Professional Development for Contractors
If you chose to be a contractor buckle up because this journey will be the ride of your life. Every day as a contractor is bound to present you with new and challenging obstacles. Navigating the ever changing landscape of what it is to be a contractor in todays society can become stressful and more stressful for those who refuse to adapt to these changes.
Constant professional development is vital to keeping your head above water as a contractor and going the distance without losing your mind. For someone that may not have thought about professional development as a contractor, where do you even start, especially if you thought that all you were responsible for was getting on site, doing the work and sending an invoice. That model surprisingly works for some, but not everyone. If you actually take pride in what you do and want to be a valued contractor in your industry or community then professional development is something you may want to consider.
What exactly is professional development? Well- by Harvards definition “Professional development is gaining new skills through continuing education and career training after entering the workforce. It can include taking classes or workshops, attending professional or industry conferences, or earning a certificate to expand your knowledge in your chosen field.” This definition works pertains to all industries.
As a contractor myself it can be hard to find the time between jobs to attend workshops or conferences, fortunately I have been able to make the time and it has opened up many doors in my career. Work shops have helped me open up to different perspective on how to successfully run and scale my business over the years. Conferences have been valuable networking opportunities where I’ve been able to create unique professional working relationships where I am able to collaborate with business owners across the nation to bring value to my community in countless ways. Once I realized the positive benefits of making time for professional development I started to work towards providing some of these resources and opportunities to my employees and business associates.
Maybe you already have a successful construction or contracting company and don’t see the value in providing your employees with additional resources for professional development, let me be the first to tell you that you are making a big mistake. Maybe you are afraid that if your employee gets better at what they do they will demand higher pay, maybe you are worried that they might get offered employment else where as they network with other companies in the same industry, or maybe you just don’t see the value in making an investment in employees that are already performing their job to your standard. Whatever the reason there's an alternative possibility that giving them the chance to better develop their skillsets will lead to them being far more motivated to perform at a higher level which in turn increases your companies value. Inspire employee loyalty by showing concern for their future and development, no one wants to work for someone that makes them feel expendable every step of the way, be a leader and help them grow as much as they can. As contractors there are a number of certificates that we can receive depending on what trade we work in and manufacturer certifications even provide a great value to contractors by creating a warranty backed system for the material you use daily. The warranty guarantees backed by manufacturers are a great way to make an investment in your employees professional development and see direct growth in profits.
