Career change

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apprentice6000

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Oklahoma
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EMT
Hello all, first time posting on a forum I will try and be concise. I am seeking advice from for my next move in life. I have been an accountant for four years. I am going to become an electrician but I am unsure if I want residential, commercial or industrial. My end goal is to become a contractor and have my own business. Any suggestions on what one would make the best owner operator business? Thanks.
 
Residential will have the quickest potential to make it to business owner but pay will be lowest as will risk.

What I'd suggest to you though is to look at working with an already trained master electrician who wants to get someone to eventually take over the company.

Being an accountant honestly from a business perspective would be better to if already a CPA in your state make more sense to eventually own your own office for book keeping and just learn a trade part time or full time through apprenticeship and then go part time jman while also doing accounting legaly on the side.

Few office guys I've seen make the transition to physical labor based jobs. Only ones I've seen did physical labor in past employment before years in an office.
 
letgomywago said:
Residential will have the quickest potential to make it to business owner but pay will be lowest as will risk.

What I'd suggest to you though is to look at working with an already trained master electrician who wants to get someone to eventually take over the company.

Being an accountant honestly from a business perspective would be better to if already a CPA in your state make more sense to eventually own your own office for book keeping and just learn a trade part time or full time through apprenticeship and then go part time jman while also doing accounting legaly on the side.

Few office guys I've seen make the transition to physical labor based jobs. Only ones I've seen did physical labor in past employment before years in an office.
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Appreciate your thoughts. I worked in oil felid and wrestled in college and still work out 4-5 days a week now, additionally I have a fair amount of framing experience. I am a solid accountant but I absolutely cannot stand sitting in a cubical any longer. I had planned on farming out the bookkeeping so I could work on the business its self. All this being wishful thinking considering I’m not even an apprentice yet.
 
Ok then how many physical working years do you have left. You're atleast 30 that means you have about 20 to 25 years on the tools left. It'll take about 10 to be solidly set up to be an owner and that's a small company.

After starting like that you'll need about 5 super good years no recession to be big enough to have 10 employees who can keep you off the tools mostly in your last few years working.

That's not enough time to build an industrial company unless you go into it with other guys but it might be enough if you build a resi/light commercial company.
 
letgomywago said:
Ok then how many physical working years do you have left. You're atleast 30 that means you have about 20 to 25 years on the tools left. It'll take about 10 to be solidly set up to be an owner and that's a small company.

After starting like that you'll need about 5 super good years no recession to be big enough to have 10 employees who can keep you off the tools mostly in your last few years working.

That's not enough time to build an industrial company unless you go into it with other guys but it might be enough if you build a resi/light commercial company.
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Yeah 30 is just around the corner for me.


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If you have worked oil feilds then start w/commercial- then opt for industrial.
Both are cleaner and a better platform than resi.
Residential, especially high volume tract homes can sorta turn to a ball and chain.
Real quick, if you turn out good. Then they will keep you put.
We call them "mushroom farmers" (the res super or boss)
 
rambojoe said:
If you have worked oil feilds then start w/commercial- then opt for industrial.
Both are cleaner and a better platform than resi.
Residential, especially high volume tract homes can sorta turn to a ball and chain.
Real quick, if you turn out good. Then they will keep you put.
We call them "mushroom farmers" (the res super or boss)
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He left oil for a reason. The only reasons I can think of plague new industrial contacting also. Moving lots, lots of OT, lots of specialized jobs that no single employee could cover and definitely not yourself.

Working for a company to retirement that would a be a good move to industrial then do industrial maintenance but that's not a ticket to owning a company.
 
letgomywago said:
He left oil for a reason. The only reasons I can think of plague new industrial contacting also. Moving lots, lots of OT, lots of specialized jobs that no single employee could cover and definitely not yourself.

