Quote: Graduates Advised to Become 'Useful'
Sales professional John Kenny advised recent graduates to focus on becoming "useful" rather than chasing titles. He recommended prioritizing revenue-proximate roles, actively calling recruiters, and learning sales and financial skills to build utility for a potential employer.
- Entry-level paths for business graduates often start with roles like Project Coordinator, Assistant Project Manager, or Business Development Representative. These positions utilize skills in budget monitoring, scheduling, and client relations. - In interviews, emphasize how a business background provides a strong foundation in financial management, risk assessment, and strategic planning, which are critical to a project's profitability and success. Frame your value proposition around delivering projects on time and within budget to minimize disruption for clients. - When asked about a lack of direct construction experience, highlight your ability to quickly learn new industries and focus on transferable skills like project coordination, data analysis, and vendor management. Use examples from coursework or past internships to demonstrate your problem-solving abilities. - Key B2B sales fundamentals in construction include building strong relationships with contractors, understanding the specific needs of different stakeholders (architects, engineers, procurement managers), and offering solutions rather than just products. - Major construction firms like Turner Construction and PCL Construction have established career paths for recent graduates and often hire for roles in business development and project management. Companies such as AECOM also have specific "Construction Management" business lines with various roles. - The construction industry in 2026 is seeing a significant push towards digitalization, including the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and other construction software. Mentioning your proficiency with technology and data analysis can be a key differentiator. - An effective strategy in B2B construction sales is to get your product or service included in the project specifications early on. This makes your offering the default choice and shifts the focus away from competing solely on price. - For sales roles, be prepared to discuss how you would generate leads, handle objections from knowledgeable customers, and stay updated on the latest construction machinery and materials.
