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Well, the first thing is to decide is if you want to carry on being academic and do a Master鈥檚! However, I鈥檇 argue strongly against the idea! And that is based on more subtle reasoning than you not getting lumbered with even more student debt!

What became evident, as I did my Master鈥檚, was that the new post-grads simply didn鈥檛 have the more detailed construction background and knowledge to cope and make sense of it. Here is my tips on what to do after you get your Construction Management degree.

Not a single one qualified! And yes even the ones with a Construction Management degree!

Put it off for a few years! What does that leave you with?

Well, getting a job! Towards that end, the first move is to get a good CV together. For that the first thing to do is to overcome natural modesty and learn to 鈥渆mphasise the positive鈥� or, in plain English, boast! I鈥檓 not going to go into any details on except to say that to come up with a decent one should take you 2 or 3 days! If you鈥檝e never done one at this level, there are plenty of web sites to give you templates and advice. Once you鈥檝e got your first draft, get constructive criticism from someone who knows about CV-writing 聽– and be prepared to re-write it!

So what kind of a job should you go for?

You might have a strong preference of your own for career direction. Site-based; office based; Local Authority; private sector; main contractor; sub-contractor; M&E; build; fit-out; civils?

Long list, isn鈥檛 it? However, times are hard, so you鈥檒l be applying for jobs by the score, many of which you originally thought you weren鈥檛 interested in! You鈥檒l get some Interviews and most of them will result in 鈥淪orry, but 鈥︹�� Before you get the first one, though, look into and have some answers up your sleeve! Make sure you dress as formally as your budget will allow.

The interview

Interviews themselves seem to fall into two categories; those organised by HR departments and the far more informal ones run by the guys you鈥檇 actually be working for. You have to be ready for interrogation under both systems! If they do want a presentation from you as an opener you will be warned of that. Practice your speech and take prompt cards in with you, so you can use them if you get stage fright!

Right, you鈥檝e got a job!

The first, single most important thing to realise is that you know 鈥渘othing from nowt鈥� as Northerners say!

You may have a degree, but you have no specialised knowledge, particularly of that work place. For the first week at least, keep your mouth closed except to ask sensible questions. Listen and learn. That also allows your new work mates to get to know you and decide you are a nice person, not an opinionated pr*ck!

Be polite and dress properly

The next thing is particularly applicable if you find you are on a construction site. Realise that the skilled trades know far more about the aspects of their job than you 鈥� or I 鈥� ever will! Ask politely and they will be happy to carry your education forward. Treat them as underlings and you鈥檒l have a hard time of it, on top of which you鈥檒l get subtle, defective workmanship, which you鈥檒l never be able to detect!

Dress 聽has already been mentioned in connection with your Interview. You鈥檒l have got some idea of what is the norm from when you attended that. Do your best to comply from Day 1. Realistically, your budget might not immediately run to that, but do your best! A traipse round Charity Shops may provide you with suitable clothing that falls within your budget. If you are going on site you鈥檒l need . Most will probably be provided by your new employer. The most important thing though is footwear! Make sure you get shoes or boots with steel mid-soles! That is the voice of hard experience! Unscrewing a screw from your foot before you can take your shoe off is painful!

Good luck in your new job, whatever it is!