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How to Successfully Hire a Carpenter

Written by Michael in Human Resources

There are two groups of people who will hire a carpenter, people who will hire a carpenter directly and the contractor or company which hires carpenters to work on clients property, construct wooden structures and create fine furniture.  Although there are two groups the method of hiring remains relatively the same.  

To hire a carpenter consider the job requirements, the type of carpenter and what skill level needed.  Determine the legal and insurance requirements for a carpenter in your area.  Determine the job’s budget.  Advertise through personnel contacts, online advertisements or carpenter associations.

Carpentry is a skilled trade which has a wide range of people with different skill levels and competencies.  Every carpenter has different skills, experience and specializations.  The challenge is to match these with the job required with the lowest cost.  Since most experienced carpenters demand a higher rate than less experienced ones you will want to find a carpenter which meets your needs without too much overage.

Encapsulate the required work

Just like any other hiring process it is important to understand what the job you are trying to fill requires.  Especially when considering hiring a skilled trade.  Trades have many specializations which require knowledge, experience and skill to perform.  This can sometimes take years to acquire and is therefore a valuable commodity.  This allows carpenters with more experience to charge more than those just starting out.

This does not mean that you should hire the more experienced carpenter all the time, in fact sometimes the less experienced and knowledgeable carpenter may be better for your project.  This is where understanding what the project is and what is necessary for its completion.

Start by listing the jobs you want completed.  Break down the jobs by what skills you anticipate the carpenter needs.  Once you have a list of skills you can determine the type and experience level you will need.

Consider the difference between building an outdoor garden shed to installing interior stair banisters.  The level of experience needed is vast and therefore the rate between the different carpenters is also great.  If you are looking to build a shed you don’t need the experienced carpenter which will save you a lot whereas if you need banesters installed using an inexperienced carpenter will lead to extra expense, poor results and frustration.

Determine the required licenses and insurance needed

Every government has different requirements for what licenses professional trades need to have to legally work.  These may include certificates, union cards, business licenses etc.  Before you hire a carpenter, ensure you know what is required.   Add these requirements to the list of skills and experience you started above.

Insurance is another important item.  Most local governments have specific types of insurance a trade must have, they include health and injury insurance as well as liability insurance to protect both the carpenter and the client or business owner.  

Decide on a budget for the project

The budget for the job is a very important aspect of the hiring process as it will determine the extent of the work to be done, the level of carpenter which is affordable and the duties the carpenter will be required to do.

Without a budget it is difficult to control the amount spent on a job.  Carpenters often provide quotes or estimates before work commences, by having a budget prior to advertising the work you will be able to eliminate carpenters without wasting time with carpenters who are too expensive.  It also gives you an opportunity to bargain with carpenters which are close to your budget requirements.  Some carpenters are willing to discount quotes with concessions regarding work done.

On the other hand if a carpenter comes in below your budget by a substantial margin this is a red flag indicating that either your budget is too high (unlikely) or the carpenter is desperate for the work.  This may not be a bad thing for you depending on why they need the work.  There could be several good reasons why a carpenter needs the work:

  1. Just starting out and needs a chance to prove his/her skills
  2. Needs to stay close to home and is willing to discount the price for a short commute
  3. The job is small and well within their skills therefore will be a small time commitment

There are also some things to watch out for:

  1. The carpenters reputation is poor
  2. Carpenter does not have an up to date portfolio
  3. Carpentry may not be their main job (moonlighting)

When hiring a carpenter it is best to find a carpenter which is within your budget by 10% or so either way.  This will give you a field of carpenters to choose from.

Advertise the job

The first stage of advertising the job is to write the job description.  Use the notes you wrote in the above sections to distill the job into as few bullet points as you can.  Include a short description of the work needed to be done, whether it is a permeate position you are looking to fill or if it is contract work.

List the required qualifications the carpenter must have.  To not make this a wish list as it will discourage qualified carpenters from applying which may lead to higher cost.  

List qualifications which you would like the carpenter to have on another list.  This gives the applicant the opportunity to show they have additional skills 

When advertising a carpentry job the usual advice still applies:

  1. Start with personnel contacts

Personnel contacts are always the best option.  They provide you with recommended people which have been vetted to a certain degree.  The carpenter will have a relationship with the mutual contact which puts pressure on them to do a good job.  

  1. Ask for referrals

Referrals are a great way to find a talented carpenter.  If you have used other trades then they may have insight into a carpenter which they would trust or know are good.  These trades want to maintain a good reputation so if they recommend someone the chances are higher that they will meet your needs.  

  1. Advertise for candidates 

This is always the last resort as you will have no prior experience with the carpenter and be going into an agreement with them blind.   When this is the case ensure you follow all the steps below to increase your chances of a positive result.  