Working for a company to retirement that would a be a good move to industrial then do industrial maintenance but that's not a ticket to owning a company.
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Tell him- not me. Im not looking for career advice...
 
apprentice6000 said:
Hello all, first time posting on a forum I will try and be concise. I am seeking advice from for my next move in life. I have been an accountant for four years. I am going to become an electrician but I am unsure if I want residential, commercial or industrial. My end goal is to become a contractor and have my own business. Any suggestions on what one would make the best owner operator business? Thanks.
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If you are an accountant, why is your occupation listed as EMT? But no matter. In my state of Pennsylvania there are no electrical licensing requirements. But in your state of Oklahoma there is. Since you are probably good at schooling, consider going to a trade school. By the end of it you should have a much better idea of your career path. Here is a link that should help you:

Electrical

oklahoma.gov oklahoma.gov
 
letgomywago said:
Ok then how many physical working years do you have left. You're atleast 30 that means you have about 20 to 25 years on the tools left. It'll take about 10 to be solidly set up to be an owner and that's a small company.

After starting like that you'll need about 5 super good years no recession to be big enough to have 10 employees who can keep you off the tools mostly in your last few years working.

That's not enough time to build an industrial company unless you go into it with other guys but it might be enough if you build a resi/light commercial company.
Click to expand...
Man you made me sad been in 5 years and still just me :cry:

The age is not really a concern in my mind. I have a concrete/gc guy I work with he 75 and runs marathons and works day in and day out, he love his job - don’t ask me why- but he got like 2mil in equipment paid for.


My old boss worked even though he did not have to just so he would not get bored. It’s perspective. But if you want to eventually not do labor than I understand.
 
I will withhold a recommendation, as I don't have residential or commercial experience. I do believe that an industrial electrician job isn't too terribly difficult to transition to without an electrical background. If you don't go through formal schooling, just get Mike's books and read through them.

I find the wages in industrial work are satisfactory. Plenty of opportunity for overtime, and there is always a new area of study to dive into to improve your skills. Typical career path in manufacturing is Electrician -> E&I Technician (Electrical and instrumentation technician) -> Electrical Supervisor or Controls Lead.

Hope all goes well in your new career choice. Good luck!
 
AC\DC said:
Man you made me sad been in 5 years and still just me :cry:

The age is not really a concern in my mind. I have a concrete/gc guy I work with he 75 and runs marathons and works day in and day out, he love his job - don’t ask me why- but he got like 2mil in equipment paid for.


My old boss worked even though he did not have to just so he would not get bored. It’s perspective. But if you want to eventually not do labor than I understand.
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I'll count covid as an economic anomaly to that statement if it makes you feel better
 
Often times residential work devolves into row after row of identical tract houses. It's the construction equivalent of being stuck in a cubicle. I'd look for commercial or industrial. The skill level is higher, thus it takes longer to start up, but the projects are more rewarding. Also, very few residential guys seem to be able to put their tools down when they get older, which is a big consideration when opening your own shop. Time comes for us all, and running a shop is hard enough without being on your tools. When you start to age out, it becomes nearly impossible.
 
drako2012 said:
Often times residential work devolves into row after row of identical tract houses. It's the construction equivalent of being stuck in a cubicle. I'd look for commercial or industrial. The skill level is higher, thus it takes longer to start up, but the projects are more rewarding. Also, very few residential guys seem to be able to put their tools down when they get older, which is a big consideration when opening your own shop. Time comes for us all, and running a shop is hard enough without being on your tools. When you start to age out, it becomes nearly impossible.
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Try doing service work for resi never same thing twice. I found commercial easier. And industrial was fun with all the motor control.

You will get training on all three areas so you will find what you like.
I can’t stand working in one spot for more than a week.
 
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drako2012 said:
Also, very few residential guys seem to be able to put their tools down when they get older, which is a big consideration when opening your own shop.
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Retiring behind a desk is not healthy. Crazy Horse & Sitting Bull fought till the end.

No one survives this business without the Chief rallying the warriors in the field.

Challenging side work in the field, abuse of shop tools & supplies, poor production, financial vulnerability, or equipment marketing gimmicks, takes the hard knocks, & street smarts of the Chief.

The braves wont survive in the office either, without someone hanging up on General Contractors, Realtors, Net-30+, other 3rd party delinquents, halting exposure to indemnity contracts, unsolicited calls, & reporting spam to keep channels clear for clients.
 
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