At Hawkeye Electric, we’re always looking to add talented new Electrical Foreman to our growing team. As one of the many essential roles in our industry, becoming an Electrical Foreman can be an ideal opportunity for skilled and passionate Electricians in the field to grow into the next big chapter in their own careers with a great company. Add in competitive salaries and a local market that is full of new opportunities, an Electrical Foreman is a highly sought-after position, particularly in the commercial electrical industry.
Here are some of the reasons you should consider becoming an Electrical Forman and why Hawkeye Electric might be the perfect company to consider.
Why Become an Electrical Foreman?
Competitive Pay & Benefits
As this position offers competitive pay and great benefits, many electricians are eager to apply for an Electrical Foreman position. Add in opportunities for professional growth and the ability to support their lifestyle, Electrical Foreman’s often report high job satisfaction by employers as well.
Professional Growth
For someone who has worked in the commercial electrical industry for years, they may face burnout or a feeling that they’ve “mastered” their skill. Taking on a new role as an Electrical Foreman requires someone to explore different job skills. Using these new skills while also relying on their job training provides a renewed sense of pride in the industry. It’s also a great opportunity to take on a new challenge in an otherwise familiar industry.
Many contractors work for years, even decades, to get to the next level of becoming an Electrical Foreman. While Arizona doesn’t require any certifications to become an Electrical Foreman, there are certain critical qualifications that will make a job candidate stand out.
What Does it Take to Become a Skilled Foreman?
Years of Valuable Experience
An Electrical Foreman position is not the job for someone just starting out in the electrical industry. On-site job training is an invaluable prerequisite for this role and many companies require at least 8 years of experience. While that may seem defeating to someone who wants to quickly grow their career, there’s so much to learn about the industry. The goal is to have the natural ability to recall important problem-solving skills based on certain scenarios that you’ve encountered.
Electricians develop many important skills simply by being present day to day. Interacting with a variety of people and projects allows you to soak up nuances that often can’t be taught. Oftentimes, an electrician with years of knowledge and experience can step into just about any electrical scenario with a quick solution, which makes a great Foreman. The ability to then delegate and lead others to complete that solution is what makes an excellent Foreman.
Technical Acumen
Even though you don’t need a specific certification to become an Electrical Foreman, certain technical skills will make you more successful. Many of these skills are learned on the job. For example, you should:
- Know the current electrical code
- Be able to efficiently read blueprints
- Manage required paperwork (i.e. purchase orders, etc.)
Technical management is a daily task of an Electrical Foreman, so keeping up with technology changes and workflows is essential. Additionally, a Foreman needs to maintain a job site, including scope of work, material requisitions, logbooks, job checklists, safety reports, meeting notes, purchase orders, repair tags, specs and punch lists.
The managerial side of electrical contract work may not be the best part of the day, but it is crucial to the success of a job site and the happiness of the team. When interviewing candidates for an Electrical Foreman position, these types of qualifications are at the top of the list.
Grit, Determination & Other Soft Skills
The type of person you are also determines whether you can become a successful Electrical Foreman. This type of role is for someone who is a natural leader. Companies will look to see if a job candidate has demonstrated grit, determination and perseverance over the course of their career. Usually by asking about how they resolved conflict (with a client or employee) and whether they learned hard lessons on the job.
These types of soft skills are the sign of a leader.
- Being able to listen and problem-solve without any guidance
- Communicating effectively and with respect
- Organizing multiple tasks at one time without sacrificing quality
- Giving extra attention to important details
The job of an Electrical Foreman requires extra time and dedication on the job site. With more responsibilities comes added pressure. It’s often the job of the Foreman to ensure contractors comply with safety regulations. Any injury on a job site is on your watch.
Mentorship & Continuing Education
If you have the willingness to work hard and learn, the best way to become a skilled Electrical Foreman is to start working in the industry. Apply for an entry-level position in the electrical field and then get to work. Jump in on a variety of jobs and try working with a variety of people. Along the way, if you find a mentor who can guide you through your career, let them know that you want to learn from them!
Prioritizing a company that values career growth is essential if you want to grow your career. While we do believe that more is caught than taught when it comes to soft skills and work experience, continuing education is the key to success in the electrical industry.
Why Team Hawk?
At Hawkeye Electric, our goal is to provide opportunities for our employees to learn and grow in the field. Through our 4-year apprenticeship program, our employees are given education and training for best practices for electrical construction.
Hawkeye Electric is proud to be 100% employee-owned and offers ongoing career advancement opportunities for all team members, on-the-job training, team-building, great benefits and more. Because of our continuing education program, our employees grow professionally into leadership positions within the company. It’s also one of the reasons our employees stick with us for the long haul.
If you’re looking to work for a commercial electric company with a passion for people and industry best practices, check out the open job positions at Hawkeye Electric today!