*
I’m currently in the Marines and get out in less than a month.I want to be a General Contractor. I’m going to a tech school in the spring semester for an associates degree in basic construction trades. My Dad is a General Contractor back home(Oklahoma),along with alot of uncles and both grandfathers. Unfortunatly I didn’t work around my dad much,so I didn’t learn as much as I could have. But I do learn quickly,and the trade seems to come naturally to me. I currently live in Charleston SC where there seems to be an abundance of residential construction available. I plan on making this area my home.I’m scared to go out on my own right now because I don’t know much about the managment side of the house in this trade. OK,here’s my question. How the hell do I get hired? I’ve never worked for a professional before,except a little for my dad when I was young. No one seems to be interested in hiring someone without professional experience. Even the ads that say “no experience nessecary” want to know how much experience I have and then say “Not right now”. Any advice?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The FHB Podcast crew takes a closer look at an interesting roof.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
Hi Joe,
Sounds like you have a pretty clear idea of what you want to
do, just need to get into it.
It's easy around here (Wisconsin) right now, companies and
smaller outfits are begging for help. You are overqualified
compared to many who work in my area.
Maybe you could get in with a local guy who needs an extra
hand, start out with lower pay and prove your worth as you
go. You should be able to move up fast, and most people (I
know I would) would be impressed by your marine background,
that you are a very capable, no bullshit guy who is used to
doing things better than most.
Right now I'm turning down a lot of work or at least holding
a lot of jobs off til I can get to them. If I had the right
person, we could clean up.
Kind of cleaning up anyway,
D
*Joe. I to was in your position at one time, I was fresh out of the millitary and ready to roll. I found it easy to get into the feild of carpentry, the main reason was I showed the fact that this was what I really wanted to do, and people picked up on that fact. Today it is very difficult to find anyone who truly wants to be A profesional carpenter, and I can't understand why, I can't imagine A better career.Knock on A few more doors,you'll get hired
*I couldn't agree more. Get out there and look for new lumber. Have your tools in your vehicle and be ready to work that day. Start askin' around, and you'll find work in no time. Always look 'em in the eye. - jb
*Joe, people show up all the time looking for work, but their interest is in making a few bucks today and not in being a carpenter, or doing a job. This is a big difference.Be the guy who shows he really wants to learn, do the right job and be a part of the team. Once people see this in you, they'll be coming after you. Be the guy who wants to earn only enough to buy the next six pack and no one needs you on their job. It's your job to make people see that you mean what you say. Good luck.
*OK! Here is what I would like to suggest. First do your homework. Find the best builder in town. Second locate his Framers and show up on the jobsite with your tool belt ON!(if you dont have one, buy one ) Tell him you want to learn this trade RIGHT and you'll give him today free. ( show up after lunch when they are not at their peak ) Then work your butt off! and dont talk. Show them that you are not afraid to get dirty. At the end of the day thank them and tell them you'll be back tomorrow. Your zeal towards hard work will get you the most $. Become accutely aware of everything around you.Give this a whirl and you will have a blast! What and honor to get paid to stay in shape!Once you are trenched in dont be afraid to ask questions, ask the other trades.Make it your mission to start at the bottom with the top in mind! then when you have arrived you will be the best builder there is! The kind who earned it!
*Patrick....are you following this thread????
*Getting on in a trade often is as much "who you know" as "what you know". With that in mind, why aren't you taking advantage of your relatives? Looks to me to be a great place to start. You know them and they you. You won't want to take advantage of them, or they you. When you have the skills and the education you might have the option of either taking over one of their businesses or starting your own.Cold calling is the toughest way there is to get started in today's world. Avoid it if you can, and it appears you can.
*And what's the first thing that comes to mind when somebody shows up with a brand spanking new tool belt, all nice and clean and no creases? Practical joke time! Plus, you forgot to mention that he's got to put some tools in the belt, or it looks really silly.
*Thanks for the advice,Fred.But I'm currently stationed in Beaufort,SC and live in Charleston.I'm from Oklahoma and all my relatives are also,plus my wife is from Charleston,so I'm going to be making this area my home.Also,in this area,all the building contractors(or at least most)that advertise in the Yellow Pages,or are looking for help in the classifieds,don't have an address,just a phone number.Any advice on that? Thanks in advance!
*...call 'em.
