Employers’ Perception of Student Employability in the Construction Management Industry using Resume Analysis and Analytic Hierarchy Process

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in college-level programs offering degrees in Construction Management (CM) and related fields. Most of these programs graduate students who aim to start their careers in management positions that typically require years of previous experience. Many students pursue a bachelor's degree in these programs to acquire knowledge and skills that lead to attractive management-level employment opportunities post-graduation in various construction industry sectors. In most cases, a résumé is submitted as the first step toward gaining employment when students begin their job search in the industry. This study presents the results of a qualitative content analysis of 204 student résumés collected from the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Region 1 student competition and identifies seven of the most common categories listed in the résumés. These seven categories were presented to 30 different CM employers using a survey asking them how important each category is as a criterion in their initial candidate screening process. Using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the compiled weights of all employers surveyed were developed, indicating that employers care most about an applicant's previous industry experience. Students' leadership experience and formal vocational training were also perceived as important, while their grade point average (GPA) and involvement with extra-curricular activities were listed as the least important. Results also show that recruiter demographics can correlate with the perceived importance of specific categories. For example, male recruiters put less importance on the industry experience of college seniors and more on their leadership experience compared to female recruiters who value industry experience significantly more when reviewing the same applicants' résumés. This study is significant as it illustrates that using employers' insights on the information typically included on student résumés, a ranking system can be developed to assist students in strengthening their résumés. Such information will help students and institutions determine the skills and experiences to highlight to increase employability upon graduation. Furthermore, the construction industry can use these types of studies to better understand what they are truly searching for in job candidates and bring more awareness of potential biases in the recruitment process.