If you prefer physical labor, enjoy a diverse atmosphere, and don't mind spending time outdoors on the job, a construction job may be right for you. Even though these jobs can be rewarding, there are a lot of myths about them that keep good candidates from searching for open positions. Here is a look at some of the most prevailing myths.
Myth: You must have a wealth of experience to get a construction job.
The majority of construction companies will not require that you have any specific experience or training to be a good candidate for a general laborer. There are a number of jobs taking place on a construction site at any given time, and a lot of the work simply requires manual labor without a lot of skill. Of course, there are certain positions in construction that do require prior experience or on-the-job training, but general positions can be fitting for most applicants without any training or experience at all.
Myth: Most construction jobs require you to commit to traveling.
You can find construction jobs that do require employees to travel. For example, some bigger companies travel all over the country to perform jobs in a lot of different places. In general, however, it is more common for a construction company to be primarily locally based. They may travel to surrounding counties and cities, but most of them stick pretty close to a central or home location.
Myth: You can't get a construction job if you have a criminal record.
It is actually relatively common for construction companies to be more lenient when it comes to an applicant having a criminal record. Many companies have a hard time finding employees, so they are less stringent about the background of the candidates who are interested in a job. It is for this reason that a lot of parolees end up in positions on a construction crew; construction companies sometimes even advertise they need employees to the parole board.
Myth: Finding construction jobs is hard because there are so many candidates.
As of 2018, there were 1,645,700 construction laborer/helper jobs in the United States, and the number of open positions is expected to grow by at least 173,400 by 2028. Construction is an ongoing industry; buildings and structures are always being built, expanded, or changed. Therefore, these jobs are not that hard to find no matter where you may live.