Want To Succeed In Your Career? Construction Workers Tell You How

I got hired to interview construction workers. The industry is clamoring for young people they can groom for leadership positions. My job is to write about those who chose construction and find out why. 

Hey, it’s a paycheck. We freelance writers welcome those.

I didn’t expect to learn much from the construction professionals I interviewed. I didn’t expect them to know much about career success, how to find it, and hold onto it. But it turns out, they are full of fantastic advice for those just starting their careers or those at a crossroads.

Here’s what they say:

• Find direction. Cameron, who is twenty-three, went to college like most graduates from his suburban high school. But he felt aimless. A construction job expo led him to his current career as a field engineer for a large company. He spends his days making sure all subcontractors are on track at the giant arts center they’re building.  And he makes sure everything gets built exactly as the designs specify. It’s interesting, rewarding work, Cameron says.

• Then get a degree. Cameron is back in college now, getting a business degree. He knows he can use his education to further his career in construction.

• Look for industries with growth potential. Cameron knows there will always be buildings to build, renovate, knock down, and rebuild.

• Learn to do useful things. Sinue, who is twenty-four, took every drafting and other practical course his high school offered. A gifted student, his teachers wanted him to go to a traditional college on scholarship, but Sinue was more interested in a hands-on career. After high school, he went to a technical college.

• Don’t be afraid to get dirty. While taking technical courses, Sinue started pouring concrete, a job that paid more than the entry-level jobs his friends found in retail.

• Seize opportunity. While pouring concrete, Sinue’s supervisors realized he’s bilingual. A legal immigrant from Mexico, he speaks Spanish and English fluently. He was promoted and rose quickly through management. He’s now the safety engineer at a large job site.