Why? Because it takes time to learn your trade. It takes time to advance from laborer to higher positions. It takes time to earn respect. It takes time to go from “worker” to “craftsman”. You may be working as a laborer for a few years – but you’re earning money the whole time and honing your skills. After all, what’s 3-5 years of devoted learning and growing, to a lifetime of successful trades work? And remember to be humble. You don’t know everything. Even if you think you do, and your work is spot on, be humble and receive instruction. If you approach the job (and the crew) as a humble learner, you’ll do well.

A quick scroll through the trades pros of Instagram will show you something: they’re all really passionate about what they do. Does that mean they love every single day? No way. Does it mean there isn’t parts of the job they hate? No. It means that in the end, they don’t just want to get through the day and earn a paycheck. They want to be the best they can be. They want to learn new techniques. They find inspiration in other people’s work. They ask questions from other pros, and keep learning. Being passionate about what you do will help take what you’re doing from just a job, to a craft.

We already said you need to be patient. Becoming really good at your trade, starting a business, or growing into a Pro worth $50,000 – $75,000/year isn’t going to happen overnight. So be persistent. Don’t give up. If this trade is what you want, realize that bad days and hard tasks aren’t a sign that this isn’t for you. They’re things that you overcome, that build your character, and make you a better person. So if you’re working on learning a new skill, keep at it. If you’re doing great at your job, and waiting to advance, keep at it. Don’t give up.

To be successful in any industry it’s important to be prepared. Take the time and make the effort to ensure you are ready for either a first interview or your first day. If you are preparing for an interview, take the time to learn a little about the company you are interviewing with. Visit their website if they have one. If you’ve been referred by a friend ask them about the company. If you are starting a new job make sure you know what tools you need to have and that you are dressed properly and following any dress requirements for the position. Be prepared mentally and physically by ensuring you eat right and get enough rest. You won’t be at your best if you are living on fast food and staying up to late. A career in the roofing industry comes with certain physical and mental demands and you want to make sure you are at the top of your game.

At some point, for many pros across the world, they went from seeing what they were doing as a job that needs doing every day, to a craft that they would put their best efforts into. That doesn’t mean it’s not difficult, or frustrating, or that at times they don’t want to give up. It just means that they truly fall in love with the trade.  Life is more than work, but your work can be more enjoyable when you stop seeing it as a job, and start seeing it as a craft. The best pros are the ones that treat their trade like a craft. They want to create work that they’re proud to put their name on. They want to be able to stand behind their work.

Scroll through Instagram and follow some of the pros there. You’ll see that they’re asking questions in their stories and posts, giving advice, and always learning. We’ve seen some amazing professionals with incredible talent that are still learning from others in the community. So join communities like Instagram where you can learn from and be inspired by other pros. You can also learn online from pros on sites like Construct-Ed. Construct-Ed is an online construction training platform that makes it easy to learn from other pros, who will help you grow your business, skills, and knowledge – on-demand. The point is: never stop learning and growing.