How do you Get Hired into the Construction industry?

Want to get hired in the Construction business? How about Landscaping? Maybe with a Concrete Crew or anywhere else for that matter. Here is some good advice from a former Business owner.

1. · An Open Mind
2. · Willingness to trade in your Bad Habits for Good work ethics.
3. · Willing get up early and Be there when the boss needs you.

Why did I say "An open Mind" first?

Because if you do not have an Open Mind then I can't help you and neither can anyone else.

Examine the potential employers...

The Questions you want to ask are not just "Who is hiring?"

Or "What kind of Benefits plan does that company have?"

You need to understand Employers are Human beings with real needs also... and one of their biggest needs is dependable labor at an afordable rate.

Understand the Dilema:
The First obstacle of the Employer is "Employees that want to make more money than the foreman" ,,, "and work less than they did on the last Job they worked".. wich probably wasn't much to begin with."

The average new hire employee today is interested in

1) Paycheck

2) Figuring out how to get someone else to do the work.

3) Getting Draws on a paycheck they haven't earned yet.

Sober up a moment and look at The Job market from the eyes of an employer who

1) is on a tight budget,

2) already has more than enough "Deadwood" employees that need to be Pruned out" and

3) Is trying to figure out how to Get the Job done... and then, just maybe...

4) He can make enough money to afford some of the Newer equipment he needs before the older equipment breaks down for the last time...

5) Profit Margin? I have Never yet met an employee who cared if his boss made money or not.

Think in terms of "Getting Started". You want a stepping stone... You want to get your feet wet in the industry and prove that you can do the Job.. The Best Employers don't want to waste time and money training someone who wont be there in a month...
Lets face it... Construction is hard work and many would be Carpenters don't last the first week. So if you want to get started in this industry, use the lesser company to get you trained and at the same time prove to yourself that you not only can do the Job... but really want to work in that field.
Don't worry if the entry position is in a company that has little future... It has great future if it gives you A) The Experience, B) A Great Reference!!! C) The Confidence that only comes when one has worked the Job, Understands the requirements and has a sincere desire to continue in that field.

Look for a trend when the Boss is typicaly looking to replace someone...
Go to the Construction site: The early morning after a mid week holiday... Half the crew shows up for work either Drunk, Drugged or just don't show up for work at all... The Forman is ready to fire the entire crew except that he needs to get the job done... and then somebody CLEAN and SOBER shows up for the third or fourth morning in a row wanting work... Yes I said Early Morning and Yes I said it was not the first time you were there looking for work but the third or fourth morning in a row...
What is considered early? Find out what time the Boss gets to the job site and find out what time the crew is supposed to clock in. Be there just after the boss arives and before the crew shows up. Have the related safty equipment with you or better yet... ON YOU!
Drink a Cup of coffee and greet the boss with "Mornin Sir" or "Mornin Mam" "Need a worker today?"
Have a list of job sites and the formans names who you have talked to and work the list. Be there. If one don't need you this morning make sure he has your Cell Number... Give him your card and say "Sir here is my number... In case you end up shorthanded" Thank him/her and then go to the next Job site. Work your list.

ON Call Labor companies... like Labor Ready and Labor Finders etc...
Will also get your foot in the door....
I have worked for several of them in the past... Yes I said I have worked for them... and I have also called them for Crew as well... and as a skilled laborer who really wanted to work I didn't last long... I don't mean that in a bad way... But rather... that a skilled worker who shows his metal will be put on full time as fast as they can arange it.

In one case I literally heard the comment from my Crew Chief to His Boss... "What in the H--- is that guy doing working for Labor -----???" "He should be making $__.__ per hour over at our competitors..." "You need to get him signed on before he goes over the hill on ya" They then worked me till the end of the week to fullfill their agreement with "Labor ----" and Hired me officially on the end of the last day working for "Labor -----" as a Monday New Hire.

Are you a Good worker??? With a good work ethic and worth your salt??? Don't be afraid to sit the bench at a few hiring halls... not only will it get you some spare cash for basic needs while your waiting on the big Job.. But you will also learn allot from what goes on all around you.
Just stay out of all the Trouble you will see... Keep your nose clean.

Getting a foot in the door:

Once upon a time... there was a Construction Company owner out building a fence by himself. He had some people that called themselves Crew... but never showed up on time and when they did were often as not drunk or hung over...
On this perticular day They hadn't shown up and he had 2 or three more fences already lined up but the fence he was working on was for a "Prefered Customer" who had already ordered several other fences from him... She owned a bunch of Rentals... and It had to be done asap because the lady who lived there had dogs...

The owner of the Company was out in a Yard digging fence post holes in the hot sun with no help in sight. Well almost... There was a neighbor who had a brother living with him... the brother had just moved into town and had not had time to look for work much yet... He was out in the Yard watching, and sized up the situation pretty accuratly...
Where is your Crew? He said...
Home drinking beer I reckon...
I stopped for an Ice Cold Green tea about then and he came up to talk...

You Examine what he said next and think about it!!!

"Ill Make you a deal" he said. "Ill work for you the rest of the day and tomarrow at $8.00 an hour, and if you think I'm worth more than that... you just pay me what you think i'm worth."
"If I'm worth keeping, well talk about my pay Rate... if not... you'll be pretty much done with this fence and we can part ways... Fair Enough?

I needed a good laborer but didnt figure I could afford one. The guys I had been working were paid 8.00 an hour but mostly weren't worth $2.00 an hour. They were sloppy, careless, Lazy and always acting like I owed them something... oh... and always wanting a raise...
I looked him over... he had confidence... and the offer was pretty streight... He almost had to be better than the Bozos I had been using... so I agreed and gave him a try.
I lined out some work and made sure he had what he needed... Marked in my mind where he was and where he should be when I got back... (your boss knows how long it takes to do what he has given you)
When I got back he was about 40% further along than I expected...
WOW>>> Ok... ok... anybody can do that on a first day just to get the big money and then start slacking off...
But he didn't. several months later when he left my employ I had been paying him $14.00 per hour and trying to figure out if I could give him another raise!!! He made me money... and He made me look good in the process!!!
He was doing what he was there for.... Making Me Money... That is what YOU as an employee are for... To make your Boss Money!!!
If you arent doing that... you are liability instead of an asset.

Employers don't want continual Excuses... They want emediate Results... They want on time every time performance from their employees that they can count on to be there doing the Job even when the Boss is not around.

Later on I had to get him some helpers and again I left him with the equipment and supplies and went to work another Job... Coming back later to pick up some tools and drop off some lumber, I found him hard at work and two Jokers taking a break on my customers patio furnature.
Any guesses as to who I retained and who I let go a week later when the work got lean? You guessed it. Adios Muchachos...
Be there when the boss expects you. Be there to work. Do your Job and be concientious of the fact that you are an employee and someone is Paying good money for your time.
Promise your future Boss your best efforts on the Job and then live up to it.
That employee had a phrase I liked... If I needed him to work late... Or if something had to be done a certain way... He didn't give me allot of guff, excuses or advice on what he thought was a better way...
He Just said "You want it... You got it" and he went to work.
Last seen he was working for a Nationaly Renouned Construction Company that had a Branch in our neck of the woods... They stole him fair and square with a raise and benefits... even offered him a "free room in the company held Workers house" if he needed it...
Remember how he started?
Observent of someone needing a Crew on a day the crew stayed home... It could just as easily be you... Look at the Up side of the situation and do your best.
Make your Boss money and make him look good in the process.
If you want to change companies... Fine do so but keep the Job you have until you are ready to make your move. Then be sure to Give your boss as much notice as you can.
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Wish You well...
Hope this helps
MrMaranatha