Carpentry Hiring Checklist

  1. Have a written description of the work required

This is vital as it provides you and the carpenter with a clear understanding of the work which is expected.  Without this misunderstandings will occur which can lead to a poor outcome for one or both parties. 

With a written description the carpenter can easily determine if they are capable, willing and interested in the work.  This saves you and them time and money.  It also eliminates the discussion regarding what they heard you wanted and what you expected.  

  1. Meet any candidates onsite to discuss work

A carpenter is a great resource which can provide you with valuable insight into any project, whether it is a renovation or a new construction project. They have experience which can help to clarify the work.  

  1. Ask to view their prior work

Having a visual representation of a carpenter’s work will give you a good understanding of what they are capable of.  Without this proof you are making a decision based only on their personality and interview skills.  Although personality is a good indicator of a person’s ability visual representations are also valuable.

Look for varying styles and techniques used in the different projects, watch for improvement as time has passed and look for obvious gaps in projects.  Gaps in projects can mean they took a hiatus from the trade (not a bad thing all the time) or they had a string of unsuccessful projects.  

  1. Ask specifically about experience regarding required work

Not all carpenters are versed in more than one type of carpentry.  If you need a finisher to install trim and baseboards a certain amount of experience is needed but if you also need banisters installed this requires a completely new set of skills.  By asking specifically about the experience of the carpenter you will get a better understanding of their ability to complete the work required.

  1. Request a quote

A quote will provide a written description of the work the carpenter is committed to, how much they are going to charge and provide a written understanding of what the carpenter believes needs to be done.

  1. Review and discuss the quote

A quote is not the end of discussions.  It is important to review the quote and ensure that everything you want complete is in the quote.  Ask questions about anything extra added into the quote.  

  1. Check references prior to making a final decision

References will give you a different picture of the carpenter then the one they themselves present.  By asking some pertinent questions you can determine if the carpenter has the ability to complete the work. 

  1. Call to schedule the work

Once you have decided on your carpenter call and schedule the work.  Sometimes this is a critical part of the job because if you are using more than one trade scheduling is really important.  Without a proper schedule your project can be delayed and forced to cost more when other trades cannot perform their part of the job on time.  Make sure you make it clear when you need to work to start and if there are breaks where other trades are involved that the carpenter understands.  

Four Successful Stratagies to Hire A Software Developer

Written by Michael in Human Resources

The problem with hiring new software development talent is that the person you are looking for does not exist or if they do exist they have just left your employment.  Software development is too vast a field for anyone to be versed in all the technologies which are currently in use so unless your stack is very limited or you are looking for someone to work on one specific aspect of your system it will be difficult or impossible to find an exact fit.

Here are four strategies for you to find and retain talent you need to maintain and grow your business.

Don’t Hire Anyone

The first option in a successful hiring strategy is to not hire anyone to begin with.  Employees are the highest expense of any business so unless you have no other choice hiring another employee should be a last resort.  There are several options which a business has which helps to avoid hiring new employees.  

Pay a service company

Software as a service companies are everywhere and can provide services and technology which in the past had to be implemented directly into a business platform.  Today there are many services including e-commerce platforms, database management and code analysis companies.

Information technology companies are available which can be hired to develop,maintain and upgrade the technology of most businesses from small to large.  They can provide the hardware, software and technicians to support the system once it is in place.  

Buy a software product

Before you hire someone to develop a new software product ensure it has not already been implemented as a software product already.  There are many examples of software products which are available for purchase from accounting software, database management, voice activated systems and even robotic control systems.  

If your business has a need for a specific software solution others will also in most cases.  This means that someone may have developed a software product which can be integrated into your system without you needing to develop it yourself.

Use open source code

Open source code can be found in a wide variety of places from Github to JQuery and include operating systems like Linux.  Open source software is software where the code is provided as source code rather than compiled programs.  This gives the user the ability to change the code, use certain sections of code or add functions to the code to suit it for their purposes.

Although there are some problems with open source code such as security issues and buggy code in some cases for most of the open source solutions available today have been improved by a wide variety of volunteers making it much more robust than their commercial counterparts.

If none of these solutions meet your requirements then it may be time to hire a professional to provide you with the needed programming assistance.  

Hire a Freelancer

Hiring a freelancer has many benefits which can be taken advantage of depending on your business.  If you own a small business with a limited budget, hiring a permanent employee may give you a sense of pride but in the long run it may cost you more than you can afford.   

Before you hire a permanent employee consider using a freelancer to develop and implement your business concept for you.  Freelancers can be expensive in the short term but are often a cheaper solution to your programming needs long term.