*Sure I have some advise on that! It may even be worth what it is costing you:<)You are in the classical income vs geographic location dilemma complicated by the immediate vs deferred gratification conundrum.My advise is to PROMISE you wife you will eventually settle in the Charleston area. But first you have to get a good foundation in the business you all have chosen(she has chosen this too right?). Then go to OK, get your academic education in accounting, personnel, etc and your practical education in your trade. Since everyone knows someone in other areas of the country you will have little trouble finding someone to make a good contact for you back in Charleston when the time is right.Lacking a willingness to follow the dollar and education for the short term with geography coming later you are stuck with the cold call bear.
*...but if you insist on cold calling, look for the job the way you would look for the contractor to work on your house. Ask around to find out who are the better contractors, narrow down to the two or three best. Know exactly what you want and why you should get it. Then go see those two or three, and make sure they know you are there because you understand them to be the best.Rich Beckman
*Joe I was in your situation a few months back. I just got out of USN. Mt pop owns a small outfit. I went to work for him to learn more than I knew. I thought I knew what I was doing from working with him as a kid, but I didn't know crap. Digging ditches and and hauling lumber around doesn't make you a GC. It takes years to learn the trades. You won't last long if you don't hook up with a good carpenter and learn. It's all tribal knowledge, you can't learn it from going to tech school and walking through a Home Depot store. Good luck. By the way Do you know what crap sounds like when it hits a fan.....MAAARINE! Once a squid always a squid. Semper fi bro.
*Joe, I spent 3 years at Ft.Sill in the 60's , love OK !But you've got two problems, there's the business side which I learned OJT, by doing it & that's a terrible way, But after 25 years on my own ,I'm getting the hang of it. You've got a safety net and a sounding board, your Dad and Uncles. If you can stay in trade school, take some design & drafting courses, they'll set you apart in this business. Take some basic business courses like accounting, so you can get a hang on what's going on with your QuickBooks Pro.The skills/experience part comes with time. Drive around and keep your eyes open, if you see a class act, go talk to the boss. I hire veterans in a heartbeat. I know that they already have the discipline to show up and do the work. After you gain some experience, the leadership skills you learned in the Corps will help you lead a crew. Your boss, if he's a class act, knows all this and he's looking for someonelike you. You're married, so that's a plus with me, because you're going to keep your nose to the grindstone to pay the bills like the rest of us. When I was young and single, there were always reasons for taking a day off. Nothing motivates like being married and paying the bills.If I had to choose, I'd rather learn the business in South Carolina than Oklahoma, I get the feel that there are more opportunities for a good builder in the Carolina's than Oklahoma.Get about two years under your belt wporking for someone else (if they're a good company), and then you can go on your own or talk to your boss about opportunities for the future. BTW, not everyone is cut out for working for themselves.Good luck and stay posted.
*whatever you do, don't do what some of those yaahoos do:buy a pickup truck and a magnetic sign. best of luck to ya
*Joe,nice to hear that people still have spirt.I got out of the machine in 78,wanted to be a good carpenter didnt know spit, guess what? still dont but still working and never missed a meal.carpentry has been good to me and my family, showed up at first job site with cloth nail apron was joke of week for every one.All I knew was I was willing to learn and wanted to work you would be surprised how many people miss that simple point. 20 years later still involved and still learning perserverance,perserverance, perserverance...GOOD LINE OF CREDIT, honesty,fair dealing.GOOD LUCK
*Jobs in my area are in abundance. Contractors are hiring anyone who can show up for wok every day. check with your local Home Builders Association office or check into local apprentice traning usually info. about training programs can be found at government job services offices and Community Colleges
*
I'm currently in the Marines and get out in less than a month.I want to be a General Contractor. I'm going to a tech school in the spring semester for an associates degree in basic construction trades. My Dad is a General Contractor back home(Oklahoma),along with alot of uncles and both grandfathers. Unfortunatly I didn't work around my dad much,so I didn't learn as much as I could have. But I do learn quickly,and the trade seems to come naturally to me. I currently live in Charleston SC where there seems to be an abundance of residential construction available. I plan on making this area my home.I'm scared to go out on my own right now because I don't know much about the managment side of the house in this trade. OK,here's my question. How the hell do I get hired? I've never worked for a professional before,except a little for my dad when I was young. No one seems to be interested in hiring someone without professional experience. Even the ads that say "no experience nessecary" want to know how much experience I have and then say "Not right now". Any advice?