Your Resume & Application
Welcome
Hello, and welcome. This is Super Structures General Contractors — a national general contractor headquartered in Powhatan, Virginia — here to help you and your clients build something that lasts. We're glad you're with us, and we look forward to connecting with you.
Buckle up: Your Resume & Application is one of those skills the pros never skip. Here's the heart of it: Keep your resume one page and honest — highlight reliability, certifications, and references who vouch for you. Get comfortable here and the rest of this trade gets a whole lot less intimidating.
Even in the trades, how you put yourself on paper opens or closes the first door.
Even in the trades, a clean resume and a good application set you apart.
What to put on a trades resume
- Contact info and the type of work you want.
- Any experience — even unrelated jobs show you're reliable and show up.
- Skills, tools, and certifications — OSHA 10, equipment you can run, a valid driver's license, any trade training.
- References — people who'll vouch for your work ethic.
Tips
- Keep it to one page, clean and honest.
- Emphasize reliability and willingness to learn.
- Send a short, polite message when you apply — it goes a long way.
Going Deeper (Intermediate)
Even in the trades, a clean resume and complete application help you stand out. List relevant skills, certifications (OSHA 10, licenses), experience, and reliability — and tailor it to the job. Fill applications out fully and honestly.
Advanced / Pro-Level
Make it easy for a foreman to say yes:
- Highlight safety certs, hands-on experience, tools/equipment you can run, and — above all — reliability/attendance.
- Quantify where you can ("framed 40+ homes," "OSHA 30, forklift certified").
- List apprenticeship hours/credentials and references from foremen/supers.
- Keep the format simple and clean; follow up after applying.
- Be honest — licenses, certs, and background are verifiable; a lie that surfaces ends the opportunity.
Practice Challenge
Two applicants have similar skills; one's resume highlights "OSHA 30, 3 yrs framing, perfect attendance, foreman reference," the other just says "construction worker." Who gets the call and why? (Answer: the first — it gives the foreman concrete proof of safety, experience, and reliability (the traits crews actually hire for) and an easy reference to verify; specifics and reliability signals win the interview.)
In Practice
Even a fast-food job belongs on a trades resume — it proves you show up and follow through. Add an OSHA 10 and a couple references, keep it to one page, and you stand out.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Leaving off non-trade jobs that show reliability
- Making the resume too long or cluttered
- Not listing certifications or references
From the Field
A personal word from a builder who's been there:
Keep it simple and honest — your skills, your certs, your reliability, and a foreman who'll vouch for you. Fill the application out completely; a half-finished one says a lot about how you'll do the work. Make it easy for someone to say yes to you.
Takeaway: Keep your resume one page and honest — highlight reliability, certifications, and references who vouch for you.
Educational content — general guidance; confirm tax, financial, and program specifics with the appropriate professional or authority.