My Town Tutors is a great resource for parents & teachers. Find qualified tutors in your area today!
March Guest Blogs / Top Guest Blogs / March Jokes / Top March Pages
Contracting is the lifeblood of the United States, particularly in Tennessee, which has high population growth and a booming economy. With so many new residential and commercial buildings being erected all the time, those who are mechanically minded can find themselves making an excellent salary and enjoying high job stability should they choose to open their own contracting business.
Like any profession, though, being a contractor in Tennessee is not without its risks or downsides; being aware of these and planning for them can make an enormous difference in whether you succeed or fail. In this article, we’ll review some of the most important considerations when building your career in construction.
Work With an Exam Test Prep Company
Your journey to becoming a contractor begins with your training and exam. The Tennessee contractor’s exam is incredibly rigorous and covers business, law, and the technical elements of your given subfield. It can be highly stressful, especially as you are likely working in the field and studying during your off-hours.
To ease your burden, consider working with a contractor exam prep company like RocketCert. You’ll receive a systemized program to prepare for the test, including books, study materials, and other resources that will ensure that you pass the first time. With a great exam prep company on your side, you will have a much greater chance of success on the exam, walking into the testing center with confidence.
These programs can also help when you need to renew your license down the line, especially as they often offer lifetime access packages so you can brush up on your skills at any time.
Develop Your Interpersonal Skills
Being a good contractor is not just about what you learn in the classroom or on the worksite, especially if you intend to open your own business and hire workers. You need technical knowledge, business savvy, and the ability to effectively manage people. Any contracting job has a lot of moving parts and, with that, many personalities that may clash. Being good at negotiation and interpersonal relations will ensure that work runs smoothly, action items are delivered on time, and customers have a positive experience so that they will want to recommend you to others.
The best contractors are also great at networking and finding opportunities that others don’t. They make people feel comfortable and enthusiastic about their work, and their charming personalities encourage others to contact them about opportunities. Humility, common sense, and empathy will serve you just as well as good carpentry and financial acumen.
Understand Your Legal and Financial Obligations
While much of contracting is the same across all states, there are some particularities that relate to Tennessee itself. For example, you must understand your liabilities when it comes to lawsuits. The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that the economic loss doctrine only applies to product liability; this means that wronged parties can recover damages from construction companies if they only suffered economic losses. This ruling is different than in other states, where the economic loss doctrine has been more broadly applied to different fields, including construction. As such, you must be aware that you can still be sued if your client only lost money due to delays but was not physically harmed.
Additionally, contractors who have their own companies need to consider things such as a self-directed retirement account, as they will not have a company-managed 401k unless they set it up themselves. Tennessee does not have a mandated retirement plan for companies, unlike many other states, but this does not mean that it’s not a good idea to set one up anyway. Due to the stress of manual labor, many contractors retire sooner than those in less laborious fields, which means they need to be even more careful with their money.
Learn to Manage Your Stress
While the male-dominated field of construction is often loath to talk about mental health, it’s an important consideration for everyone, no matter their gender or their occupation. Contracting is incredibly stressful, especially if you are a small business owner, so it’s important to prioritize your mental health and think about ways to handle stressful days, such as tight deadlines or accidents on a site.
Simple things like developing unwinding routines at the end of the day, practicing meditation, or leaning on your support system when things get hard can vastly improve your mental health and, therefore, the quality of your work. Don’t let stigma keep you from practicing self-care: it’s as important for a construction worker as it is for an office worker. Speaking out about the stresses of contracting can also encourage others who are also struggling to find resources, making positive changes in this challenging industry.
If you’re having trouble accessing services, the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services runs a Helpline that can help direct you to providers in your area and mediate in complaints against providers. You can call them during regular business hours at (800) 560-5767 to discuss your concerns.
Contracting in Tennessee is a wonderful career path, and you can set yourself up for success by leveraging professional help at every step of the way. From enrolling in test prep to relying on mental health services, you have many resources available to ensure you have a long, happy, and lucrative working life.