General Contractor Superintendent Skills and Attributes for Career Success

A general contractor superintendent (GC Supt) is one who controls the day-to-day operations of a construction site and is a vital contributor to a construction project's success. There are different opinions regarding the GC Supt's most valuable attributes. Some construction companies value experience over education, while other companies will not hire unless GC Supt has obtained a bachelor's degree. The majority of companies agree that the most effective GC Supts are those individuals with both construction degrees and a wide range of construction experience. Nevertheless, the construction industry should be more specific on what education/experience a GC Supt must have to perform competently in his/her role. With construction projects becoming more complex, there is a great demand for the right kind of GC Supt to successfully lead the project to completion. This research offers specifics on how much education and experience are suitable for the GC Supt to perform efficiently. The author highlights the most valuable soft and hard attributes that are required for the GC Supt career's success. For this purpose, a survey was developed, and interviews were conducted with selected experts who were asked to share their opinions and recommendations. Through qualitative and quantitative analyses, recommendations were proposed for the skills and attributes most necessary for the success of the GC Supts. The results of this research will provide GC Supts with practical solutions that they can implement at any stage of their profession to act more efficiently.