Where To Hire A Construction Superintendent​

How to Hire and Develop a Construction Superintendent: A Step-by-Step Guide

In this blog, we’re going to cover where to hire a construction superintendent, what you shouldn’t count on, and the steps to develop superintendents including how long it takes. If you want to know where to find the right talent and how to grow them into leaders, this blog is for you.

Let’s dive in.

What to Understand About Hiring from the Industry

Here’s something you probably didn’t expect: don’t count on hiring from the industry. Most of the good superintendents are already taken. There’s a severe shortage of trained supers, and you can’t just plug someone into the role and expect magic to happen.

Hiring a superintendent from another company rarely works unless you invest internally to train them on your systems. So, stop looking for unicorns in the industry and focus on where real potential exists: trade schools, high schools, colleges, and the ranks of your craft on project sites.

Where to Hire a Construction Superintendent

At Elevate, we hire from the following sources:

• College graduates with a growth mindset.
• People from trades who are hardworking and eager to learn.
• Craftspeople on project sites who show leadership potential.

It may take 1.5–3 years of training, but the investment is worth it. In the long term, you’ll have skilled supervisors who understand your systems and company culture, avoiding the cost and frustration of hiring and firing.

How to Find Potential Superintendents

• Observe your current team: Look for laborers, foremen, surveyors, truck drivers, and logistics staff who are hardworking, willing to learn, and have a growth mindset.
• Gauge their interest: Offer opportunities and let them make the first move. Examples:
• “Here’s my number if you’re interested.”
• “I’ll be around for the next week, think about this opportunity and get back to me.”
• Explain the possibilities: Show them the career growth, earning potential, and opportunities within your company.
• Give them an assignment: A structured task like reading chapters 1–8 of the Field Engineering Methods Manual (Construction Surveying and Layout, 3rd edition) can reveal interest and commitment.

How to Provide Hands-On Experience

1. Hire as an assistant: Let them support field engineering or project engineering tasks for a few months. This exposes them to real operations and allows you to assess performance.
2. Offer full-time field engineer opportunities: Spending 1.5–3 years in this role builds the foundation they need to become effective superintendents.
3. Send them to a field engineering bootcamp: Bootcamps (like Elevate’s) teach problem-solving, industry fundamentals, and connection with craft teams.
4. Give them time: Patience is key. A well-trained field engineer takes time to develop but the results are worth the investment.

How We Trained Successful Construction Superintendents

Here’s an example from Elevate:

My colleague Ramon Lugo Cruz started as a hoist operator in Tucson with limited English. We supported him through English courses, provided the Field Engineering Methods Manual, and gave him assignments. Over time, he learned field engineering, AutoCAD, robotic total station operations, and now leads surveying in Tucson.

This approach, training from the ground up works consistently. Once they master field engineering, they move on to planning, scheduling, lean systems, and leadership training. In 1.5–5 years, they are ready to become superintendents or project managers.

Final Thoughts

To get started, grab the Field Engineering Methods Manual. Use it to identify potential candidates and start giving them assignments. When you consistently invest in training, you’ll develop your next construction leaders.

Investing in hiring and developing talent takes time, but in the long run, it builds loyal, skilled superintendents who drive your projects to success.