Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about working with a construction recruitment specialist. Can't find your answer? Contact us.

How We Work

What is contingency recruitment and how does it work?
Contingency recruitment means you pay only when we successfully place a candidate. Our fee is 20-25% of the candidate's first-year base salary. There is no upfront cost, no retainer, and no fee if we don't fill the role. We source, screen, and present qualified candidates — you interview and decide. Payment is due upon the candidate's start date.
What is retained search and when should I use it?
Retained search is an exclusive engagement for senior or hard-to-fill roles, typically Director level and above ($150K+ salary). The fee is 25-33% of first-year base, paid in three installments: 1/3 at engagement, 1/3 at candidate shortlist, 1/3 at placement. Retained search is best for VP/Director roles, confidential searches, or when you need dedicated resources on a critical hire. Average time-to-fill: 60-90 days.
How long does it take to fill a construction role?
Typical timelines by role: Project Engineer: 20-30 days. Project Manager: 30-45 days. Estimator: 30-40 days. Superintendent: 45-60 days (hardest to fill — highest demand, lowest supply). Director/VP: 60-90 days (retained search). These are averages. Urgent fills can be faster if we have candidates already in our network for that role and market.
Do you offer a guarantee period?
Yes. Every contingency placement includes a 90-day guarantee. If the candidate leaves or is terminated for performance within 90 days, we replace them at no additional fee. Retained placements include a 6-month guarantee. Our replacement rate is under 5% — we focus on fit, not just speed.
How do you screen candidates?
Every candidate goes through: (1) Resume and experience review, (2) Phone screen for technical competency and culture fit, (3) Reference checks (minimum 2 professional references), (4) Salary and relocation expectations verification, (5) Background check coordination. For superintendent roles, we also verify OSHA certifications and safety records. For estimators, we assess software proficiency (Sage, HCSS, PlanSwift).

Roles & Salary

What construction roles do you recruit for?
We specialize in mid-to-senior construction professionals: Project Managers ($80K-$180K), Superintendents ($85K-$195K), Estimators ($75K-$160K), Project Engineers ($55K-$95K), and Directors/VPs ($150K-$300K+). We also place Safety Managers, Project Coordinators, and Pre-Construction Managers when clients need them. We do not recruit for trades or craft labor.
What salary ranges should I expect for a construction Project Manager?
Construction PM salary varies significantly by state and experience: Texas: $90K-$155K (avg $115K). Florida: $85K-$145K (avg $105K). Arizona: $90K-$150K (avg $110K). Georgia: $85K-$145K (avg $105K). California: $110K-$180K (avg $145K, 15-25% premium). Senior PMs and those with data center or healthcare experience command the top of these ranges. Total comp including bonuses and vehicle allowances typically adds 10-20%.
Why are Superintendents so hard to find?
Superintendents are the hardest construction role to fill for three reasons: (1) You can't shortcut the career path — it takes 10-15 years of field experience, (2) The industry lost an entire generation of workers during the 2008-2012 downturn, and (3) Demand far exceeds supply across every sector. Our time-to-fill for supers averages 45-60 days vs. 30-45 for PMs. We maintain a dedicated superintendent network because speed matters for this role.

Markets & Sectors

What states do you recruit in?
Primary markets (highest volume): Texas, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, California. Premium markets: New York, Massachusetts, Washington. We can place nationally for the right role, but these 9 states represent 80%+ of our placements. Each market has dedicated coverage and a network of pre-screened candidates.
What construction sectors do you specialize in?
Six core sectors: Commercial (office, retail, mixed-use), Data Center (hyperscale and enterprise), Infrastructure (highways, bridges, utilities, water/wastewater), Healthcare (hospitals, ASCs, medical office), Industrial (semiconductor, EV, logistics, manufacturing), and Multifamily (apartments, BTR, student housing). Data center and infrastructure are our fastest-growing sectors, driven by $1.2T in federal infrastructure spending and the AI/cloud computing boom.
Do you work with specific types of construction companies?
Our sweet spot is mid-size general contractors with 50-500 employees. These companies are large enough to have real hiring needs but often lack dedicated internal recruiting teams. We also work with specialty subcontractors, construction management firms, and owner-developers. We typically don't work with companies under 20 employees or ENR Top 20 firms (they have their own recruitment departments).

For Candidates

Does it cost anything for candidates to use your services?
No. Candidates never pay a fee. Our fees are paid entirely by the hiring company. Registration, resume review, interview coaching, salary negotiation support, and placement are all free to candidates.
How do I register as a candidate?
Fill out our Candidate Registration form or email your resume to candidates@patriotrecruitment.ai. Include your target role, preferred location(s), salary expectations, and availability. We'll review your profile within 48 hours and reach out if we have matching opportunities. Even if we don't have an immediate match, we keep your profile active for future openings.
Will you share my resume without my permission?
Never. We will not send your resume to any company without your explicit approval for that specific opportunity. We'll always discuss the role, company, and compensation with you first. Your job search remains confidential.
Are you a veteran-friendly recruiter?
Yes. We actively recruit transitioning military personnel for construction roles. Military experience in engineering, logistics, project management, and leadership translates directly to construction. We offer a 50% fee reduction to employers hiring veterans through our program, and we help veterans translate their MOS to civilian construction roles. Visit our Veterans page for the full MOS-to-construction role guide.

For Employers

How do I submit a role to fill?
Three ways: (1) Fill out our Contact form with role details, (2) Email hiring@patriotrecruitment.ai with the job description, (3) Call us directly. We'll schedule a 30-minute intake call to understand the role, team, culture, compensation, and timeline. We can typically start presenting candidates within 5-7 business days of engagement.
What information do you need to start a search?
To start effectively, we need: Job title and reporting structure, key responsibilities, required experience and certifications, salary range and benefits overview, project type and size, start date urgency, location (and relocation flexibility), and any deal-breakers. The more specific you are, the faster we can deliver qualified candidates.
Can I use your API to post jobs or check candidate availability?
Yes. We have a public API at patriotrecruitment.ai/api with endpoints for active roles, markets, sectors, and job listings. For posting jobs or checking candidate availability programmatically, contact us to discuss API access. We also provide JSON and XML job feeds at /feed/jobs.json and /feed/jobs.xml for integration with job boards and aggregators.

Still Have Questions?

We're happy to discuss your specific hiring needs or answer any questions about our process.

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