What does a construction worker do?
Construction workers are part of a crew laborers responsible for a number of easy to extremely challenging and hazardous on-site constructions tasks such as preparing the area, clearing debris, building scaffolding, bracing, loading and unloading building materials, and assisting with operating heavy equipment like concrete mixers. They specialize in a variety of occupations that involve building homes and businesses, roads and highways, tearing down properties, removing high-risk materials, and in the digging of tunnels and mine shafts. They test machinery and equipment to ensure they are working properly. They may also transport stocks and materials from suppliers and vehicles to the job site.
Construction worker responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real construction worker resumes:
- Manage and decide all remodel activities.
- Operate cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments.
- Operate the recycle baler machine.
- Require PPE / OSHA requirements and respirator tests perform.
- General cleaning responsibilities; run cash register and greet customers.
- Assist in all phases of construction, demo, and remodeling on an apprentice basis
- Operate site tools and vehicles like lawn mowers, trimming equipment and water trucks.
- Apply gravel or pebbles over top layers of roofs, using rakes or stiff-bristle brooms.
- Used lawn mowers and weed eaters and other various tools to do maintenance work around the buildings.
- Used a wide variety of hand and power tools, including hoists, drills, precision measuring instruments etc.
- Perform construction duties including painting, roofing, siding, flooring, framing, tiling, and electrical repairs.
- Contribute to satisfactory lawn-care services such as lawn mowing, bed mulching, up-keeping, weed whacking, etc.
- Shovele asphalt, prepare sites, dig trenches, erect scaffolding, and set braces to support sides of excavations.
- Apply filler compounds, then smooth or sand surfaces to remove ridges, tool marks, glue, and/or caulking.
- Assist in renovations of 3 locations which include working with a small team of contractors to demolish and remodel restaurants.
Construction worker skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Construction Workers are proficient in Roofing, Safety Rules, and Sheetrock. They’re also known for soft skills such as Color vision, Math skills, and Mechanical skills.
We break down the percentage of Construction Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Roofing, 17%
Performed residential roofing repair or new installation.
- Safety Rules, 12%
Maintained safety rules and regulations.
- Sheetrock, 5%
Experience in Framing, Sheetrock, Painting, Trim Work, Ceramic Tile, Demo, job site cleanup.
- Tape Measure, 4%
Use of measuring instruments (tape measures, square, straightedge, optical laser measuring devices, etc.)
- Equipment Operators, 4%
Signaled equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery equipment.
- Masonry, 4%
Performed concrete and masonry work along with demolition and excavation.
"roofing," "safety rules," and "sheetrock" are among the most common skills that construction workers use at work. You can find even more construction worker responsibilities below, including:
Color vision. One of the key soft skills for a construction worker to have is color vision. You can see how this relates to what construction workers do because "construction laborers and helpers may need to be able to distinguish colors to do their job." Additionally, a construction worker resume shows how construction workers use color vision: "general construction of 40+ properties throughout colorado. "
Math skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling construction worker duties is math skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "construction laborers and some helpers need to perform basic math calculations while measuring on jobsites or assisting a surveying crew." According to a construction worker resume, here's how construction workers can utilize math skills in their job responsibilities: "performed various measurements using a tape measure, square and level, while using geometry skills to findcorrect cutting angles needed. "
Mechanical skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of construction workers is mechanical skills. This skill is critical to many everyday construction worker duties, as "construction laborers are frequently required to operate and maintain equipment, such as jackhammers." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "operated cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. "
Physical stamina. construction worker responsibilities often require "physical stamina." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "construction laborers and helpers must have the endurance to perform strenuous tasks throughout the day." This resume example shows what construction workers do with physical stamina on a typical day: "demonstrate physical strength, stamina, attention to safety, heavy equipment operation knowledge, and teamwork. "
Physical strength. A commonly-found skill in construction worker job descriptions, "physical strength" is essential to what construction workers do. Construction worker responsibilities rely on this skill because "construction laborers and helpers must often lift heavy materials or equipment." You can also see how construction worker duties rely on physical strength in this resume example: "worked for a private contractor to carry out many physically demanding task (roofing, painting, etc. )"
The three companies that hire the most construction workers are:
- Morton Buildings79 construction workers jobs
- Champion Window21 construction workers jobs
- Asa Carlton
18 construction workers jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable construction worker resume templates
Build a professional construction worker resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your construction worker resume.
Compare different construction workers
Construction worker vs. Mason
A mason is responsible for shaping artificial mineral products, concrete blocks, stone pieces, and bricks to create structures essential for construction or other building purposes using various machinery and equipment, following the highest safety standards and production procedures. Masons analyze schematics and blueprints, applying the clients' specifications and customization to their product expertise. They also inspect tools and equipment, ensuring that the materials are free from any defects to avoid hazards and construction delays.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, construction worker responsibilities require skills like "roofing," "safety rules," "sheetrock," and "tape measure." Meanwhile a typical mason has skills in areas such as "scaffolding," "safety regulations," "retaining walls," and "windows." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
On average, masons reach similar levels of education than construction workers. Masons are 4.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Construction worker vs. Drop crew labour
General helpers are skilled workers who help other workers by performing tasks that need less skill, such as holding materials or tools and cleaning work areas and equipment. These helpers are required to provide general labor support to all departments while performing a variety of job assignments. They must ensure that everyone in an organization is following safety rules and inspect areas for safety hazards. General helpers must also perform constant quality checks on the organization's establishments using its quality guidelines and operating procedures.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, construction worker responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "roofing," "safety rules," "sheetrock," and "equipment operators." Meanwhile, a drop crew labour has duties that require skills in areas such as "asphalt," "safety glasses," "traffic control," and "cdl." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Drop crew labours may earn a higher salary than construction workers, but drop crew labours earn the most pay in the construction industry with an average salary of $34,574. On the other hand, construction workers receive higher pay in the construction industry, where they earn an average salary of $32,326.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Drop crew labours tend to reach similar levels of education than construction workers. In fact, they're 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Construction worker vs. General helper
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, construction workers are more likely to have skills like "sheetrock," "equipment operators," "masonry," and "excavations." But a general helper is more likely to have skills like "pallets," "hand tools," "machine operators," and "math."
General helpers earn the best pay in the media industry, where they command an average salary of $39,286. Construction workers earn the highest pay from the construction industry, with an average salary of $32,326.general helpers typically earn similar educational levels compared to construction workers. Specifically, they're 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Construction worker vs. Carpentry and masonry specialist
Even though a few skill sets overlap between construction workers and carpentry and masonry specialists, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a construction worker might have more use for skills like "sheetrock," "equipment operators," "shovels," and "excavations." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of carpentry and masonry specialists require skills like "control tests," "math," "structural steel," and "individual training. "
The average resume of carpentry and masonry specialists showed that they earn similar levels of education compared to construction workers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 0.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.2%.Types of construction worker
Updated January 8, 2025
