Pro Tips for Professionals Just Starting out in Roofing

By Adam Cabrera. 

Networking is crucial in the roofing industry; surrounding yourself with experienced professionals who you can learn from is key to success.  

Breaking into the roofing industry? Seasoned experts Richard Peake, senior project manager at Old South Construction, and Ryan Clark, sales representative for Duro-Last, offer insights for industry newcomers in a recent episode of Stories from the Roof. Hosted by Megan Ellsworth, their conversation covers career paths, challenges and the secret to long-term success in the roofing business. 

Richard, who specializes in single-ply membrane, shingles and standing seam metals, stresses that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to a career in roofing and extensive prior experience is not as essential as it may seem. "My path to commercial roofing has been very non-traditional," he said. “My degree is in mortuary science. I was a forensic pathologist for several years with the state and then transitioned over to pharmaceutical sales.” Eventually, Richard was offered a job by his friend and owner of Old South Construction to help build a commercial sales team.  

With Richards career as an example, forging strong relationships with other roofing professionals proves to be critical to setting your career on the right path. “Networking, to me, is probably where I think a lot paid off,” Richard said. 

Ryan, who has over two decades of experience with Duro-Last, pointed out that keeping up with new methods and materials is essential for career growth. Here, networking also plays a crucial role. “People look at roofing and think it's a pretty simplified, easy trade... but there are a lot of moving parts and pieces,” Ryan says. "You've got to surround yourself with people that you can mentor from, learn the trade from." 

By this measure, those who are considering getting into roofing or who have just gotten started shouldn’t be discouraged by a lack of experience. A willingness to learn and the ability to build strong relationships are perhaps more important when it comes to building a long and successful career. 

“There's enough opportunity for everybody,” Richard says. “But you have to come to the table prepared, dedicated, focused and willing to be worthy of sitting at the table.” 

Listen to the full Stories from the Roof episode or read the transcript to learn more about what it takes to get started in the roofing industry.