The successful contractor

More advice for young construction professionals

24/8/2017

Image courtesy of kdshutterman at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In a previous article ‘Mistakes that young construction professionals should avoid when starting out’ I offered some advice to young construction professionals.
In this article I offer some more advice.

Construction is a team effort. No construction project is completed by one person. The project manager relies on a team, consisting of subcontractors, suppliers, company personnel on the project and support staff at head office. The success of any project depends on a good team. Make sure you employ the right team. Show appreciation for a job well done. Look after your team.
Good communication is key. Instructions must be clear. Many think that spelling and good grammar isn’t something that’s important. But consider this: there is a big difference between the words access and assess and confusing them can cause misunderstanding for the reader. A project manager writes emails and letters every day and it’s important that readers receive the correct message.
There will be good days and bad days. You have to learn to weather the storms and not become demoralised. Don’t give up no matter how bad the project is, or how bad the client gets.
Don’t take things personally. Construction can be rough and tough. People will say things in the heat of the moment. You will be sworn at. Mistakes will be made. It will feel that you have the weight of the World on your shoulders. However, don’t shrug off all criticisms. We must learn from mistakes. We all can improve.
Remember peoples’ lives depend on your actions. Do you job diligently. Don’t take chances. Make considered decisions. That rushed check may just miss something that leads to someone being killed. That shortcut may be unsafe and cause someone’s death. Accidents happen fast. You don’t want to be responsible for killing someone.
Don’t burn bridges. Construction is a small industry. You can’t afford to leave your company with bad blood. You can’t afford to offend clients and project managers. You can’t even afford to offend the people you work with. When I mean offend, it doesn’t mean that you mustn’t be tough, rather you shouldn’t treat anyone unfairly or make things personal. There should never be hard feelings. People change jobs and you may just find the person who was reporting to you changes company and is working for the client on your next project. I have repeatedly met the same people over the years in different roles.
Lead by example. People are always watching you and will follow your example. Particularly with safety it’s important to lead by example.
Pick your battles. Some young construction professionals want to fight about every point. They just have to be right, or have to have an excuse for everything. They take on the safety officer, quality manager, clerk of works, project manager and client. Unfortunately, many of these people have huge power on your project and they can literally make life hell. Everyone has their special quirk or ‘hobby horse’ they always look at. Often these items are small, so learn to give them what they want, and they’ll often let other things slide. Fight them and they’ll look for every little fault and detail. Sure there are things that must be fought for, but learn to pick the battles and remember it’s about winning the war. Nobody is going to remember who was right or wrong, rather they’ll remember that the project was completed successfully, safely, profitably, on time and with the required quality. You will work with idiots sometime, but learn to work with them.
Ask for help. It’s pointless drowning on the project. The longer you leave not asking for help the worse the situation will become – a bad situation seldom gets better on its own. Making the wrong decision may make the problem worse. Expert advice can save lots of money. But even discussing a problem can cast it in a different light providing solutions.
Never assume anything. If in doubt ask questions. The wrong assumption could be costly – even cost lives.
Don’t trust anyone. This sounds harsh, but in construction thieves literally lie around every corner. Check deliveries – are you getting what the delivery docket says and are the quantities right? Are the invoices correct? Who is stealing from the project – it could even be your manager?
If you leave a company make sure it’s for the right reason. The grass isn’t always as green on the other side of the fence as it looks. Make sure you are changing companies for the right reason. Will you really be better off there? What is the future for the new company? What will your future be at the new company? Look at the long term prospects and not at the short term gains. We all get upset with the people we are working with. We all feel at some stage that we are being overlooked or taken advantage of. Look objectively at your complaints. Carefully consider which company can offer you the best career prospects.

Conclusion
Construction is a tough business and there isn’t an easy route to the top. Yet, it can be rewarding for those who are prepared to work hard, taking the rough times in their stride. There are probably few businesses where you will interact and work with such a wide variety of people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. It will be challenging at times, but overcoming these challenges will be satisfying. No day will be the same, no project will be the same.

What advice do you have for young professionals in the construction industry?
What was the best thing you did when you started your career in the construction industry?

This article is adapted from information in the author’s popular books: 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide' and 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' is another of Paul's useful books. These books are available on Amazon and other online book stores.
Paul publishes articles regularly on LinkedIn and his website.

Paul writes regular articles for other websites, gives lectures, mentors, and is available for podcasts and interviews.

