Oregon contractors must develop several essential skills that benefit them in the office as well as on the job site. Whether you’ve worked as a contractor for 10 years or just received your license yesterday, focus on developing these five important skills to further your career.
1. Commercial Acuity
Do you know the value of a job? Commercial acuity keeps you save as a contractor.
The best Oregon contractors can determine at a glance whether a project has commercial viability. He or she can also examine a project to find ways to lower materials costs and reduce labor hours.
The more you understand about the financial side of your business as a contractor, the easier it will become to generate revenue — and not bleed money. You can develop this skill over time, but you’ll need to pay attention to the finances involved with each project. Which aspects cost the most? When do clients want to save money versus spend extra for high quality? How can you reduce the cost of each project safely?
2. Problem Solving
You can’t expect every construction project to go off without a hitch. Things will go wrong on the job site and in negotiations with clients, so you must know how to use creative problem-solving skills.
Whether you’re confronting a leaky toilet, an unreliable vendor, or a picky client, you have to rise to the occasion. Finding creative ways to solve problems will endear you to your clients and help you generate more revenue.
3. Leadership
Oregon contractors run the show from conception to completion. If you don’t have leadership skills, your crew won’t respect you and your client won’t trust you. Fortunately, you can develop leadership skills through practice, research, and attitude.
Force yourself to be assertive in every conversation. Lead by example so your crew knows they can rely on you to make the right decisions, and make sure nobody can take advantage of you. Leadership skills will help you exude confidence during meetings with clients and will inspire your crew to work harder every day on the job.
4. Fiscal Responsibility
As mentioned above, commercial acuity protects your business and allows you to maximize every dollar at your disposal. Fiscal responsibility addresses the other side of the coin. You must know how to account for every dollar you spend, and you might have to make difficult decisions for the health of your business.
You need fiscal responsibility even in non-client facing situations. When deciding where to invest capital or when to buy new equipment, you have to consider future forecasts as well as current financial needs.
5. Attention to Detail
When you visit a job site to evaluate a project, you must notice every facet of the scene. If you can identify a problem waiting to happen or a way to improve existing processes, you’ll set your business up for success.
Learning how to examine minute details is essential, whether you’re looking at a half-finished building or a blueprint. Train yourself to notice the small things so they don’t become big things down the road.
Maintaining training is essential for Oregon contractors. If you need to beef up your skills and complete your continuing education, browse our courses by state at PDH Contractors to find the Oregon classes you need to take.