Benefits of using a freelancer

  1. Known cost
  2. Not responsible for freelancers taxes, healthcare or other governmental costs
  3. Final payment can be withheld until project is complete to your satisfaction
  4. Access to specialized talent

Drawbacks of using a freelancer

  1. Harder to maintain added features
  2. Unknown programming quality
  3. Hard to maintain code quality and company standards
  4. Inconsistent access to particular talent

There are many options for hiring freelance talent.  You could use one of the many freelancer companies which are designed to connect business owners with available talent where freelancers post their profiles. Profiles include talents, jobs they have completed and a rating provided by companies which they have worked for in the past along with their rates and how they want to be paid.

The freelancer company will act as a go between matching freelancers with possible employers, facilitate payment and provide mediation if there is a dispute.  This makes it a good option for smaller companies to access specialized talent without having to make a long term commitment.

Other options include advertising for a short term contract or for the specific work you want completed. This provides you with the option of paying for only the work you want completed without the need to maintain the employment after the work is complete.

Ask Current Employees For Leads

With the advent of online job boards, social media platforms and government websites the idea of using referrals to find new employees almost seems archaic but it is still the best way to find and hire quality personnel which fit well within your company.

The cost of hiring, training and developing new employees in the tech industry can cost 50-150% of their yearly wages https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4255&context=dissertations&httpsredir=1&referer= .  This is a substantial amount for any business and can be crushing for small and medium sized businesses, especially if the employee does not work out.  Referrals are a great way to mitigate this problem.

There are many reasons why a software developer will be unsuccessful at a particular company and only a few have to do with the technical ability of the developer.  This is why many companies have a multi-step process in hiring new developers.  

The first is to ensure they meet the basic criteria for the position.  This is where the resume and cover letter or CV come in handy.  Secondly they are given a coding challenge which is meant to check the developers knowledge and coding ability.  Finally they are given one or two interviews with the people they are going to be working with.  This is to see if they will fit in with the group.

When you get your prospects from referrals the third stage of the process is much more likely to be successful, the applicant will more likely be accepted by the group and become a productive employee much faster than otherwise.

Another aspect of asking for referrals is the sense of responsibility the referrer has to the new employee.  They are more likely to provide help and direction, give advice and generally assist the new employee settle in and succeed.

When asking for referrals it is best to ask the group the new employee will be working with first.  This provides them with the opportunity to be part of the process and shows that their opinions matter as well as acquiring applicants which already have a relationship with your current team.

Advertise Online

According to companies like Indeed and Glassdoor this is the way of the future but really it is a poor way of finding new talent.  Although you will have access to a large number of potential applicants, the truth is that few of the searchers will meet the criteria you need to fill a position.  

First they will have to have the qualifications you need for the position which is getting harder and harder to find as the technology industry continues to grow.  Just like there are electrical engineers, civil engineers and mechanical engineers (along with a host of others) there are front end developers, backend developers, AI specialists, robotics and application developers.  

Once an applicant has the qualifications you need there are the problems with location of the applicant, compensation they require and years of experience.  Most of the thousands of applicants searching for a new position will fail in one or more of these conditions.  

If your business is forced to use this method of acquiring new talent ask yourself the following questions before you begin the search.

  1. Why do I need additional help which can’t be found through my current sphere of influence?

This is one of the hardest but most important questions to answer.  There are many possibilities including:

  • Your sphere of influence is small

A small sphere of influence can be a result of being a small firm, operating in a small niche or just starting out.  To expand your sphere of influence you can learn how to network for real (not the weak social media version) by becoming active in your industry.  Providing value through the sharing of ideas and information which can gain some attention.

  • Your sphere of influence is tapped out

This can happen when a company is growing fast, where the need for new employees seems to outpace the available manpower but more often it is a result of employee turnover.   

Be honest with yourself to find why your influence is exhausted.  Is your turnover higher than others in the same industry? If it is then find out why.  It could be your wages are low (the least likely case), the environment is toxic or your hiring process is broken.  

  • Your employees have little incentive to help

Incentives are great for influencing your employees to help your business grow.  Most business people link incentives with money.  This is not always the case and in some situations could be detrimental to finding valuable employees.  

Let’s face it you don’t want your employees recommending someone solely because they get a bonus!  Instead, if they get a chance to work with someone they like, can help someone they know find valuable employment or get a chance to mentor someone they believe in, their motivation will be more valuable to your business and their relationship with the applicant.

  • Your employees don’t want to help

Worst of all is if your employees are resistant to helping the company to succeed.  Again, as painful as it is, you need to ask yourself some searching questions.  Are they embaroused of the company, do they not enjoy the culture or do they feel threatened from new employees coming into the company?

By answering these questions you may not only improve your chances of finding and maintaining employees but you may also improve your company culture (which can translate into better profitability).

  1. What qualifications are essential for the applicant to have?

If you read most online job postings you will soon discover that the posting is written either as a wishlist (a collection of requirements which the company wants to add to their pool of expertise) or a list of certificates or technologies the outgoing employee had.  Both of these strategies lead to a long hiring process and poor results.

