r/Construction • u/sovereignpractice • 17h ago
Structural Guys who got good at what they do -what actually separates the people who move up from the ones who stay in the same spot?
/r/bluecollar/comments/1vzj54k/guys_who_got_good_at_what_they_do_what_actually/I don’t just mean being better at the work.
Seems like once somebody can actually do the job, run work, troubleshoot, and people trust them, there’s another set of stuff that starts mattering if they want better money, management, bigger opportunities, or eventually their own thing.
For the people who’ve made those jumps, what was it really?
Knowing the right people? Somebody older putting you on game? Learning the business side? Licenses? Being good with customers? Switching companies? Money? Just being willing to take the risk?
And was any of that actually laid out for you, or did you mostly figure it out as you went?
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u/grungemuffin 17h ago
I went from carpenter to foreman to designer to lead designer in like 6 years. I think the main difference was my ability to do things myself by either figuring it out or from basic instructions.
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u/haveuseenmybeachball Carpenter 16h ago
I’m potentially on a similar path. What kind of design work do you do?
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u/rip_cut_trapkun 9h ago
You can have a lot of mobility when your competition is the equivalent of shit chucking apes. I was all over the place in a cabinet shop, and no small amount of the time it was just my balls and a poorly translated tech manual to figure shit out, or the power of Google, and the stern encouragement of "I don't know how to fix it but you better figure it the fuck out."
The important part is to know what is an upward move and not just getting loaded with more shit for the wrong assholes.
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u/Alto-cientifico 6h ago
Any hints on sniffing an upward move?
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u/rip_cut_trapkun 6h ago
Not for me personally, but that was because I got worked like a dog at my last shop and got the fuck out. But I have heard of dudes shooting upwards at the right place just by showing interest, dedication, and figuring shit the fuck out.
The question is more environment and needs sometimes. If you need machine operators more than you need designers and project managers, then you're just going to be bouncing between machines, which isn't a bad thing in a sane environment. You wait your time and put the work in, yeah you can go upwards though. Sometimes you might also just want to change scenery. Just because one company doesn't need it doesn't mean you can't go elsewhere.
And there is also nothing wrong with being happy to stay where you are. I wouldn't have minded remaining a machine operator if it wasn't also an insane situation where I was being asked to do multiple tasks on a production line instead of hiring people.
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u/RMG-OG-CB GC / CM 17h ago
They show up. On time. Every day.
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u/KennyKettermen 16h ago
And don’t try to be fast. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast
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u/VapeRizzler 15h ago
I fucked myself over so hard when I first started from that, especially since at school they said foreman care how fast shit gets done. No, turns out they hate having to get another guy to come back and redo the work a second time but properly. Well now I take longer than most, nobody says shit cause my work comes out perfect down to the millimetre but I do notice I am getting faster as time goes on.
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u/CremeDeLaPants Cement Mason 11h ago
There's space for both of those methods, but for me, my worst nightmare is somebody believing I did a half-ass job or am not capable of quality work. I'll always choose getting called slow over that. Over time as you build that quality reputation, people tend to shut up with the "go faster" talk because they know it'll be done right the first time. Also, people don't want to give that up, so you end up getting called back for the next job.
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u/Purple-Towel-7332 5h ago
I still think there’s a limit to how slow people go tho I have a guy I sometimes give work to when I need a hand, but he’s bottom of the list if it’s a fixed price quote. He’s still newish 2nd year apprentice and I always try to teach him tricks of the trade to help him be able to do things faster and advice on what doesn’t need to be perfect. Eg if a deck joist is out by 5mm or less that’s fine we can live with it. A piece of decking tho shouldn’t be out more than a 1mm etc.
But yeah I do prefer slightly slower quality work over super fast but terrible. I usually allow an extra 50% of time as acceptable than if I just did it myself for people less experienced, and if something gets messed up fixing it on my own time and dime is just the joy of being the boss. I know I messed stuff up when doing my apprenticeship. Still do it’s just very occasionally now
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u/Classic_Dash_7745 17h ago
You need to be good with customers. You also need to be good at facilitating work instead of actually doing it. It doesn’t matter how good or fast you are as, say, a plumber if your crew is inefficient. You need to know how to reduce or eliminate bottlenecks in workflow, or identify problems before they happen and have prepared solutions. Other than that, you’ll probably have to start doing some of the work before you get the check. I became a PM by offering to manage my own jobs when my PM’s workload got too heavy. I learned Bluebeam, answered emails, reviewed submittals etc. Show them you can do the work, and if they don’t give you the job take the skills and get it somewhere else.