© 2017 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

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23/8/2017

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The often-forgotten obligations that get contractors into trouble

20/8/2017

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Do you understand the contractor’s obligations?
Contractors have certain responsibilities and it’s important the contractor (and their construction team) understands what these are. These obligations include:

Managing and supervising the project to ensure it is successful and:
- Is completed on time, unless the project is delayed by causes that the contractor had no control over and reasons which the contractor couldn’t have been expected to allow for.
- Meets the required quality standards.
- Complies with the project specifications.
- Complies with the local, state and national specifications.
- Has no safety or environmental incidents and complies with all safety regulations as well as the client’s requirements outlined in the contract document.
- Has no major industrial relations issues.
- Meets all the contractual requirements in the contract document.
Ensuring they have adequate resources with the required skills to successfully complete the work in accordance with the construction schedule.
Protecting existing services and utility lines.
Not starting work before checking that all permits and approvals are in place.
Protecting surrounding property which could be impacted by the construction works.
Reviewing drawings issued for construction to ensure they have sufficient information to construct the section of works.
Planning, scheduling and coordinating the works, which includes coordinating their employees, plus managing their subcontractors and suppliers to ensure that all parties complete the project safely, to the required quality and on time. This management includes ensuring that they are aware of the construction schedule, rules, regulations, standards and specifications applicable to the project and that they comply with these.
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'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide'
'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide'
'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors'
'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
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© 2017 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

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Why There Is A Shortage Of Skills In Construction, And What You Can Do To Keep Your Jobs Full Of Highly Skilled Workers.

6/8/2017

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How did you gain your knowledge and experience?
How did you develop into your current role?
Construction frequently faces a shortage of skills, a lack of good people – why? There are usually new graduates from colleges and university who cannot find a job. There also seems to be an unlimited number of jobless unskilled people. It’s not that there is a lack of people available, they just don’t have much, if any, experience, skills or both.

Nevertheless, the construction industry expects to find skilled and experienced people whenever their projects require them. Construction companies are poor at mentoring and training people. Many apprenticeship programs have been dismantled, and those that are still available are poorly utilized, and recently qualified people from them don’t always find a job.

Those of us that have reached management positions in construction usually did so through hard work, and sometimes a little luck. But none of us would have got to where we are if we hadn’t been employed when we had no experience and few skills. None of us would have been there if we hadn’t been offered opportunities to grow and develop – yes, we frequently had to grab those opportunities with both hands and work our way through them with hard work. But, none of us would have reached our management positions if we weren’t aided, mentored and trained by our managers and those that worked with us. I didn’t magically get my knowledge from nowhere, and there was certainly no internet in my day. Books can only give you so much – for the rest I relied on good supervisors and project managers. I am sure my questions exhausted them and I’m sure my mistakes irritated them – but their training, patience, and perseverance paid off and I became a valuable asset to them and the company.

So why is there a lack of skilled people in construction?Centuries ago people used to aspire to become good craftsmen – whether it was a stone mason or a carpenter. These days craftspeople and tradespeople are sometimes looked down upon – and yet, where would we be without a good plumber or competent electrician? Why should society denigrate any trade or occupation?
Construction is a cyclical industry and often there isn’t job security. People in the industry frequently lose their job – not because they weren’t capable, but only because of the work dried-up. Companies become bankrupt and people are left without a job – sometimes owed for several weeks’ work.

There is a lack of commitment by construction companies to provide training and experience to new recruits. Newly qualified construction graduates are left jobless because they don’t have practical experience. Who wants to work in an industry that is crying out for experienced people and yet doesn’t want to provide the experience.
Construction usually demands arduous work, long hours, sometimes in difficult weather conditions, and workers are frequently expected to work far from home. The pay and rewards often don’t warrant working these hours and conditions.

The industry does a poor job at promoting itself, or the career paths and opportunities that may exist in the industry. Often people get into the construction industry as a last resort because they couldn’t find anything else to do.

Why don’t construction companies train and mentor people?
Construction companies are notoriously poor at training people. Companies are reluctant to employ and train new graduates, preferring to search for skilled experienced people, who often aren’t available, are expensive, or aren’t always the quality person the company thought they were employing. In desperation, many construction companies resort to employing mediocre people that can’t really do the job properly and who often tarnish the company’s reputation and cost the company money.

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Mistakes that young construction professionals should avoid when starting out.

1/8/2017

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Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I often get asked what a young professional should do to become successful in construction.
Here are a few mistakes that young construction professionals should avoid when starting out.