Instead take a serious look at what skills and knowledge your business needs to move forward.  This is a bare bones list.  If you are looking for a frontend developer what is the stack you are using for development?  Do you need the fast processing power of a C or C++ developer or do you use Python for your base language?  Whatever it is, make the list.  Talk to your other developers and see what they use the most, what is less important and what is just a bonus.

The goal is to pare this list down to only the most important things which an applicant needs to have to be successful in the position you need filled.  This way you will get the most applicants to choose from and allows applicants to have a good understanding of your needs.

  1. What qualifications are nice to have but not essential?

This is where you can add in all the things you wish your new employee has.  This can include anything your outgoing employee had but is not essential to doing the job they are vacating or could include technologies you want your company to move to. 

Keep this list as short as possible as a long list here also intimidates candidates which otherwise would fill the needed requirements easily.  It is important to remember the more experience and knowledge a candidate has, the higher their wage expectations will be.

  1. Are there any additional duties you would like attended to by your new hire?

Hiring new talent to your workforce is a good opportunity to alter the work duties of the position which would otherwise be resisted by current staff.  Now is the time to consider what duties you would like to change if you are replacing an outgoing employee.  If it is a new position, what else do you need assistance in?

Once you have this list you will have to determine the remuneration.  Pay Rate is not the main factor for employees decisions to move on but it is a big consideration when deciding to accept a position.  Most online job boards have a salary filter which enables applicants to filter out any positions under (or over) a certain salary be eliminated from search results.

When determining salary scale consider the cost of hiring, training and long term costs.  Look at the current rate developers in the industry are paid and compare it to your current rate.  To be successful in the hiring process the pay needs to match the expectations of the job.

Finally you need to write the posting.  Provide the relevant facts which the applicant needs, some company history and what they will be doing on a daily basis.  Provide the list of needed technologies and the list of additional wishlist things.  Some postings title this with nice to have or consideration will be given for.  Add in anything you feel is important to why an applicant should consider working with you such as health benefits, time off or social events (if that is your culture).

Title the job posting with a simple title which both search engines and humans can understand.  If you are creative in the title you will limit your exposure to qualified candidates because they are searching for a software development position not a “Human-Binary interface engineer”.  Look at your must have list and title it with the main language your applicant will be using or what they will be doing. Titles like  “C++ software engineer” or “Full stack software engineer” are clear, easily searchable and prevent wasting your time and job searchers.

Add the posting to your careers page and/or your chosen job board.  Update it by removing it when the position is filled, needs altering due to lack of success or if the job duties have changed.

How To Start A Career In Software Development

Written by Michael in General Info,Job Seekers

Being a software developer is an interesting career.  You will always be learning, solving problems and working with tight deadlines.  Due to the ever changing nature of technology you will have to remain current on what is new and popular which makes for a constantly changing work environment.

To start a career in software development an education is important whether it is through university, certificate programs and/or self directed learning.  Skill is also important so practice needs to be done until proficiency is reached in at least one major coding language.

According to this study there are many personal characteristics which make for a good software engineer so before you spend time and money on pursuing a software engineer career check to see if you have enough of these traits to have the confidence you will enjoy the career long term.

Once you have satisfied the above criteria follow these steps and don’t give up!  

Decide on a career track

Software development includes a wide variety of industries, including web programming, application development, gaming, robotics, artificial intelligence and the list goes on.  There is no way anyone will be able to learn everything about every niche in the software development space. 

In web development alone there are HTML, CSS and javascript which form the basic webpage but there is also server side programming which can be done in a variety of languages like Python and PHP.  Each of these languages have packages which make development easier but also need to be learned.  To be able to be proficient in all these languages takes time and dedication (lots of practice).

By deciding on a career track early you will be able to lower the number of things you will need to learn initially making it more likely that you will be able to be successful at the beginning of your career.  Once you have your first position you will be able to expand your knowledge and move from there but the first stage is competency in the basics.

Learn to code for the track you are on

Coding is the basis of the job.  Just like being able to use a hammer is basic to a carpenter, knowing how to program effectively is basic to being a software developer.  Each area of software development has its own languages and methodologies which are unique to them.  Although the basics are the same, you will have to know specifics about your industry to become successful.  

Below is a list of the most commonly used languages for four different industries within the software developer schere.  If your career track is not here do some research to learn what you should be practicing and learning.

Web development languages

  • HTML
  • Css
  • Javascript
  • PHP
  • Python

Game Development

  • C++
  • C#
  • Python
  • Java

Artificial intelligence

  • C++
  • Python
  • Lisp
  • R

Robotics

  • C++
  • Python

As you can see there is a lot of variation in languages, some being more prevalent than others.  Choose your base language and learn it well because you will have to pass a coding exam for most companies before you get an offer.

