Take a free class in management communication from MIT's Sloan School of Management to get a jumpstart on the skills you'll need in this career.

Take an online class in management communication. 

Research internship opportunities in the insurance industry. Gain valuable skills and training for your future career! 

Intern in the insurance industry.

There are a variety of risks that companies and organizations face that can cause them to incur losses. Get trained and certified to be able to identify, assess, and mitigate risk factors. 

Get certified in risk management.

The skills of a project manager are desirable qualities in a variety of careers & some even require certification. Do your research on various certification programs that would benefit your career. 

Get certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP).

Prepare to take on that leadership role by gaining valuable management tools and techniques that help improve processes within an organization.

Get Lean Six Sigma certified.

Learn about the basics of operations management by taking a class online or at your school. Discover how this skill can benefit a variety of careers. 

Take an operations management class. 

Learn about the basics of auditing and how this skill can be used in a variety of careers. Take a class online or at your school. 

Take a class on auditing.

Think of a problem at your school and brainstorm a solution. Write down the problem and your approach, and why you think that this new approach would work. Do you like tackling problems like this?

Find something that bothers you—then fix it.

Obtain a compliance certification in order to stand out in the job market or take your current career to the next level. Check out what it takes to get started today!

Become a Certified Compliance & Ethics Professional (CCEP).

Cost Estimators

Prepare cost estimates for product manufacturing, construction projects, or services to aid management in bidding on or determining price of product or service. May specialize according to particular service performed or type of product manufactured.

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Construction Estimator

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.

Business and Financial Operations Occupations

Business Operations Specialists

Collect historical cost data to estimate costs for current or future products.

Consult with clients, vendors, personnel in other departments, or construction foremen to discuss and formulate estimates and resolve issues.

Prepare estimates used by management for purposes such as planning, organizing, and scheduling work.

Analyze blueprints and other documentation to prepare time, cost, materials, and labor estimates.

Confer with engineers, architects, owners, contractors, and subcontractors on changes and adjustments to cost estimates.

Assess cost effectiveness of products, projects or services, tracking actual costs relative to bids as the project develops.

Cost Estimators

Overview

Career

What Cost Estimators Do

Other Job Titles Cost Estimators May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Cost Estimators

Overview

Career

What Cost Estimators Do

Other Job Titles Cost Estimators May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Cost Estimators

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers

Related Leaders