Interview Questions to Ask When Hiring Construction Executives
Posted on Monday, June 19th, 2017 at 8:50 am
When hiring on the executive level, it’s important to ensure that the person you are hiring has the right blend of technical as well as management skills. This is essential especially when you are recruiting for the construction industry. Even for seasoned construction executive recruiters, it takes time to find the right person who can self-identify as a leader and has the necessary skills to succeed in his/her role as a construction executive. To judge the right candidate, you need the right interview questions. Let’s take a look at the questions you can ask when hiring your next building construction executive:
1. Describe yourself in just one word.
The best candidates for building construction jobs are the one who is well aware of themselves. Although, it’s always advisable to not go by what people boast about them; however, the answer to this question will give you an insight into how the candidates package and present themselves. It gives you an idea about how they judge themselves.
2. Give one example of a time when you encountered a problem and solved it analytically.
At any stage of a building construction project, the executive might face problems. And not all problems are technical in nature. From labor to environmental issues, a wide range of challenges can hinder construction projects. Such situations demand analytical prowess. When you ask a candidate such behavioral question, the candidate will provide you information from their experiences. And when you dig deeper into that, you will get insight into two important areas. The first is, you will get to know how the candidates interact with the outside world and deal with the real-world situation. Information that you will get about the candidate is what they consider to be difficult.
3. Tell us stories of your prior challenges, successes, and major responsibilities.
Communication is one important aspect that every interviewer needs to judge. It’s because the construction executive also needs to communicate at every level of management. This question will help you judge how the candidate can create a compelling narrative. This is essential for explaining complex strategic priorities in a lucid way, explaining complex ideas to prospects, and for motivating the team.
4. Tell us about your failures.
An excellent answer to this question is important because it will help you understand that whether the candidate is afraid of taking risks or not, And also, it will help you determine whether he has the courage to admit it if things do not go according to the plan. This will give you a good view of the characteristic details of the candidate. See what they did after they encountered a failure. Did they learn from it? How did they overcome it? What extra effort do they put to rectify whatever went wrong? Find people who are comfortable in admitting that they tried something and it went wrong. People always find scope to boast about their qualities. A few will tell you what didn’t work out for them.
These questions will help you evaluate the right candidate.
Looking for building construction executive jobs? We can help. We are one of the best construction executive recruiters in the USA. Get in touch with us at https://www.constructionhunters.com/contact/
Construction Executives: Tips to Stay Calm & Focused
Posted on Wednesday, June 7th, 2017 at 8:07 am
The way you manage your emotions at work and stay calm under pressure impacts your productivity. As per a survey conducted by TalentSmart, about 90% of the top performers across various industries are skilled at managing their emotions under stress to stay calm and focused.
Source: http://www.talentsmart.com/
Construction executive jobs demand you to stay focused under stress. Construction projects often encounter problems, and it’s up to the executive to respond to such situation with maturity, acumen, and preparedness. And for that, you need to stay calm and focused. Here are a few tips to help you maintain your composure during the most stress-packed moments at the workplace:
1. Have a Support System
Even the most successful executive tends to falter with a Do-it-All attitude. It’s tempting to handle everything by yourself but for being calm and productive, you need to identify the areas where you’re weak and seek help. In other words, have a support system at work on which you can rest when things become overwhelming for you. Build up a team, identify the individual whom you can rely on to seek assistance during difficult situations. Even talking to them can help you get a new perspective on the problem and reduce your anxiety levels. Most of the time others can provide you a better insight as they are not as emotionally involved in the situation as you are.
2. Project confidence
When you do that, you instill the same confidence in others. When the times are uncertain, or a construction project has gone haywire, you must remain fearless. This communicates the same person to those you are leading. You must keep in mind that there will be ups and downs and when you begin to fear such adverse situation, it becomes extremely difficult to think and act objectively and rationally. When you panic, your mind loses focus, and you are stressed. When confronted with fear, ask yourself what’s the worst possible thing that can happen? If you are confident about it, you will realize that the problem is manageable.
3. Be positive
When you keep a positive mental attitude, it’s easy to maintain your focus. When under pressure, try to divert your brain’s attention to something positive. It’s easy when things are running smooth, and your mood is good. However, when things are challenging, your mind is flooded with negative thoughts. Identify a positive event, no matter how small it may be, and reflect on it. This will help you avoid your thoughts from turning negative.
4. Avoid contemplating on “What if’s.”
‘What if’ statements always intensify your stress levels. When it comes to construction projects, things can go in some directions. The more time you spend worrying about what is going to happen in the future, the less time you will get to focus on the work at hand. This also prevents you from staying calm and focuses your mind on taking action.
Try these simple steps to mitigate your stress and stay focused.
Looking for construction executive jobs? We can help you find one. We are one of the top construction executive recruiters in Florida. Call us today at 214-935-3626.