Develop a portfolio of projects

Software development is analogous to an artistic career like graphic design.  When employers are looking to hire they like to see what you have done in the past.  

By having a portfolio of projects you have worked on, completed or contributed to you increase your chances of landing a software development job.  By constantly improving your portfolio you will be able to show you are improving and learning new things.  This is important for employers, they want to see you are consistently improving and learning new things.  Remember software development is a career which requires lifetime ongoing learning.  By showing your improvements you are showing you are constantly learning.

Make connections

Just like any industry, having connections is very important but let’s be clear, connections are not links on LinkedIn or friends on facebook.  Connections are people you know which you have a relationship with or are people which you have had some business with.  Connections are great ways to get references, job leads and advice from.  

To make these types of connections you will have to become active in the industry.  Work on projects with a variety of people, seek others advice and be willing to learn from those around you.  

Connections are still the best ways for people to land a job.  Employers are more likely to hire someone who has been recommended by someone they trust than from a faceless resume and cover letter and sometimes a position will be filled by someone who was recommended by a connection without ever being advertised.  By having a strong base of real connections you will increase your chance of being the first candidate considered.

Do some freelancing 

Learning the basics of coding is one thing but being able to write code for a paying customer is something totally different.  There are a number of skills which you will learn which will help you by doing small freelance jobs.  

You will learn what the typical project looks like, how to communicate with your customer and how to code efficiently.  All of these will improve your chances of landing a well paid position.  Sometimes freelance work can become a full time position if you perform well.  You may even build your career on only freelance work.

Contact companies directly you would like to work for

In today’s world virtual communication is everywhere.  There is email, text, social media messaging and video conferencing.  It seems the idea of talking to someone on the phone or visiting them at their office is not even on the table but if you are wanting a position with a particular company then one of the best strategies is to phone and make an appointment and talk with the hiring personnel.

For larger companies this may not work as they have barriers to prevent such activities but smaller companies don’t have such barriers and would be thrilled to hear you regard their company as a sought after place to work.  

Before you go, do some research about the company.  Find out what their main product is, who their customers are and have an answer ready for why you think you would be a good fit and how you could benefit them.  This has a double purpose, you will be able to learn for yourself if you like the company and you will be able to talk intelligently with their staff.

Get good at writing resumes and cover letters

It may take a while for you to land your first position.  Depending on the competition and how popular the company you want to work for is, you could be one in a hundred applicants or more.  This makes it difficult for someone with little experience to be considered but one thing is for sure you will not get the job you don’t apply for.

Write a resume and cover letter tailored for each application you make.  Each company is unique and to increase your chances of success doing some research on each company and writing your resume and cover letter specifically for them will increase your odds of getting an interview.

Practice speaking in public

This may seem like an odd step but it is vitally important for you as a software developer to be able to communicate your ideas to all different sizes of groups.  If you are uncomfortable speaking to people you will find it hard to interview well, relate with your co-workers and progress in your career.

Companies tend to ask probing questions when interviewing applicants.  This is to help them to determine if you are a good fit with their company.  If you cannot adequately convey your answers they probably will not offer you a position.  Whereas if you can communicate well with the interviewers without too much nervousness you will have a better chance at securing a position.

Most advice applicants get about interviews are centered around giving the “right” answer to common questions and ask applicants to practice their answers to be prepared for them.  This can lead to contrived answers, untruths and make the question ineffective for both the interviewer and the applicant.

It is important to be prepared for an interview but to practice answers which are meant to impress the panel can lead to an unsuccessful interview and if a position is secured could lead to an unhappy work environment when the truth surfaces.

Instead, if you are comfortable speaking in public, have done your homework about the company and you understand the industry you are going into, your answers can be used effectively to discern whether you are a good fit.  This will make for a much better relationship with you and your employer and lead to long term success.

How to Land a Job as a Carpenter

Written by Michael in Job Seekers

Being a carpenter is a noble and valuable career choice for those who enjoy building things with their own hands.  It involves skill and intelligence to be a good carpenter and lots of practice to become an excellent one.  If you are someone who likes to create things which are both useful and aesthetically pleasing then this could be a good career choice for you.

There are some personality traits which make being a carpenter easier and more enjoyable so before you invest in this career determine for yourself how you rate in the following traits:

  • Prefer to be active rather than sedative
  • Have a high tolerance for extended physical activity
  • Ability to learn new skills quickly
  • Able to do basic mathematical calculations quickly and correctly (including fractions)
  • Can communicate with others effectively
  • Able to visualize three dimensionally
  • Can solve problems creatively

To be a successful carpenter you will not need to have all the above traits but the more of them you have the easier and more enjoyable your career as a carpenter will be.  Carpenters have a tough job no matter what area you decide to specialize in so be prepared to work hard for long hours throughout your career.

