If you’re a superintendent looking to move into project management, you may feel stuck, especially if your current company keeps you in the field despite years of leadership experience. But here’s the truth: many Supers are already performing key PM responsibilities. The challenge isn’t whether you’re qualified, it’s whether you’re showcasing those qualifications clearly enough to be recognized.
This article breaks down how to identify and highlight the project management skills you already use every day, and how to position yourself for that next step forward.
1. You’re Managing Scope and Schedules, Own It
Superintendents are responsible for keeping work aligned with plans and deadlines. That’s core project management. Highlight your experience managing:
Complex build sequences and phasing plans
Field-driven schedule adjustments and recovery efforts
Communication across trades to minimize delays
These aren’t “just” field tasks, they’re critical to a PM’s success. Frame them as such.
2. You Coordinate People and Problems Like a PM
PMs must juggle owners, architects, subcontractors, vendors, and internal teams. Sound familiar?
Talk about how you:
Run coordination meetings
Navigate design conflicts with architects
Manage subcontractor accountability
Interface with clients during site walks
This shows you’re already acting as a cross-functional leader—not just managing the site, but the relationships.
3. You’re Tracking Details That Drive the Bigger Picture
Every time you flag a delay, escalate a material issue, or support a change order, you’re managing risk and controlling scope, time, and cost.
Show this by emphasizing:
RFI and submittal involvement
Change order support
Long-lead item tracking
Cost-saving suggestions or VE ideas from the field
These touchpoints prove you understand how projects are managed beyond the jobsite.
4. Position Your Skills, Then Package Them Right
Once you’ve identified your PM-relevant skills, make sure they show up where it matters:
Resume
Use action verbs like coordinated, directed, collaborated, tracked, and led. Focus on outcomes, not just duties.
Example: “Led field execution on $10M commercial retail project, supporting schedule updates, CO processing, and client coordination.”
Use your headline and summary to speak to where you’re going, not just where you’ve been.
Example Headline: Superintendent Ready to Transition into Project Management | Field-Tested, Schedule-Driven, Team-Focused
Let Inside Avenue Help You Make the Jump
At Inside Avenue, we specialize in helping construction professionals showcase their true value. Whether it’s refining your resume, aligning your experience with PM hiring criteria, or connecting you with GCs who value real-world leadership over job titles, we can help you break through.
You’re not “just a superintendent.” You’re already building like a PM. Let’s help the industry see it.
