1. Employment Profile: What exactly does a Company Owner do? |
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 What field is your job in?
Contractor/Remodeler (Construction)
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What is your job title?
Company Owner
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Please provide a brief description of the firm or organization that you currently work for
(size and general description of what type of organization it is)
I co-own a small remodeling company that focuses on full service residential remodeling and contracting. We used to do smaller jobs but as our company expanded we have begun to pick up larger work and whole house remodels. We have a great team of sub contracted specialty contractors that we work with to get the job done.
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How long have you been employed in this position?
6 years
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How many hours do you work a week on average?
65-80
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Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
I co own the company, so I not only do the hands on construction work but also the office work. I bid the jobs that we do and communicate with the clients on a day to day basis. I also handle the scheduling and ordering as well as designing and managing of the projects. I usually work 40 hours at the job site and an additional 30 hours per week handling the office side of things and managing our web site and company blog. Someday we hope to have office help so that we do not have to work so many hours, but since we are a smaller company, we both usually work long hours to keep it up and running smoothly.
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What was your gross income last year? Please include any bonuses or incentives received.
35000
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What is your expected gross income for this year? Please include any bonuses or incentives you expect to receive.
40000
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Please
list any benefits you have (Please include number of weeks vacation,
sick leave and type of health insurance, retirement plan 401k)
My schedule can be somewhat flexable because I own the company, and we usually take the whole month of December off because of the holiday. No one usually wants their home remodeled during the holidays. Other than that we do not take vacations and we do not currently have benifits.
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Do you feel you are under/well/over compensated at your current position?
I love what I do, so as long as I am making a decent living doing it, I don't mind. I feel that I am compensated fairly.
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2. Work environment! |
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Does
your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this
something you like/dislike about your job? Explain
We do so many different things on a day to day basis. The job really has a lot of variety. I don't think there is anything I don't like about my job, but all of the physical work can be exhausting and dirty at times. I also get to buy tools whenever I want, which is great since I love to get new tools.
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Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes
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Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes
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Describe
your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what
you like/dislike about working in it
I work with clients, other contractors, suppliers, and my crew on a daily basis. We like to include our guys in the decision making because sometimes they come up with some great ideas. Communication skills are very important in my line of work.
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Please rank in order of importance from 1-8 (1- most important 8- least important) Assign each number once.
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2 Income
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3 Work Environment - co-workers
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5 Work Environment - supervisors
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8 Benefits
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7 Hours
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6 Level of responsibility
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1 The actual "work" you do at your job
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4 Job Title
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3. How should someone new to the workforce get a J-O-B like yours? |
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If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Rather than work for someone else, I started my own company. If you want to start your own company, I would recommend that you do a lot of research and find yourself a mentor. Subscribe to Journal of Light Construction, and Qualified Remodeler, and read them front to back. Work on your communication skills because you are going to need them to talk to customers and sub-contractors. Also, get some hands on skills so you can do the actual work.
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What
skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a
position like yours? Please be specific and explain why (e.g., social
skills, organization skills, technical skills)
It is a good idea to be handy and be able to do the work involved. It is also good to be organized and ready to work if starting your own company. Communication is so important, and I try to kill my clients with information and reassurance. Remodeling is also stressful for a client sometimes, so it is good to be empathetic because often times they need reassurance when their house is torn apart and their lives are disrupted. It is also a good idea to set aside the notion that you know it all, because there is always a better way to do something or more to learn.
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Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
I went to college for broadcast journalism and had some informal hands on experience in actual construction. I learned the rest as I went but it helps to have a certian knowledge and aptitude for the work.
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What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Do your research and have a business plan. Surround yourself with good like minded people to work with and build good relationships with subs, inspectors, suppliers, and others in your field. Get a mentor (I wish I had found one!) and, if possible, find a partner that has complementary skills to yours so that you can do outstanding work. By doing outstanding work, your business will be successful.
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