Quantity surveyor job description: what you'll do and what to write on your resume
Applying for quantity surveyor at a contractor or consultancy? Copy the duties below into your resume, then read what the interview asks.
Duties to write on your resume
Start each line with what you did. Keep the ones you've really done.
Prepared bills of quantities from drawings and specifications using Excel and measurement software
Measured materials and works from architectural and structural plans
Prepared cost estimates and budgets for building projects at tender stage
Evaluated subcontractor and supplier quotations and recommended the best offer
Prepared monthly progress valuations and payment claims for completed work
Tracked variation orders and updated project costs after design changes
Checked site progress against the contract and reported cost overruns early
Prepared final accounts and handled contract documents at project close
A resume objective you can adapt
Civil engineering graduate looking for a quantity surveyor role, skilled in measuring from drawings, preparing bills of quantities and checking project costs in Excel.
Skills employers ask for
Reading architectural and structural drawings
Taking off quantities accurately
Excel and cost estimating software
Contract and tender documents
Negotiating with suppliers and subcontractors
What the interview asks
How do you measure quantities from a set of drawings? Walk through your steps: check the drawings, take off by trade, then cross-check your totals.
What is a variation order and how do you handle one? Say you record the change, price it, get approval, then update the project cost.
What would you do if the site cost is going over budget? Say you find the cause first, report to the project manager and suggest options.
Which software have you used for takeoff or estimating? Name the tools you've really used, and be honest about what you're still learning.
Most posts ask for a degree in quantity surveying, civil engineering or construction management.
Prepare a resume, a valid ID and your government numbers such as SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and TIN.
Add a short list of projects you worked on, even school or internship ones, and what you measured.
Apply on company career pages or job sites, and expect a technical interview and sometimes an Excel test.
Bring your diploma and transcript of records to the interview.
What the work is like
You split your time between the office and the project site. Deadlines for tenders and monthly claims can be tight, and one wrong measurement can throw off the whole cost.
Questions
Do I need experience to work as a quantity surveyor?
Entry roles exist for fresh graduates, often as junior or assistant quantity surveyor. Internship or thesis work on a building project helps.
What should I study to become a quantity surveyor?
Most employers look for quantity surveying, civil engineering, architecture or construction management. Learn Excel and drawing reading well.
Is quantity surveyor work done from home?
Mostly not, since site visits are part of the job. Some estimating and document work can be done remotely.
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