Still want to be a carpenter?  Okay here is a 7 step process to break into this career:

Get educated

Education is the cornerstone of any successful career and can come in a variety of forms.  Depending on your location you may need formal training from a technology school to work as a carpenter or you may be able to work as a general laborer with a construction company while learning the craft (or a combination of the two).  

Although there are many specialties which someone can follow in carpentry there is a base of knowledge which will be required before any specialization is pursued.  Carpentry courses can be found in most career colleges and is a great start as they will give you the basics of carpentry and expose you to the various skills you will need.

There is a wide range of what carpentry courses will cost from as little as $1000 to over $7000 in tuition costs.  A basic carpentry course will take a year to complete but speciality courses can take 2-4 years to complete.  Joinery is a speciality which can take 4-7 years to complete with both formal and apprenticeship (on the job training) requirements.

Decide what type of carpenter you want to be

Just like any general career term, carpentry can be divided into an infinite number of career paths. Do you want to be a framer, finish carpenter, flooring specialist, cabinetry or fine furniture builder.  The list goes on and on but each type has some specialized knowledge you will need to know to be successful along with some additional traits and physical abilities which are necessary.

In general there are four basic types of carpentry which you could fit into:

Rough construction

Many people believe that when someone says rough construction there is less need to be accurate or skilled but this is absolutely wrong.  Rough construction includes areas such as foundation forms, framing and stair construction.  These are the first stages of any large construction project and rather than requiring less attention to detail they require more.  Everything else is built on and around this framework and if it starts out with errors the remaining construction will suffer causing every trade who follows to have to make adaptations to the plan.

Traits needed:

  • High attention to detail
  • Ability to read blueprints and translate them into three dimensions 
  • Enjoy working outside in all types of weather
  • Physically strong
  • Enjoy teamwork 
  • Project oriented

Finish Carpentry

This area of carpentry includes jobs such as door installation, trim and banisters.  Finish carpenters are more likely to work inside the building as opposed to outside exposed to the weather.  This job is demanding as the work is exposed for all to see and therefore requires a high level of accuracy and precision.  A finishing carpenter must take into account utility, aesthetics and functionality of everything they construct.

Traits needed:

  • High attention to detail
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Physically able to work in a variety of postures (standing, kneeling, crouching)
  • Project oriented
  • Able to work long hours
  • Able to creatively solve problems

Finished product Installation

Although this is similar to finishing carpentry it is also entirely different.  This area of carpentry involves the installation of kitchen cabinetry, flooring and other finished construction materials.  Kitchen cabinetry requires specialized skills to ensure the cabinetry is installed correctly.  This means it must be plumb and level, have a standard height and look as the owner imagined.  Flooring is similar, requiring minimal alteration of the product to produce the design specified.

There is little alteration of the product except for trim work and countertop fitting but requires understanding of the mechanics of the product being installed, methods of making alterations which have the least effect on the final product and can hide flaws in the product or deficiencies in the building itself.

Traits needed:

  • High attention to detail
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Able to solve problems creatively
  • Project oriented
  • Physically strong
  • Mechanically adept

Joinery

This is a totally different track than the traditional understanding of carpentry work.  This form of carpentry requires a different level of commitment to learning, being important to continuously honing skills as well as formal education to learn about the craft.  Joinery is used in a wide variety of applications (each with their own specialization).  It is used in boat construction, furniture design and building as well as any other wooden product such as musical instruments (called a luthier).

The level of skill necessary to become a joiner requires commitment and high intelligence.  You will have to be able to visualize a finished product prior to its construction at a completely different level than any other form of carpentry.  You will have to take into account the strength of the material, visual characteristics, stability, density and its ability to take a finnish.  How the product will alter over time is also important, whether it will swell in humid conditions, how the coloring will change when exposed to sunlight and a host of other conditions.

 Traits needed:

  • High intelligence and ability to learn new skills quickly
  • Unparalleled attention to detail
  • Visualization skills 
  • Able to solve problems creatively
  • Able to work alone and with a team
  • Able to spend extended periods of time performing repetitive and boring tasks
  • Willing to accept criticism and make alterations without relationship damage

Practice your craft

Carpentry is an interesting combination of knowledge based learning and physical skill based learning.  Both are required to be a valuable carpenter.  You will have to know and understand the reason for your local building codes, how to add and subtract fractions, calculate radii and how your equipment works to name a few.   

You will also have to be able to cut material accurately and with precision with a variety of tools (saws, chisels and powered equipment) and be able to assemble a project using a variety of fastening tools and products (drivers, hammers, adhesives).  You will also have to know when you need to use one or more forms of fastening and what the effect it will have on the finished product.