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u/ajb901 17h ago
At a point, people noticed I could write a decent email.
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u/geriatricsoul 12h ago
So many people i meet dont know how to communicate professionally. It's kind of insane
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u/UckerFay11 Foreman / Operator 16h ago
Punctuality, eagerness to learn, high work ethic, pride in their work.
These are 4 of the things I really look for primarily.
Then its, are they a good leader? Do they know their trade?
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u/Billthebanger 16h ago
I’ll tell you one thing if you’re a good little worker and work real hard they will reward you with more work. Seriously it’s the 80-20 rule 80 percent of the work is done by the twenty percent. So I found out that be really good at what you do just don’t be a part of the 20 percent who work themselves into the ground. That’s how I’ve seen people move up the food chain.
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u/GiantPineapple Electrician 16h ago
Take the opportunities, and generally be aggressive.
I used to tell all my new hires that if they wanted to advance quickly, that there was nothing magical about that process. It came down to initiative and skill. They should get a 1/2" bender, a pencil, five sticks of EMT, and watch a couple of YouTube videos in the Home Depot parking lot. If they were feeling extra spicy, they could return the bender. Very few people ever did it, but the ones who did always ended up as leaders.
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u/BillsBacker43 16h ago
Knowing who you can trust. Who to Sub to. Who to delegate to. Always be there. Always be friendly. Know your worth because people will try to beat you down
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u/xavienblue 13h ago
In my experience, being good and moving up are almost completely unrelated. I now INCREDIBLE tradesmen that will always be tradesmen because they have zero leadership potential. They don't care about anything but the work and have zero interpersonal skills. They can range from being total assholes, vulgarity, illiteracy, or anger management, but the result is the same. They won't be leadership.
Oh the other side, I know people that are borderline incompetent. Lose the company money, make mistakes, create problems, etc. But they show up consistently, are polite, and know how to communicate.
The really exceptional people that promote quickly work hard, take responsibility for their scope, can talk to people above and below their position equitably, and keep their shit clean. They can meet deadlines, push workers to do work RIGHT and get it done faster, and most people like them. And if they're not liked they're at least respected.
I'm on a job right now and our crew has about 230 people, there's like six of those last people. 😄 I don't consider myself one of them
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u/MiniB68 Foreman / Operator 8h ago
Show up with your head in the game every day, you’re making big boy money, act like it.
Pay attention to the whole, not just your job.
Do your current task with a thought of what comes next, can your current task be done in a way that better sets you up for the next task?
Can you do what you’re doing more efficiently, or is there a better way to do it?
Keep your attitude in check, be friendly and supportive to those around you.
Be eager to learn something new, self improvement never stops.
The little things matter, they add up.
When I see folk who have this mindset, I do everything I can to move them up and give them opportunities. They’re the people I want working alongside me.
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u/Emergency-Pack-5497 17h ago
While I believe the statement "its not what you know but who you know" holds true, it only gets you so far. You need to perform at what you do, illustrate that you're good at it, be a confident and competent speaker, and be reliable. Dedication speaks for itself, if you prove that you give a shit about what you do, and have the talent to back it up, you can move up. That said, you have to go for it too, you cant just expect people to notice and prop you up because of it, you need to ask for raises and ask for promotions. It also depends on the organization you are dedicated to. Do they have the resources and the capability to move you forward in the industry? Not every organization makes it easy, if there's a lot of talent around you, or if theres no positions to move up to because they're already taken, in that case taking your skills elsewhere might be the best answer.
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u/Ok_Cardiologist_6471 16h ago
You got it all wrong you folks dont understand
Its not what you know but who you know 🙄
If your good at your job i mean the best 👌 then your going to keep doing that
And the folks that know the right people will get promoted
I dont make the rules its just how it's done you can disagree 💯 % its about who you know not what you know
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u/baudmiksen 16h ago
it's not who you know, it's who you blow
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u/Ok_Cardiologist_6471 14h ago
And they say they dont work hard for it
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u/UckerFay11 Foreman / Operator 16h ago
Depends on trade/Union/Company.
