Newly self employed
So I left a position 3 mo ago with a construction company that I've been with for 10 years, after I had all ready left them a year prior, just to be laid off at a big builder with a promising career as a Superintendent. I was working under a particular Area Manager at the 10 year job that had a reputation as being abusive. In all the years I worked there I never had to work with him. Well when I went back, I did have to work under him, and he was very abusive. He had a few complaints against him and an attempted law suit. I was studding for my Contractors license at the time because I needed to get out some how and finding another job in construction at this time was not the best direction to go because of the slow down in building. So one day 3 mo ago I couldn't take his belittling banter any more and I walked with the support of my Wife, thinking I could find small jobs to get by. Well I got my license and we have told all our friends, family, all my prior contacts, some small adds and what networking I can find and I'm not getting any significant calls. I'm getting paranoid, thinking this is'nt going to work. I can only sit around so long. My Wife wants me to be self employed and totally supports me, but the waiting is killing me. I'm looking at jobs that I would like to do that have require some construction management, but they want 4 year degrees. Let me add that my Wife does'nt want me to make less than I was making, I may not have a choice very soon... and without a degree that will be difficult in these times. Should I go back to school, or hang in there as a contractor. If I go back to work for some one I will probably fall into a comfort zone, not peruse my self employment and fall back into na labor position???
Not sure where you are but this is a tough time to get work in construction. I had my contractor's and plumbing licenses and my own company for several years but our local economy tanked and so did my business. If your market can support any spec building, you might want to try to get a loan and build a spec home to sell but it can be tough, especially with the mortgage situation the way it is. I sat on two houses for over a year and it'll kill you on interest payments. My brother-in-law is in a more rural area and he has a booming business doing residing, roofing, windows and decks. He has jobs lined up for months and they're willing to wait on him. You may want to think about going that route as most people needing those services will have equity in their home and can get a loan for that kind of work if they don't have it in the bank already. You may want to just drive around and stop at houses that look like they need a new roof or a new deck and knock on the door. I've hired subs that came to my jobsite looking for work before. And once you're on a house, the neighbors may be coming over to check it out and talk to you. Even putting together a list of addresses and mailing out flyers to obviously older neighborhoods that need some maintenance type work can generate business. There's a book called "Guerrilla Marketing" (sp?) that can probably be found on Amazon that has a lot of ideas on how to do low-cost marketing for small businesses. Construction is often one of those fields where they want to know you before they hire you so ads don't work much but if they know you too well they don't want to pay for your services because they want them for free. They just want to know that someone they know trusts you, if that makes sense, and it runs on word-of-mouth advertising so you have to do a good job and leave them happy, always. So put together a list of references too. Give it a little more time and spend your time marketing instead of waiting. Hit the street. And wear the right clothes so you look competent (construction workers don't wear suits) but clean and trustworthy, like someone you'd be willing to hire to work on your own house. If you work it, you'll get the work and if you give them their money's worth and make them happy, they'll advertise for you so you don't have to... Good luck!! Thank you for your input. I'm a specialty contractor (Finish Carpentry), so I wont be building any homes. I have a couple of small, very small things on the side to bring in petty cash...maybe they will grow into some thing one day, but definitely wont pay the bills as is. Wife is getting edgy about needing some $ to come in for extra cash. We have savings and she makes great money at Her job. We also cut back on baby's day care 3 days a week so I'm home half the week. I don't see myself knocking on peoples doors and as far as going to construction sites and handing out cards, I'm a one man show and I feel I need to start slow, I'm not ready to jump into any production type project where I need employees or am in over my head. I"m not even sure this is what I want to do...carry around tools for the next 20 years. I would hate to loose the experience I built in construction to go change careers and start at the bottom again in another field...of what I have no idea, so that doesn't help. I want to move forward. Like I said the construction management positions seem to want 4 year degrees, that would put me in my 40s by the time I get that. I got the superintendent position with the big builder cause I knew some one. I'm just thinking things will pick up enough to bring in enough to keep my Wife happy, in the mean time go back to school for a degree either 2 year or 4 year in construction management. I'm just getting nervous sitting home here with baby watching Wife go off to work. I've never not worked since I was 13, I've always progressed, so this is killing me. My Wife and Family are so proud of me getting my license, so called starting my own business and for leaving a job that was making me ill, so I don't want to throw in the towel just yet. Ok, here's the thing. You can be 40 with a degree or 40 without one. Either way (God willing) you're going to be 40. You're not likely to get into any management position without a degree. That's reality. So, consider what you want to be doing at 40. Do you want to be living hand to mouth, stumping for odd jobs and still carrying around your tools on your belt? Do you want to be in managment (construction or something else)? A trip to your local community college to talk to a career counselor would be a good start (or check your phone book for one). They can help you see what your current skills, abilities and interests add up to as well as help you lay out a path for the future. There are also many programs for adults to earn degrees. Be sure it is very credible, but you could have it done in much less time than attending a 4 year school full time. If you want to be building your own business, then start with www.sba.gov. Then go see the people at www.score.org. They're both free services that can help get you on track with really building your business instead of just waiting for odd jobs to wander in. Keep in mind that running your own business is only about 40% (if you're lucky) about doing the thing that you love (in this case finish carpentry). The rest is marketing, accounting, sales, etc. Tess Thank you for the reality check. I really do appreciate your input, I do realize the points you made. I registered at Sierra college Thurs., I now just have to figure out what to take...I guess I can take general courses for now. Yes I know it takes time to build a business, and I don't think I can go a year or more not bringing in some thing on a regular basis. I'm so tempted to go and fall back into an installer position working for some one else, but I'll let my Wife tell me when it's time for that, like I said She really want's me to be self employed. I'm doing an estimate to do some work for a family friend tonight, 2nd estimate in 2 months, and it's not going to be for much. It's funny, but a lot of Homeowners aren't looking for licensed contractors, so they can get it done cheap. There are guys out there that are in construction management positions that don't have degrees and are still hanging in there even as bad as it is...and they don't have as many years of trade experience as I do! So its hard to figure if getting a degree is really the answer. I am glad I walked from my last job, I was becoming ill from having a supervisor that could'nt communicate without raising his voice belittling and threaten my position on a daily basis even after I told him that I cant keep up with the extra jobs, I told him before he gave me the extra jobs not to cause I new from his reputation that when things got bad He would throw me under the bus...and that's exactly what happened!!! They gave me twice as many job sites to run when I came back as any of the other Foreman because I was doing such a good job, and I went and got Superintendent experience for a year, I'm assuming. So I guess I'll do what jobs I can get and go back to school until my Wife says different. Once again thank so much for your advise. | |
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