Construction Hiring Playbook 2025–2026

Written By Leigh Ann Teubert

How GCs and specialty contractors can win Superintendents, Construction Managers, and Project Managers

From The Build Partners, LLC — specialized recruiting for salaried leadership.

Executive Summary

Over 2025–2026, demand for experienced supers/PMs/CMs stays elevated, driven by publicworks funding and infrastructure programs. Pay pressure, evolving overtime/heatsafety rules, and faster tech adoption will shape the talent market. The firms that win will shorten timetooffer, market the work (not just the job), and build pipelines tied to schools, veterans, and returntowork programs.

Trend 1 — Publicworks keeps demand high

What it means: Civil/infrastructure scopes need leaders fluent in DOT specs, documentation, and stakeholder management.

Your moves:

  • Prioritize candidates with public owner experience (DOT, municipal).

  • Screen for QA/QC rigor, submittal/RFI throughput, and preconstruction collaboration.

Trend 2 — Salaried field leadership remains the hardest to hire

What it means: Superintendents and PMs will continue to receive multiple offers.

Your moves:

  • Commit to a tworound process: phone screen + panel/site lead; decision in ≤10 business days.

  • Preclose comp, perdiem, travel, and schedule on the first call; avoid surprises.

Trend 3 — Compliance headwinds (OT thresholds, I9, heat rules)

What it means: Classification audits and documented heat plans become standard.

Your moves:

  • Reaudit exempt classifications for office/PM staff; refresh timekeeping procedures.

  • Pilot heatillness plans (acclimatization, water/rest/shade, monitoring, training).

  • Tighten onboarding docs and subcontractor compliance checks.

Trend 4 — Compensation is elevated and more transparent

What it means: Wage compression across foremen → assistant supers → supers; candidates expect ranges.

Your moves:

  • Publish realistic bands by metro and project type; include perdiem/travel norms.

  • Pair cash with schedule predictability, four10s where feasible, and mentorship budgets.

Trend 5 — Digital recruiting is mainstream

What it means: Authentic content beats generic postings.

Your moves:

  • Record 30–60s “dayinthelife” clips with current supers/PMs.

  • Use targeted ads to reach passive candidates; retarget with project updates and safety wins.

Trend 6 — Field tech accelerates (Procore/BIM, drones, AI assists)

What it means: Adaptability and documentation speed matter more than tool brand.

Your moves:

  • Screen for digital fluency: RFIs/submittal throughput, punchlist closeout, reality capture.

  • Offer microtraining to upskill strong leaders on new tools.

Trend 7 — Aging leadership + new entrants

What it means: Mentorship and assistanttosuper pathways are critical.

Your moves:

  • Formalize mentorship (latecareer supers + assistant supers).

  • Create returntowork pathways for women and careerswitchers.

Trend 8 — Offsite/modular growth and logisticsheavy scopes

What it means: Different rhythms for planning, QA, and logistics.

Your moves:

  • Recruit planners with lean/factory background; evaluate logistics and takt planning examples in interviews.

Trend 9 — Sector rotation

What it means: Infrastructure steady; manufacturing cools from recent peaks.

Your moves:

  • Rebalance reqs toward civil/infrastructure supers, traffic control, and publicowner PMs.

Trend 10 — Safety leadership as a talent differentiator

What it means: Owners reward proactive safety cultures with more work.

Your moves:

  • Interview for coaching behaviors (JSAs, nearmiss reporting, stopwork authority usage).

Practical Toolkit

Job post template (edit and reuse):

Superintendent — Heavy Civil (TX DOT)
Schedule: four10s with paid travel/perdiem
You’ll lead: [scope, crews, subcontractors]
Must have: DOT spec experience, RFI/submittal workflow, traffic control coordination
Tools: Procore, BIMviewing, scheduling experience preferred
Why you’ll like it: schedule predictability, dedicated assistant super, safetyfirst culture

Interview scorecard (sample):

  • Technical (delivery methods, QA/QC, schedule control) — /5

  • Leadership (crew retention, coaching, conflict resolution) — /5

  • Owner/partner communication (documentation clarity, changeorder discipline) — /5

  • Digital fluency (RFIs/submittals, punchlist, BIM) — /5

  • Safety leadership (JSAs, nearmiss, interventions) — /5

Timetooffer target: Two interviews + sameday references; offer within 10 business days.

How The Build Partners, LLC helps

  • Shortlists of prequalified supers/PMs/CMs with verified project histories and aligned compensation.

  • Structured intake → calibrated profiles → weekly progress updates.

Book a 15minute intake: https://thebuildpartners.com/contact

© The Build Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Leigh Ann Teubert