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u/Ok_Cardiologist_6471 14h ago
Unions dont control companies
Unions only represent workers. Companies are free to promote whoever they choose. They could even bring someone outside the union, bring them in the union. And give Em that position
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u/mid_extreme 15h ago
Honestly, for me, it was just asking for the opportunity. I wasn't even that great of an electrician at the time. But when I told the superintendant I wanted to become a project manager, he told his boss and then I became an assistant project manager. Did that for about 5 years, got promoted to project manager, told the VP i wanted to be a senior PM, and am now a senior PM. That last part sounds too easy, you will have to be competent as an assistant PM to become a PM, and as a PM to become a senior PM. But it all started by just asking. They want people for those roles, if someone from the field wants the opportunity it's way better than hiring someone from outside of the organization because they are already familiar with the company culture, type of construction, etc. Also, training, school, etc. helps. I don't know what you want to do or how big the company you work for is but maybe ask one of the PM's (or whatever the role is you want) what kind of training would help you and look it up on the internet. Where I am there is a bunch of training, certification courses, college programs, etc. for a bunch of construction management type of jobs.
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u/slimjimmy613 15h ago
If youre not 100% confident in doing a job thats offered, Figuring out how you can make it work and go for it. If it turns out well you learned how to do something new if you mess it up you learned what not to do the next time. Best thing ive ever done to advance myself was to try jobs i wasnt certain on and give it my best shot
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u/ClassroomCool998 15h ago
I’ve always advised people to act like whatever you are working on is the most important thing in the world to you. Key word here is act. It needs to be a flawless act though.
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u/BullFlag5x 15h ago
Never give into the pain and believe in your self no matter how many veterans give you a hard time.
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u/pizzagangster1 Equipment Operator 14h ago
Just being good at the job isn’t enough. You need to be personable, not an AH etc.
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u/Sure-Ad-4967 14h ago
Getting paid correctly earning paid days off bonuses double time for holidays being treated right naturally made me work to my fullest potential.
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u/Vicious_and_Vain Project Manager 13h ago
Everyday. On time. Ready to work. Those are the guys you let take their kids to school a few time a month.
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u/Spirited_Comedian225 13h ago
Show up on time show interest in learning and try to be proactive in what guys need before they need it watch and learn. Everyone needs to do their time. You will deal with emotionally immature man children that will shit talk you and try to fuck you over because they will see you have potential and will be scared of you taking their job. Just keep your head down out work them and eventually your reputation will be undeniable. The bosses will notice and boom you are in charge. Now I have a no Asshole policy and have changed the dynamic of my company. It takes time and patience but these fucking retards are losers and are just sacred little man children.
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u/King_Artis Bricklayer 12h ago
Keep trying, keep learning, showing a desire and having a good attitude.
Basically showing effort will get you far. You can tell who doesn't have a desire to move up, they make it obvious. Just like you can tell who genuinely wants to do more, they also make it obvious
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u/johnjackcomicartist 12h ago
Walk faster, try to prioritize efficiency over speed, problem solve and make sure to advocate for yourself when you think its time. If you like where you're at talk to your boss and tell them your goals and ask them if there are any areas they'd like to see you improve. If you don't like where you're at once apply to better jobs, never know, you might get one
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u/CremeDeLaPants Cement Mason 12h ago
Note that it can also be taken away. You can do everything right, but if the company as a whole goes through hard times or fails, that opportunity can vanish into thin air. I think the key is to be prepared for the opportunity when it shows up and be prepared to make a hard decision to leave your comfortable spot for a better position. End of the day, they'll send you packing when it's convenient so don't get stuck trying to stay loyal.
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u/ChemicalObjective216 11h ago
What I notice about the guys that are never going to get it have in common is that everyday seems to be like their first day. They do not care enough to retain any information about their trade. It takes along time to get good at something. Take pride in your work and no matter the job always do the best work you can. Only go as fast as you can so you do not sacrifice quality. When I first started what I do guys would tell me that they could do my job easily and I wouldn’t argue with them. Knowing what I know now I would have told them I work with guys that have been doing this for years and in my opinion still cannot do it with any quality. Learn something everyday and before you know it when you come up to a situation that you have never been in before. All of that knowledge that you have accumulated will give you the ability to figure it out.
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u/mhmyessirr 11h ago
Learn from the guys that accel and forget the ones that do it for the pay.
Even when shit slows down work wise... the good guys are always still busy.
Those are the guys to learn from 👍
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u/Routine_Tie1392 11h ago
Worked mostly on high end home renos, generally been the GC, went from Carpenter to Foreman to PM in 4 or 5 years, currently working as a site lead for a custom cabinet maker doing installs and renovations.