This requires practice and dedication.  You can do this in many ways but at the beginning you will most likely have to practice on your own.  During your formal education you will be exposed to some practice but it will be limited due to time and financial restraints.  To get the most out of the theoretical knowledge you acquire during formal education, practice the attending skills to reinforce the learning.

Start building things with the skills and knowledge you have no matter how rudimentary.  This is the only way of improving your skills.  Start small and short term and as you learn increase the complexity and time a project will take and you will soon look back on your first projects and be able to see the difference practice makes.

Build a portfolio of projects

A portfolio of projects is the equivalent of a resume or CV for a carpenter.  It shows the level of skill you currently have as well as the progress you have been making.  This is important especially for prospective employers because it shows them your progress as time passes, an indication you are a fast learner and are committed to building a career as a carpenter. 

You can start by doing projects around your house, for friends and relatives.  When showing prospective employers or clients your portfolio they do not need to know if you were paid or for whom you did the work for.  They just need to see what your skill level is currently.

To build a portfolio take pictures of before and after and if you did something you feel is valuable.  Place them online where you can point people to or Have the pictures printed and placed into a binder.  Provide a little explanation of what the project was, how long it took and what you did. 

Learn good communication skills

Communication is important in any career but carpentry takes it to a new level.  To be successful you will have to listen and understand what is required, communicate any concerns you have which may include an explanation of what is legally required or even possible.  When problems arise you will have to be able to guide the conversation to solutions rather than disagreement.  

Without good communication skills success as a carpenter will be hard to achieve as miscommunication leads to a poor relationship with employers or clients, wasted materials and time and difficulty in getting reimbursed for your efforts.  When everyone understands your skill level, what is expected of you and how long something should take, the job will go much smoother than if everyone has unrealistic expectations.  

Introduce yourself to General contractors

This is where your public speaking practice will come in handy.  General contractors are busy people and don’t tend to spend time posting positions they are looking for online or through social media.  The contracting game is still a person to person exchange.  To land a job or gain a client you will have to go and talk to general contractors personally.

Look for new construction sites with more than one build occurring.  Ask other trades regarding who is in charge.  When you get to talk to the person in charge, be honest about your experience and what you are looking for.  Have your portfolio ready to show if they are interested or are looking for additional personnel.  If they are not interested, ask for a referral, the construction industry is a close knit group so they may have a lead for you.

Set yourself a goal of contacting a specific number of contractors a week until you find a position.  Everything is a numbers game.  At the beginning of your carpentry career the number of people you need to talk to is higher but there is always someone looking for help which you can provide.

Continue learning new skills and keep up to date with current regulations

Like anything in life things change and to stay competitive you will have to continue to learn new things, develop new skills and stay up on regulation changes in the industry.  

Do this by reading industry publications, talking to fellow carpenters and contractors.  Find the government’s source for code rules in your area and look for amendments which may affect you.

Once you have landed a position, continue to develop your portfolio.  This will come in handy when you are either looking for a new client of another employer.  Carpentry is a very competitive business and general contractors are always looking for trades people who can do a  job faster, better and/or for less money.  

How Tracking Critical Actions Improves Performance

Written by Michael in General Info

With the prevalence of tracking systems available on the market the question you have to ask is, will it make a difference in my performance or will it just take up my limited amount of time.  You are a busy person with many responsibilities and need to be able to perform adequately enough to maintain a positive life and taking additional time to track your activities has to be beneficial.

Keeping track of actions will improve performance by improving the consciousness, increase or decrease the frequency and provide a baseline of the activity.  Action tracking provides information to make intelligent changes to daily actions to reach a goal.

When you become aware of actions which you are taking it becomes obvious to you what you need to change if you want to improve and make headway towards your goals.  This is one of the greatest benefits of fitness watches.  They track basic fitness activities such as steps taken during the day, sleep schedules and heart rates.  Prior to knowing these basic activity levels a person is much less likely to do something to change for the better.

Fitness is non the only area where tracking actions are beneficial, Frank Betcher in his classic book “How I raised myself from failure to success through selling” explains his method of tracking sales calls and the benefits he received from the activity.  

How being conscious of activities improves performance

Have you ever watched a professional athlete perform something difficult with what appears to be complete ease?  The fielder who jogs to the right spot and easily catches the ball, the skater performs a triple axel or a swimmer makes a perfect flip turn. All these actions are integral to their success as an athlete and each one was practiced regularly to improve and maintain the skill.

Being conscious of activities with a positive or negative effect on success will affect how often and how well the activity is performed.  Once awareness is raised, attention to how the action is performed becomes clearer, providing valuable information to either improve the action or hinder it.

In the early stages of learning a new skill you have to be conscious of what you are doing at each step of the way.  This includes several small steps which make up the skill.  When you become conscious of when you are performing an action it is easier to break down the action into its parts, giving you valuable information as to why you are performing the action or how you can improve it.