Thinking that construction is an easy job. Construction is tough. Things will go wrong. The hours are long. Clients and owners will be difficult. The weather will be horrible. It’s not fun being outside in the dust, heat, rain or cold, while others have a nice cosy job.
Expecting to be home early. You go home when the project is finished for the day. I can’t count the countless times I stayed late on a project when things went wrong – the crane broke, the concrete arrived late, or we just had to get the job finished today. You definitely shouldn’t be making a habit of staying late to finish your work – that’s just poor planning. But, there will be times when you have to stay late to see a problem through. You can’t abandon your team to solve a problem or finish a task while you are sitting at home.
Joining a company because of the salary. You finished your studies and all you want to do is earn the big money? Well we all want to earn the best salary, but unfortunately just because you have a qualification and a piece of paper doesn’t mean you know about construction. Believe me there’s still lots to learn, and what you learn in the first few years in the construction world will set you up for success or failure in the rest of your career. Join a company that will give you the best experience, one that has a good reputation, one with good people, and preferably one that has a structured program for new construction professionals. A good solid foundation will help you build a successful construction career, and the money should follow afterwards.
Looking down on the trades. We depend on good tradespeople. We can learn lots from them. Respect those working for you and you’ll earn their respect.
Not asking questions. Everyone is busy in construction, and few managers and tradespeople have the time to teach new recruits. However these managers and tradespeople often have vast experience and knowledge to share – you just have to get the information out of them.
Thinking you know everything. Even after 30 years in construction I know I can learn lots more in construction.
Expecting to have an office job. Construction happens out on the project site. Too often people think they can sit in the office and look at their computers, studying the construction schedule and reading reports. Nothing beats being at the work face. Looking at the quality and safety on the project. Talking to those working on the project – understanding some of the challenges they face. Looking at how processes and methods can be improved. Understanding the mood and morale of the project team. Even as the managing director of a business unit I still made every effort to get to my project sites at least once a month, and where possible more frequently.
Assuming that respect comes with a job title, or that respect come from being buddies with your team, or for being lenient with them. Respect must be earned. You have to be fair and tough. Respect is mutual. Respect others and they’ll be more likely to respect you. Respect comes with knowledge and trust.
Assuming that you will be using what you learned at university or college. As a young entrant into construction you will be expected to do all kinds of mundane stuff, you may even have to do the coffee run or organise the barbeque! You are going to do heaps of things on a construction project that you were never taught at university or college. Most of all you are going to have to master many of the softer skills which you probably weren’t taught – like communication, time management, delegation, negotiating, problem solving and dealing with people.
Thinking that you are going to make a difference to the world. I often hear young people say that they going into construction so they can change the world. Provide water, electricity and sewage connections to the poor. Others think that they’ll be constructing iconic landmark projects that will be admired by the public. Unfortunately most of construction isn’t like that. Most projects are fairly boring and hardly get a passing mention.
Thinking that you are going to be construction manager, project manager, or site manager, on your first project. There is much to learn in construction, and a lot of it isn’t taught at college or university. You need practical on the ground experience. To manage a construction project requires technical skills and knowledge. Project Managers also need to know and understand the performance of various types of equipment. They must be able to read and understand drawings, see their interrelationship, and be able to visualise the construction process. They have to procure materials and place subcontract orders, then manage the delivery process and the subcontractors’ performance. Project Managers must ensure that no one is injured or harmed in any way while on the project. They have to ensure that the project is delivered to the required quality standards, so must be familiar with the project specifications, quality control documentation, testing procedures and tests required. They must be able to manage, work with, and interact with people. They require a knowledge of industrial relations procedures, basic financial principles and an understanding of legal and contractual requirements.
Sitting back and assuming you’ll automatically be taught things, and that you will miraculously become a project manager. You must take control of your career. You must ask questions. You must ask for more responsibilities. You must prove that you can do the job and you must demonstrate that you can be trusted on and relied upon to deliver tasks successfully. Those in construction are notoriously bad at sharing knowledge, explaining things or delegating responsibility. It’s up to you.

Conclusion
Construction isn’t easy, there are tough projects, difficult people and companies and people that will let you down. It’s important not to become discouraged. Your career won’t always go as planned. There will be times when you are going up and then times when you feel your career is standing still or even going backwards. Unfortunately construction is cyclical and there will be times when the construction industry is busy and other times when work is in short supply. Your progress up the ladder is very dependent on these cycles. Obviously when work isn’t plentiful your company won’t be in a position to promote you or give you a project to manage. I often had mundane jobs in between projects. Take each of these jobs, no matter how boring, as a challenge and ensure you deliver them successfully. Every job always offers something new to learn.

Don’t get impatient. But, also don’t let your company pigeonhole you in a job that you are good at doing. Always ask for new opportunities, not salary increases or promotions.
The grass often looks good on the other side of the fence, but be careful about jumping companies since they often don’t turn out the way you expected. The new company frequently has the same irritants that your previous company had, and you have to get used to working with new people and systems. If you leave a company it should be for experience and not money, unless the company you are with is really taking advantage of you and paying you poorly.

Good luck and keep learning. Construction needs all the bright enthusiastic young professionals it can get. You are the future of construction.

What advice do you have for young professionals in the construction industry?
What was the best thing you did when you started your career in the construction industry?

This article is adapted from information in the author’s popular books: 'Successful Construction Project Management: The Practical Guide' and 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide' and 'Construction Project Management: Tips and Insights'
'Construction Claims: A Short Guide for Contractors' is another of Paul's useful books. These books are available on Amazon and other online book stores.
Paul publishes articles regularly on LinkedIn and his website.

Paul writes regular articles for other websites, gives lectures, mentors, and is available for podcasts and interviews.

© 2017 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

1 Comment

More advice for young construction professionals

Some useful project management articles

The often-forgotten obligations that get contractors into trouble

Why There Is A Shortage Of Skills In Construction, And What You Can Do To Keep Your Jobs Full Of Highly Skilled Workers.

Mistakes that young construction professionals should avoid when starting out.

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