What is a building contractor and how to become one

Key steps to become a building contractor

1. Explore building contractor education requirements

   Most common building contractor degrees

   Bachelor's

   49.1 %

   Associate

   20.0 %

   High School Diploma

   13.3 %

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2. Start to develop specific building contractor skills

   Skills	Percentages
   Plumbing	16.76%
   Contract Terms	8.04%
   Sub Contractors	7.40%
   Windows	6.11%
   Building Repairs	5.32%

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3. Complete relevant building contractor training and internships

   Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New building contractors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a building contractor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real building contractor resumes.

4. Obtain the necessary licensing

   Becoming a licensed building contractor usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed building contractor in most of states. 20 states require building contractors to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

   State	Education	Exam	License url
   Alabama	-	State exam required	Licensed General Contractor
   Georgia	Specific course required	State exam required	General Contractor Individual
   Alaska	-	State exam required	Contractor, Construction
   California	-	State exam required	General Building Contractor
   Connecticut	-	State exam required	Major Contractor

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5. Research building contractor duties and responsibilities

   • Utilize QuickBooks to manage company finances, including project invoices, material purchases, and accounts receivable.
   • Install cedar shakes and various asphalt roofs, including- 3 tab shingles, malarkey shingles, and architectural shingles.
   • Mop and pour hot asphalt or tar onto roof base when applying asphalt or tar and gravel to roof.
   • Install, update, troubleshoot and/or repair trade-specific/project relate assignments.

6. Prepare your building contractor resume

   When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your building contractor resume.

   You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a building contractor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

   Choose from 10+ customizable building contractor resume templates

   Build a professional building contractor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your building contractor resume.
   

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7. Apply for building contractor jobs

   Now it's time to start searching for a building contractor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

   1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
   2. Consult your professional network
   3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
   4. Watch out for job scams