Should You Work For Yourself?

Many times individuals in the construction field think that the only way to have a career is to work for someone else’s company. They don’t think that they are smart enough to start their own successful company. Maybe the idea of trying to go it alone is too much for them to comprehend, or it seems too complicated. Some people feel because they do not have a college education, they don’t have the necessary preparation to succeed in a business of their own.

The truth of the matter is that the best construction job might be the one you create for yourself. By starting your own construction company, you could create the ideal career situation that could be the best fit for you.

One way to find out if you could be a candidate for this is to ask yourself a few questions. Dan Miller a career coach, has six questions for you that can help you decide whether or not a traditional job where you work for someone else, or where you would be better off being self employed is the right path for you. Here is what Dan asks his clients who are not sure.

1. Do you prefer a more structured workday or do you prefer each day to be different?
2. Do you prefer a guaranteed paycheck each week, or are you wiling to be compensated for your results, rather than your time?
3. Would you prefer to have your benefits paid for by your employer, or are you willing to take care of those on you own?
4. Are you comfortable having a predictable but fixed income, or would you prefer no guarantee but also no limits on what you can make?
5. Do you prefer to have decisions about salary and work hours made by your superiors, or would you prefer to make even those decisions on your own?
6. Do you prefer a set schedule, such as 9 to 5, five days a week, or would you be comfortable managing your own time and deciding your own work hours?

If you answered yes to the first part of the questions listed above, it could be a strong indication that working for someone else is a better way for you to go. Answering yes to the first part of these questions shows that you have a higher comfort level with someone else running the company. That is perfectly alright. It certainly is less complicated and easier to do just what you are good at rather than trying to balance a variety of tasks that are necessary to run your own company.

On the other hand, if you found yourself answering yes to the second part of the questions, that could be a very strong indication you would be happier running your own business. Just because you don’t have any background or experience running your own business, doesn’t mean you can’t learn how to do so. There are plenty of books and courses and business coaches that can show you how. Some people find a mentor who is a successful business owner and he or she coaches them on how to do it. You just have to have the belief you can learn and succeed by working hard at it.

Tom Borg is a consultant in leadership management, team building and customer service. Please see more of his blogs at constructionjobforceblog.com and csjobsblog.com To view additional job postings go to Nexxt