In our role as career advisors to the construction industry, we often hear one question from the candidates we work with: “How do I advance my career to the next level?” From Foremen with their eyes on a General Superintendent career track to Project Executives hoping to earn a spot in the C-suite, construction workers know that to grow their careers, they need to continuously develop new skills, experiences, and relationships.
To support construction professionals in their career development goals, we’ve put together a Career Pathways Series. In each article, our industry experts will offer practical advice for construction workers who want to grow their careers along a particular path.
Previously, we’ve provided our unique perspective on pathways to senior project management roles in construction. In this article, we cover how to pursue Estimator and Senior Estimator positions in the steel industry specifically. We spoke with our steel industry Market Leaders, Mike Jones and Wes Snoddy, about the estimating trends they see in steel, as well as what advice they’d give to aspiring Estimators/Senior Estimators. Here’s what they told us:
In general, what kind of career progression leads to an Estimator/Senior Estimator role in steel?
Wes: There’s no “standard” career path to estimation. Very generally speaking, the two main options are to grow toward that role within the steel industry, or to develop those skills in general contracting or another sector and then jump into steel.
Mike: I agree. There’s also no formal training that’s specifically required across the board to become an Estimator. Different companies have different names for the learning stages – whether that’s Assistant Estimator or Estimating Coordinator – and employees in those roles grow with experience into Senior Estimator roles. It just varies case by case.
So there’s no formal training required – but what skill sets are helpful in transitioning to estimating?
Mike: Hands-on construction experience is always beneficial in an estimating role. Someone with a drafting background also has a leg up, especially those coming out of school with an engineering degree. Those technical skills will come in handy as an Estimator.
Wes: And even within steel, the two verticals (fabrication and erection) are totally different worlds that require different skill sets. For example, in erection you’re calculating field hours to get a building up, while in fabrication you’re focused more on the materials world and the costs of acquiring the steel. So depending on what you’re estimating, a background in that vertical helps.
What draws steel candidates toward estimating roles? What’s appealing about that kind of role?
Wes: It varies. Sometimes we’ll see project management workers who are tired of being out in the field and want a more stable, sedentary job. Workers with strong computer skills and great electronic communication skills often feel comfortable in estimating. Personality wise, someone who’s more introverted and technology-driven might find estimating to be a great fit.
What are the most important qualities for a Senior Estimator to have?
Mike: Accuracy, efficiency, and leadership. In a senior estimating role, you’ve already mastered the entry-level parts of estimating so as you move up, you’re focused on being much more efficient and accurate with the take-offs you’re doing. But you’re also able to delegate responsibilities to the people who report to you – the Junior Estimators, etc. So there’s the leadership side combined with the estimating excellence.
Wes: There’s this ideal combination of technological skill and leadership ability that is tough to find. On the one hand, there’s a couple of different technologies that are prevalent in the industry that are necessary for success in estimating. On the other hand, there’s the hands-on experience and leadership ability that comes from years of experience. So sometimes we’ll have candidates who are digital natives but who lack some of that experience or work ethic piece, and sometimes we’ll hear, “This guy is a great Estimator with 25 years of experience, but he does everything on napkins.” It’s the combination of the two that makes for a really great Senior Estimator.
So how can an Estimator with technical skills build that leadership capacity needed for a senior estimating role?
Mike: It’s really about building your relationship skills. To some extent, it’s a gift – that “gift of gab,” those people skills that some people just have naturally. There are also courses at community colleges you can take to learn how to manage and delegate. And maybe most importantly, you can look at who your current supervisor is and evaluate if they’re going to be a good mentor for you in that way. Are they teaching you those leadership and communication skills? If not, you might consider finding a role under someone who can teach you that critical piece.
Wes: Yeah, the simple answer is, “Ask for it.” Ask to go with your current Senior Estimator to bid meetings, just to listen in and learn. Ask to tag along to steel industry events. Those can be pretty overwhelming social situations and learning experiences so it brings great exposure. Ask for opportunities to learn and grow.
When you think of “green flags” for an Estimator/Senior Estimator candidate, what stands out?
Mike: Someone with tenure at a respectable company who’s willing to make a move is a great find. It might be somebody without a lot of upward mobility potential in their current role, and if they’ve got a strong track record in their current company, I can usually find them a place with a shorter trajectory into a senior estimating position. If a candidate’s current firm is a competitor of our client, the hiring manager will know the candidate has experience estimating similar projects – airport work, stadiums, etc. – so that can be a big “green flag” for our clients.
Wes: Also, when someone wants to or has to relocate for whatever reason, that’s a plus.
Are there any specific geographic regions that are “hot” for steel right now?
Mike: Things are pretty busy around most major metropolitan areas right now. Steel was down a little bit in 2024, with projects being pushed back and delayed, but 2025 is looking strong.
Wes: The market right now is really “big project”-driven – big battery plants and things like that. So areas where those projects are up and coming.
Are there any “red flags” that make a hiring manager not want to talk to an estimating candidate?
Mike: Managers have a lot of concerns about the tenure aspect of a candidate’s career. If a candidate can’t make a strong case for why they’ve made job changes, sometimes a company won’t even interview them. They see the risk as too high.
Wes: The steel market is a small world, so word of mouth goes a long way. There’s a good chance a hiring manager will either know about a specific candidate or the reputation of their company, so they’ll already have an idea of whether that person is a good cultural fit for their group.
How many years of estimating experience does a Senior Estimator need?
Mike: Usually about 10 years – maybe 5 if they’re exceptional.
How are companies drawing in Senior Estimators?
Mike: This can be a struggle for our industry – on the surface, it’s not the “shiny,” fancy career path. But there’s a few draws. For one, companies are going after people in trade schools or on shop floors who show leadership potential. Those workers come up through the shop, from laborer to welder to supervisor, then transition into the office. There’s also the high-tech aspect of it, with everything that’s being done around 3D modeling and software. That can be really appealing to some of the younger generations, so leaning into that can attract tech-savvy candidates. And then just creating training programs to help folks who are strong on the tech side but need the leadership development, or who have the experience and leadership down but need to develop their tech skills – create programs to team people up and let them help each other develop those skills.
Thank you to Mike and Wes for their insights on career pathways to Estimator/Senior Estimator in the steel industry. Keep an eye out for future installments of our Career Pathways series, and let us know if you have specific construction careers you’d like advice on!
