A strong job description is the key to successful hiring. When you are looking to hire an estimator, be sure to create a job posting that attracts the right kind of person. If you communicate the requirements as too lenient, you will receive far too many resumes and must sort through them. If they are too strict, you will not get a good pool of candidates to choose from. It is important to find a balance. This is certainly a difficult task, so MightyRecruiter has prepared an estimator job description sample to help you understand what an effective job posting looks like. Use the following information to write your job description.
Estimator Job Summary
We are looking for an estimator with a strong set of communication skills and corporate knowledge. The estimator position is responsible for estimating expenses of labor, resources, and time expenses and presenting this information. Research and analysis is at the core of this position.
Estimator Job Responsibilities and Duties
- Gathers information about labor costs, resources, and daily expenses.
- Computes the cost of different processes, proposed projects, and business decisions.
- Analyzes proposals, blueprints, and other documentation for information on costs.
- Identify required labor, time, and material requirements for potential projects.
- Resolve conflicts and discrepancies.
- Enter and back up all costs data.
- Prepare reports on expenses.
- Present cost projections to management.
- Ensures budgets are maintained through ongoing and continuous management.
- Maintains up-to-date technical knowledge of corporate practices, expenses, and strategies.
Estimator Skills and Qualifications
- Bachelor degree or higher in related business field
- Three to five years experience in corporate setting
- Management experience preferred, financial experience required
- Excellent communication and organizational skills
- Must be willing to start immediately, work full-time, and relocate
Company Profile
American Manufacturing is a state-of-the-art production company. Being founded in 2001, we bring over a decade of experience to the manufacturing industry. We believe in facilitating the advancement of our employees in their careers and take our impact on the environment and the surrounding community seriously.
Writing a Job Description: Do’s and Don’ts
- Taking the time to go back, analyze, and improve the job description is what sets some postings apart. The above estimator job description sample will help you get started, but you need to integrate some of the following practices to make sure your job description is as strong as possible.
- Do include a call to action after the company profile. This brief paragraph simply encourages the reader to apply and should include clear information about how to submit an application. Total, the call to action should be one or two sentences.
- Don’t just jump right into writing. Take the time to learn about the position so you have a complete understanding of the requirements, daily tasks, and skill requirement. It is good practice to consult someone currently in the position.
- Do sell the company as much as possible. If the reader identifies with the business’ mindset, goals, and practices, they will be much more likely to apply. This will also ensure likeminded candidates apply. Spend some time detailing how the business benefits the employees.
- Don’t be vague. The more information you can include, the better. Of course, it is important that you do not make the posting overly long. It should be dense and detailed, but also brief.
- Don’t go against company policy. Some businesses include salary information, but some prefer not to. Neither option is inherently better, so it is simply best to follow what the company wants to do.
- Do write in an active voice. Start each bullet point in the responsibilities section with a strong action verb. It should be your goal to make it as easy as possible for the reader to envision themselves in the position.
- Do include administrative information about the position. It is important that your posting makes it clear whether it is a full or part-time, what the location and start date is, and any other necessary information.
Put in the extra time now to make sure the candidate you end up hiring is a great fit and a dedicated worker. Think of hiring as investing. If you take precautions, you can end up with an investment that provides an excellent return, especially when you are hiring an estimator.
Estimator Job Responsibilities
As you prepare an estimator job description, the job responsibilities section is where you’ll devote most of your time. It is here that jobseekers will determine whether they are ready to complete the tasks you’ll expect from them each day. Use clear descriptions so that individuals accurately understand the responsibilities of the job. When completed well, the estimator job responsibilities section can reduce the number of applications you receive from unqualified jobseekers.
Rather than formatting this section in a dense paragraph, break the pertinent details into 6-8 bullet points. Although this section should be the meatiest part of the estimator job description, avoid the temptation to include every detail of the daily activities. It’s best to choose key responsibilities, beginning each bulleted point with an action verb.
Here are some examples to start you on your way:
- Analyze proposals and prepare cost estimates for a variety of projects
- Visit job sites and warehouses to gather and remain familiar with firsthand information
- Gather documentation relevant to proposals, including blueprints and specifications
- Identify time, labor and material requirements and compute costs based on study of proposals and related documentation
- Complete special reports to present to company administrators and project managers
- Present estimate using prepared facts and figures
Estimator Job Specifications
When you get the job qualifications and skills section of your estimator job description, you’ll want to be sure that you have a short but meaningful list that includes the minimum requirements. This step gives unqualified candidates the chance to move on to other job postings. If you have space, you might also include some of the preferred skills or qualifications to further clarify the type of applicant you prefer to see. Consider the value of including both hard and soft skills, such as experience with technical software and the ability to problem solve.
A great way to separate essential estimator job specifications is to talk with the professional who currently holds the position or with the supervisor of the potential employee. Discuss the requirements that are necessary and those which are preferable and create two separate lists, so that jobseekers can easily determine which qualities they must have and those they don’t absolutely need to have to apply.
We’ve included a selection of skills and qualifications you might consider using in your estimator job description:
- BSc or BA in accounting, construction science, engineering or comparable field
- Proficiency with HCSS HeavyBid and Timberline software
- 5 or more years of experience in construction estimation
- Analytical mindset and superior math and IT abilities
- Reliability and attention to detail, highly organized
- Verifiable CPE is a plus