Resume Best | Practices for Real Estate & Construction Professionals

A strong resume is more than a career summary — it’s a marketing document that highlights your impact, experience, and technical strengths in one of the most results-driven industries. Below are best practices tailored specifically to real estate development, construction management, property/asset management, and related fields.

1. Lead With a Clear, Targeted Summary

Your summary should immediately communicate:

  • Your functional expertise (Development, Construction, PM, AM, Acquisitions, etc.)

  • Your asset class focus (Multifamily, Affordable Housing, Industrial, Office, SFR, Student, etc.)

  • Your experience level and value proposition

Example Real estate development professional with 12+ years of experience delivering multifamily and mixed-use projects across the Southeast, from pre-development through stabilization. Proven track record in deal sourcing, entitlements, budgeting, and cross-functional team leadership.

2. Highlight Project/Portfolio Experience

In real estate and construction, projects are your proof of value. Create a dedicated Project List or include key projects under each role.

For each project, aim to include:

  • Asset type (Multifamily, Industrial, LIHTC, Mixed-Use, etc.)

  • Location

  • Scope (ground-up, rehab, reposition, value-add, TI, interiors, etc.)

  • Size (units, square footage, budget value)

  • Your role (exact responsibilities + decision-making authority)

  • Outcome (delivered ahead of schedule, under budget, leased-up to X%, etc.)

This gives employers the clarity they need to understand your track record.

3. Quantify Everything Possible

Numbers build credibility.

Examples

  • Delivered a $62M LIHTC development from entitlement to lease-up

  • Managed a portfolio of 1,250 units across Class A/B multifamily assets

  • Reduced operating expenses 12% YOY through vendor consolidations

  • Oversaw $18M in capital improvement projects

  • Completed project 3 months ahead of schedule

Quantifying results instantly elevates your impact.

4. Tailor to Your Niche Within the Industry

Real estate is diverse — hiring managers look for specialization.

Examples of niche identifiers

  • LIHTC / Affordable Housing

  • Ground-Up Multifamily Development

  • Industrial & Logistics Facilities

  • Value-Add Acquisitions

  • Data Centers

  • Mixed-Use Urban Redevelopment

  • Construction Management / Owner’s Rep

  • Property or Asset Management

Make your niche obvious in your summary, job descriptions, and project list.

5. Prioritize Responsibilities That Show Leadership & Ownership

Don’t just list tasks — highlight ownership and decision-making authority.

Strong examples

  • Led pre-development activities, including site selection, underwriting, and zoning approvals

  • Managed GC selection, contract negotiation, and OAC meetings

  • Oversaw pro forma modeling, capital stack analysis, and lender reporting

  • Directed lease-up strategy, unit pricing, and property positioning

  • Supervised onsite teams and third-party property managers

Real estate employers want to understand how much you drove the process, not just what you participated in.

6. Make Your Resume Clean, Skimmable & Professional

Hiring managers skim resumes fast — especially in construction and development.

Best practices

  • Keep resume to 1–2 pages depending on experience

  • Use clear section headers

  • Avoid dense paragraphs — use bullet points

  • Use simple, clean formatting with consistent spacing

  • Choose a professional font (Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, etc.)

  • Avoid photos, graphics, headshots, and decorative elements

  • Save as PDF unless instructed otherwise

Clarity = credibility.

7. Include the Right Technical Skills

Depending on your role, consider including:

Software Procore, Bluebeam, Yardi, MRI, RealPage, Google Earth, MS Project, AutoCAD, Argus, Excel modeling

Construction Scheduling, estimating, value engineering, RFI/submittals, buyout, punch lists

Development Underwriting, entitlements, feasibility, due diligence, capital structuring

Asset Management Budgeting, NOI improvement, CapEx planning, lease-up strategy

Affordable Housing LIHTC, HUD programs, compliance experience, reporting

These keywords help you pass both human and ATS review.

8. Show Professional Certifications & Relevant Training

Certifications build trust, especially in technical roles.

Examples

  • PMP, CCM

  • OSHA certifications

  • LEED AP or Green Associate

  • CAM, CAPS, ARM, CPM

  • Real estate licenses

  • LIHTC / compliance certifications

Place these in a dedicated section for visibility.

9. Keep Employment Dates, Titles & Employers Accurate

Real estate and construction hiring managers pay close attention to:

  • Job titles

  • Promotions

  • Project timelines

  • Gaps between roles

Accuracy and consistency matter.

10. Proofread Carefully

This seems simple, but it’s often overlooked. Construction budgets and development pro formas require precision — your resume should reflect the same attention to detail.

Tips

  • Read your resume out loud

  • Have a trusted colleague review it

  • Double-check dates, titles, and numbers

  • Ensure formatting is consistent throughout

Need Professional Resume Guidance?

wRight Resources works with top professionals across development, construction, asset management, and acquisitions. If you’d like personalized feedback or a professionally polished resume, we’re here to help.