In his great book “The Power of Habits” by Charls Duhigg breaks down how habits are formed with a simple idea.  A habit needs a cue which instigates the routine which provides the reward.  By being conscious of the routine (the action you are tracking) it is easier to learn what the cue is and what is the reward.

With this information you can either encourage the frequency of the action or decrease it depending on your goals.  Without being conscious of the action you are powerless to make alterations to your routine to any positive degree.

How tracking Activities increases or decreases its frequency

We all have habits, some are good habits and some are bad habits.  It is obvious that we all want to improve our good habits and stop our bad ones but unfortunately we are also good at lying to ourselves.  We consistently overestimate our good habits and underestimate our bad ones.  

By tracking activities a more accurate picture of the frequency of the activity, giving a blunt picture of the time and energy being spent on each tracked activity.  If the activity is negative the automatic response is to decrease frequency and if it is positive it can increase its frequency. 

It is a natural thing to want to succeed.  Everyone wants to be healthier, live longer, make more money or have more time and we intrinsically understand that our daily actions are what leads to better or worse lives.  When you start to keep track of activities which you understand as being important or detrimental to your success you will subconsciously alter their frequency.  

This is called the mere measurement effect.  Coupling the tracking with questioning why you are taking such actions will either cement them into your routine or help to inhibit them.  It is used effectively in marketing to re-enforce or alter people’s buying habits simply by asking questions about why someone is purchasing a certain product.  It works in marketing and will work for altering routines.

Benefits of knowing the baseline frequency of an activity

There is a saying that it is hard to get somewhere when you don’t know where you are.  The very idea that you will be able to somehow navigate your way to success without having an idea of where you are at the start is ridiculous.  This is where keeping track of activities which you believe will help achieve your goal and those which will hinder it.

A baseline frequency of an activity provides an understanding of an individual’s current standing.  Having a baseline frequency improves decisions regarding specific actions and measuring improvement to changes made without a baseline become guesses which cannot be relied upon.  

If you have ever been lost this is easily understood.  You don’t know where you are so you don’t know which way to go.  It is as simple as that.  

If you are a salesman and you want to improve your income the obvious question is how many sales calls are you making.  If you are making only one or two a day in an industry where most successful salesmen are making 5-6 this is your answer but to know that you need to keep track of your calls.  On the other hand if you are making 10 calls a day and still need to increase your income then maybe you need to look at your closing rate or your average profit per sale.  

The point is that if you don’t keep track of the actions which lead to success in your industry then you will not be able to make reliable improvements.  This goes for every activity which leads to success, students and study habits, managers and uninterrupted work etc.  

Having a frequency baseline also provides indications to whether you even need to track the activity.  For example if you are a writer and want to produce better content then one action you can track is hours spent writing.  If you find you are spending at least four hours writing every day then your problem probably is not hours spent but a system issue so stop tracking this activity and focus on another until you find one which can and should be improved.

Keeping track of activities identifies possible roadblocks

You have probably hit a roadblock in one aspect of your life or another where it doesn’t matter what you do, you just can’t seem to overcome an obstacle.  It could be a financial obstacle, health obstacle or a relationship obstacle.  These roadblocks seem impossible to overcome but by some careful analysis of your daily activities the solution may become obvious.

By keeping track of activities the barriers to achievement can be exposed and what areas of the chief aim are not being attended to.  Once weak areas have been identified they can be addressed through learning and practice.  Without a tracking system it is difficult to pinpoint areas of weakness.

Roadblocks are caused by unknown factors acting negatively on your results.  Such as a runner who has topped out on distance or speed.  If the runner is serious the problem is probably not time spent running but it may be technique or improper gear or diet. By tracking actions regarding the action you can learn if it is hindering your growth or not.  If it is then you can make changes and otherwise you can focus on another action which can have an effect on your growth.

How many actions should be tracked for best results

There are way too many actions to track which can affect performance.  It can become an obsession which takes valuable time and energy from the activities themselves.  When making improvements in your routine or altering some actions, limit the number you are working on to one or two.  Trying to alter several at once will lead to failure as your focus is split between several things making it hard to make any valuable improvements.

Keep the number of tracked actions to one or two to maintain focus.  Tracking one or two actions prevents fatigue, increases enthusiasm and improves the chances of success.  Too many goals dilutes the energy needed to make positive changes and slows growth.

Take as an example Benjamin Franklin as a young man decided to become morally perfect.  A goal which at the outset is impossible.  He began tracking 13 traits which he wanted to perfect, focusing on one per week.  He did this for many years and few of us can boast of having a greater influence on society as he had in history.  

In “The power of habit” Charles Duhigg explains how self discipline is like a muscle and needs to be built like any other muscle requiring exercise, rest and proper form to improve.  When focusing on too many actions the self discipline “muscle” will become depleted leading to no improvement in something for that time period.