Being a successful contractor is more than just great credentials.
Of course, while having the right skills, experience and qualifications is important in this field, it is your unique characteristics and personality traits that will have the biggest impact on your career going forward.
But what exactly are the characteristics you need for a successful contracting career? Read on to find out...
6 characteristics of a successful contractor:
1. Resilience
Contract work is truly exciting and enjoyable; but it can also be accompanied by a number of challenges.
For example, working as a contract mechanic, you may have days where you struggle to diagnose a system malfunction, or as an HGV driver, you may happen upon a particularly tricky area of terrain that you need to drive across.
What’s more, if you decide to do contract work overseas, you will need to be able to adapt to the culture of the new country you are living in, and understandably, there will be times where you may miss your home country.
A resilient personality is crucial in order for you to overcome these obstacles and perform at the best of your ability (though it’s worth noting that, at M&E Global, you’ll have a designated point of contact available should you be in need of support).
2. Positivity and optimism
In a similar vein to resilience, a positive, can-do attitude and optimistic outlook is a sure-fire way to see you to success as a contractor.
Not only do those with a positive attitude tend to get more done,1 but they also positively influence those around them2; which, in a sectors that rely heavily on teamwork, is essential to the completion of any task. As a result, you’ll be seen as a valuable asset to the team and projects you’re assigned to!
3. A team player and leader
As noted just above, teamwork is something that many sectors rely upon heavily; and this cannot be achieved without the efforts of each individual contractor.
Whether you’re placed in charge of an aviation maintenance project or you’re asked to support a Supply and Logistics team in a warehouse, having a strong understanding of your role and goals, ensuring that everyone else on your team is able to carry out their tasks efficiently and being able to hold yourself accountable when things don’t go to plan will place you in good stead for a successful contracting career.
Teamwork and leadership qualities aren’t just important within your working hours, either; they will also make you popular among your fellow contractors, and therefore more likely to be invited to participate in social events – something that you certainly won’t want to miss out on, especially if you’re contracting abroad somewhere exciting like Germany or Poland!
4. Adaptability/flexibility
As many of our contractors at M&E Global will tell you, no two days are the same. This often means that, while you might expect to be assigned to a specific set of tasks for the day, you could just as quickly be asked to provide your support on a different project.
Being flexible and adaptable in these situations will not only mean that you get the job done with as little stress as possible and earn yourself a good reputation, but it’ll give you the chance to enhance your skills in different areas, too!
5. The desire to keep learning and upskilling
Thanks to advancements in technology, the world is constantly changing and evolving – so, in order to succeed as a contractor, you’ll need to be willing to learn new skills wherever you can.
Here at M&E Global, a number of our contractors have successfully elevated their contracting careers by taking on additional training.
For example, Adam Lythall, one of M&E’s longest-serving contractors, undertook qualifications off his own back to progress from a Fuel System Distributor role to an Environmental Safety & Occupational Health Specialist position.
6. The ability to communicate effectively
Communication is an essential skill for any role, but as a contractor, it’s especially important.
Whether you’re explaining a maintenance task to someone in your team, or you're compiling a written report upon completion of a job, you will need to communicate in a clear, concise and easy-to-understand way that ensures work is completed to a high standard, and within a desired timeframe.
This also extends to how you communicate, as well as what you communicate; for example, if another contractor hasn’t completed a task to the specification outlined, it’s all about explaining this in a way that is easy for the contractor to understand, but that also gives them confidence to try it again and the determination to do even better next time.
Take the next step in your career with M&E Global
If you possess all the characteristics above (as well as the skills required) and are eager to kick-start your career as a contractor, be sure to get in touch with our specialist team at M&E Global today.
We’d be delighted to support you to find a contractor role that not only lines up with your unique skillset, qualifications and experience, but one where your personality traits will set your career off to a flying start.
Start your job search with us today, or get in touch with a member of our team today to get started.
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