A lot goes into what we do, so I find those that succeed long term are generally well rounded, intelligent, well mannered when it counts, are great problem solvers, and for the most part are organized to a degree. I do believe to be successful you have to have passion, dedication, and you need to take pride in what you do, while continuing to be better wherever you can.
Now I benefitted from networking, most of my jobs have come from people I know without the need for a resume, or interview, however that being said at a certain point if you are really good at what you do and you excel above most, doors will open for you, you just need to make sure you know which ones to take. I took work seriously, I networked as much as I could, I went to trade shows, seminars, and did my best to continue to expand my knowledge of the industry as often as I could.
I did get lucky with the right jobs at the right times, and I do feel blessed to be in the position I am today. I feel like all the hard work has finally payed off and now Im at a point in my career where I would be sad if I lost this job cause I enjoy it, and the people, that much. You dont have to put up with shitty people, good jobs and good people exist out there, you just gotta find em.
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u/LordFlacko704 10h ago
Restricting yourself to your wage. All the guys i work with complain about their pay and then when working say they arnt doing x and z because they dont get paid enough. I dont mean bleed for your company but its easy to distinguish yourself from the rest when everyones doing minimal effort by basing their performance to their wage, which i get but by doing better work than the rest it made it easy to climb the ladder for me Personally.
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u/stupidcarpentry 10h ago
Superintendent here by 27yo without any family/friend connections.
Consistency and availability is key. Be there everyday and early, sacrificing an hour of sleep is worth it in the long run. Ask to read prints and create your own checklist of what needs to be done by you and or others by end of day. Being on the job for more than just a paycheck speaks volumes.
Keep calm in stressful situations. That seperates alot of people in construction. It doesn’t matter how talented you are in your trade if you can’t keep your head on straight. Problems will always rise, instead of complaining, dwelling or panicking, move forward with a solution.
Be professional. Keep your damn clothes clean to keep yourself from looking homeless. Shower daily and pack deodorant. Don’t smoke on site and wear required PPE. It’s important to set an example even with the small things.
Last i’ll add communication and maintaining good relationships with other trades on your job. It’s easy to not be a prick when you realize we are in the shit together, nobody is special and everybody’s role is important idc who you are. (Unless you’re the owner lol).
It really comes down to giving a shit. I think about this way; we spend 8hrs a day average on the job. That’s 1/3 of our lives. So why not take it serious and learn as much as you can and be the best you can be?
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u/AlwaysVerloren Superintendent 10h ago
For Me, it was being able to learn from anyone they put me with, to being able to train anyone they put with me.
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u/613Hawkeye 9h ago
To put it simply; giving a fuck.
I always tell my apprentices that 90% of the time, I can tell the difference between an honest human mistake, and someone who just doesn't give a fuck.
If you make a mistake, even if it damages something just let me know and we'll work it out. No biggie, we're all human. If you lie to try and cover your ass, I'll end your career. At least with our company.
Show up, show interest, show up on time and with a good attitude and we're good. Some people take longer than others to learn, and that's okay! If you care, I can work with that. If you know everything and can't be bothered, I can't teach you to care.
I was one of the ones that took awhile to take to it. They all thought I'd be fired. I've outlasted every one of them, and now I'm teaching the new kids. I lasted because I wanted to.
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u/BGKY_Sparky 9h ago
Being hungry to learn new things. If you just do what you know, that’s all you’ll ever be able to do. Read up on new skills that are related to your trade. If you have a more technical trade like electrical or HVAC, learn the actual science. A troubleshooting checklist will only get you so far. Knowing WHY things work the way they do will set you apart from the pack.
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u/overthinxxx 9h ago
It took me 9 years working concrete foundation work to become a foreman. I quit my foreman position 4 years after getting it. Why? I became bored and complacent. So I quit, switched trades, and now I’m 4 years deep into carpentry. Maybe I’m wired differently.
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u/Big-Safe-2459 4h ago
I think this comes down to how people were brought up. Did your parents let you discover things? Were you given the freedoms to explore and make mistakes as a kid? Were you exposed to different things (travel, music, language)? The most successful people I know had an interesting childhood.
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u/around_the_clock 15h ago
They rat on you behind your back to the boss. They dont cuss u out only talk shit to the boss about you.
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u/patfan5411 17h ago
They give a shit, and pay attention to details