Why Being a Self-Employed Contractor is About More Than Money

If you were to ask most of the construction professionals who come to CSLS because they want to be licensed California state contractors why they do it, the top answer would have to be “to make more money.” That’s certainly understandable, and it isn’t likely to change in the future. Becoming a licensed contractor is a great way to increase your income quickly, and become your own boss at the same time.

What a lot of our new students might not realize, however, is that – as wonderful as it is to make more money on construction projects – there are actually a lot of other reasons to become a self-employed contractor, as well. In fact, over time, you might even start to think of them as being even better than getting a bigger paycheck is.

Here are three things that most of our students love about becoming licensed contractors, and that don’t have anything to do with money:

1. They are free to choose their own projects and clients. We’ve all had the experience of working with a person or company that we would rather do without, or working on a project that wasn’t all that enjoyable. Guess what? As a self-employed contractor, you can make your own decisions about who to work for, when, and on what types of construction jobs.

2. No one else is in charge of their career. Is there a certain type of work you gravitate towards? Have you wanted to charge more money, become a specialist, or learn a new skill like green and solar building techniques? When you are your own boss, it’s up to you to decide what direction your future will take – you can run a small company or a large one, specialize or do a bit of everything… it’s all up to you.

3. Being self-employed can lead to a better work-life balance. As great as more money is, there is something to be said for spending more time with your family (or just spending less time at work). Whether you want to make big dollars on a hectic schedule, or take life at an easier pace, the choice is yours as a self-employed licensed contractor.

Do these sound like benefits you enjoy? Why not register for an online or in-person class today and take the next step in your career by becoming a California state licensed contractor?