What does a foreman do?
A foreman is a skilled worker in the construction industry, usually a tenured or experienced construction worker. The construction site's foremen act as the bridge between construction supervisors and construction workers. The foreman is responsible for communicating instructions from supervisors, ensuring that all workers on site are assigned tasks, and ensuring that tasks are completed within the timeline. The foreman is also responsible for checking the quality of the work the workers are doing on-site, managing workers' schedules, and budgeting for needed materials. It is important that a foreman is responsible, trustworthy, and personable.
Foreman responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real foreman resumes:
- Manage construction of sheet metal installation and HVAC systems of commercial facilities including construction of storefronts and mechanical rooms.
- Supervise a mowing crew on horse farms, drive company vehicle while hauling equipment, and perform maintenance on mowing equipment.
- Operate bobcat, breaking/removing concrete.
- Enforce company policies and OSHA regulations, investigate construction accidents utilizing knowledge gain through cooperation with safety department and law enforcement.
- Complete documentation pertaining to the same for both Amtrak and the FRA.
- Oversee new drills and workovers along with maintaining older wells.
- Used d/w 9/11 and Vermeer 24x40.
- Istart out on a Vermeer 80/100 and working up to Vermeer 100/120 while helping runsupport on Vermeer 200/300.
Foreman skills and personality traits
We calculated that 17% of Foremen are proficient in CDL, OSHA, and Safety Rules. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Detail oriented, and Listening skills.
We break down the percentage of Foremen that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- CDL, 17%
Obtained Class A CDL License and operated dump trucks and tractor trailers as needed.
- OSHA, 11%
Established the Hazard Communication Programs ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations.
- Safety Rules, 7%
Assist project supervisor in coordinating activities of workers involved in various tasks and monitor and enforce all safety rules and regulations.
- Safety Procedures, 5%
Operated Company truck with trailers successfully applying all traffic safety procedures and principles.
- CPR, 5%
Have my CPR training and Lift card current.
- Safety Standards, 4%
Served on safety and procedures committees to generate quality safety standards.
Common skills that a foreman uses to do their job include "cdl," "osha," and "safety rules." You can find details on the most important foreman responsibilities below.
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a foreman to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "forest and conservation workers must convey information to foresters and conservation scientists and other workers." Additionally, a foreman resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "experienced in owner / customer relations and communication in both handwritten and computer based reporting systems. "
Detail oriented. Many foreman duties rely on detail oriented. "forest and conservation workers must observe gauges, dials, and other indicators to ensure that equipment works properly," so a foreman will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways foreman responsibilities rely on detail oriented: "conformed to detail, customer relations, time standards and positive results. "
Listening skills. foremen are also known for listening skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to foreman responsibilities, because "forest and conservation workers must understand the instructions they receive before performing tasks." A foreman resume example shows how listening skills is used in the workplace: "inspect segments for damage .operate forklift self employed 06/01/2012 - 07/01/14 general construction, house remodeling skills hard working.fast learner.good listener"
Physical stamina. A big part of what foremen do relies on "physical stamina." You can see how essential it is to foreman responsibilities because "forest and conservation workers perform a variety of strenuous tasks." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical foreman tasks: "performed tasks involving physical labor at residential and heavy construction projects. "
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Compare different foremen
Foreman vs. Hacker
A crew supervisor is responsible for monitoring the staff's performance, delegating tasks, and ensuring that the customers receive high-quality services and satisfaction. Crew supervisors maintain the adequacy of stock inventories, negotiate with suppliers and third-party vendors, and strategize on minimizing costs without sacrificing the quality. They also evaluate sales reports and identify business opportunities to increase revenues and achieve profitability goals. A crew supervisor must have excellent communication and leadership skills, especially on handling customers' inquiries and concerns, as well as resolving complaints.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a foreman are more likely to require skills like "cdl," "osha," "safety rules," and "safety procedures." On the other hand, a job as a hacker requires skills like "python," "web application," "a/b," and "seo." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Hackers tend to reach higher levels of education than foremen. In fact, hackers are 5.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.3% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Foreman vs. Crew supervisor
Each career also uses different skills, according to real foreman resumes. While foreman responsibilities can utilize skills like "osha," "general contractors," "backhoe," and "sub contractors," crew supervisors use skills like "payroll," "corrective action," "safety equipment," and "gps."
Crew supervisors may earn a lower salary than foremen, but crew supervisors earn the most pay in the construction industry with an average salary of $46,417. On the other hand, foremen receive higher pay in the construction industry, where they earn an average salary of $59,898.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Crew supervisors tend to reach similar levels of education than foremen. In fact, they're 0.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Foreman vs. Park maintainer
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from foreman resumes include skills like "osha," "safety rules," "safety procedures," and "cpr," whereas a park maintainer is more likely to list skills in "athletic fields," "manual labor," "leaf blower," and "general building. "
Most park maintainers achieve a similar degree level compared to foremen. For example, they're 0.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Foreman vs. Conservation worker
Types of foreman
Updated January 8, 2025
