Every career change starts with a lot of thinking on your part. It’s exciting and full of questions and dreams about future opportunities. While your friends and family members might be as eager as you are, there are some who could need some persuading. After all, changes can be unexpected. Here are a few ways you can show your loved ones all the reasons to look forward to your construction career.
Talk About the Labor Shortage
For decades, the discussion about careers has centered around one specific point: Can you get a job doing the work you’re working toward? Long ago, your career was often set for you by your parents. These days, pursuing a particular career only works if you have a decent chance to get the job you’re looking for. The good news is that construction has virtually boundless opportunities at the moment. If you’re dedicated and willing to work for it, you’ll find careers with great pay and wonderful job security until you’re ready to retire. So many other industries can’t even hint at that kind of potential anymore. Now your loved ones need to hear it.
Show Your Enthusiasm
When you’re listening to someone who is really excited about something, that kind of energy is contagious. It’s easy to feel optimistic about career options when you feel good about them. So take a moment and think about all the things you’re looking forward to:
- Do you love seeing a project through to its conclusion?
- Do you enjoy building things from the ground up?
- Have you always wanted to start your own business or be able to set your own terms for your work?
These are all benefits that you can get from a construction career.
Describe Construction’s Future
Construction is both one of the oldest professions and one of the most modern. Everyone needs a place to live, work, shop, relax, etc. And since buildings don’t last forever, there’s a regular cycle of renovation and new construction needed. With advancements in the industry, you can find plenty of ways to do what construction does best while learning and using the latest technology. To put it plainly, construction is a lot cooler than it used to be. And it will continue to get better over time.
Explain Your Career Options
As with any career change, it’s good to show that you have options for growth and upward mobility. Take a moment to share the types of jobs you’re looking to have, not just once you’re done with training but 10 or 20 years in the future. Within any field, there may be lots of ways that you can perform the same type of job. For example, some contractors prefer to start their own businesses. Others want to work with a larger firm that offers a variety of services.
Walk Through Your Career Plan
With any career worth pursuing, you might have to spend a few years investing your time into practicing your trade. If you were going to college to get a degree, you’d have to put in a similar amount of time, or even more. Your friends and family members want to know that you have a career plan in mind, not simply a job that you can have for a time. Show them what you plan to do for the next five or 10 years, like getting your contractor’s license or starting your own business. They’ll appreciate the investment you have already put in and will be able to see that you have a good plan in place.
When you’re excited about your career in construction, your family and friends will be happy to see you so committed to your future. To get started, visit CSLS today!