full day of work, and you’ve earned a little time to yourself. Good thing you’re a construction manager! The only thing people expect you to sign are paychecks.
2. Being difficult to work with is a good thing!
We all hear about Hollywood divas (male and female!) demanding everything from private luxury trailers to special on-set treatment to having only orange M&Ms in their candy bowls. When we hear stories like this, our first impulse is to deride them as being fickle or spoiled. If we hear that a construction manager is picky about details or demanding of specific results, and we instead see that as evidence of effective management. Funny how that works out!
3. You get it right the first time.
Five words you’ll never hear (or say) as a construction manager: “Cut! Let’s try that again…” You have material, manpower, time and money tied up in every decision you make, so you need to make sure those decisions are made right the first time. You don’t get to snap your fingers and start the scene over from scratch, meaning that you and your staff always, at every moment of the day, have to work to your full potential. And that’s something to reflect on with pride. Continue reading