As we sit here going into the third week of an unprecedented shutdown of the United States economy, did you plan for the unexpected?

Starting this month, I have graduated from guest columnist to staff columnist.

In previous columns, we've talked about recruiting veterans and women, but today let's talk about students at trade and vocational schools.

Business is complicated. Formal training can help sort it out.

We tend to overlook half the population when recruiting for entry-level field-services roles, and that is something we can't afford to do when the labor market is this tight.

Drilling, like all professions, has pros and cons.

Finding skilled and qualified labor has always been one of the most daunting recruiting challenges. However, there is an under-tapped labor pool — armed forces veterans.

We spend a lot of time in this space doling out advice on how contractors can do their jobs better. Now I want to flip the script and hear from readers: What advice do you have for us?

It’s a new year and a new decade, so let’s welcome 2020 with resolutions to become 21st century drillers and drilling companies.

Contractors who expect and plan for the unexpected — who plan from day one for extended periods of business hardship — are the ones who make it past that critical five-year mark.