OCCUPATION THESAURUS

GENERAL CONTRACTOR



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HELPFUL TIP:

There’s probably a good reason why your character chose their career. Think about how certain talents and skills, a dominant positive or negative trait, or even an emotional wound might have influenced this decision. And once they're on the job, don't forget about the many work-related conflict scenarios you can throw at them to create tension and add complications.
OVERVIEW:
A general contractor is the person in charge of a construction project. Whether the project is residential, commercial, highway-related, or anything else, the GC oversees it from start to finish. This means that their job begins well before the first hammer falls.

The GC is responsible for putting together proposals, including getting pricing on labor and materials and creating a budget and timeline for the project. Once they've landed a proposal, they are in charge of hiring subcontractors (plumbers, electricians, etc.) and keeping them accountable while the job is in progress. They will also oversee all the general workers, ensuring that the number of people with the right skills are employed each day and their work is up to par.

A general contractor who is skilled in certain construction areas (such as carpentry or drywalling) or is a jack-of-all-trades (proficient in multiple areas) may take on part of the work themselves and work alongside their people. Others take a more hands-off approach, choosing to outsource all the work and oversee its progress.

A GC's hours will be dependent on the type of project they're overseeing. New home construction, and much commercial construction, is often a 9-5 job. Highway work is likely to be done at night. Hours may increase or change as a deadline approaches.

NECESSARY TRAINING:
No formal education is required for a person to set themselves up as a general contractor. But companies looking to hire GC's often want to see a certain level of experience and education—often in the form of an associate or bachelor's degree.

USEFUL SKILLS, TALENTS, OR ABILITIES:
BASIC FIRST AID, CARPENTRY, HAGGLING, KNOWLEDGE OF EXPLOSIVES, MECHANICALLY INCLINED, MULTITASKING, PREDICTING THE WEATHER, REPURPOSING, SUPER STRENGTH

HELPFUL POSITIVE TRAITS:
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HELPFUL NEGATIVE TRAITS:
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EMOTIONAL WOUNDS THAT MAY HAVE FACTORED INTO THIS OCCUPATION CHOICE:
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SOURCES OF FRICTION:
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PEOPLE THEY MIGHT INTERACT WITH:
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HOW THIS OCCUPATION MIGHT IMPACT ONE'S BASIC NEEDS:
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TWISTING THE STEREOTYPE:
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REASONS THE CHARACTER MAY HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO THIS PROFESSION:
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