What are the big outfits looking for in Entry Level hireling?

[R12rules]

What are the Top Ten Things To Know to be best suited to being hired on by one of the big outfits?

Computers?

The mechanical side?

Wired and wireless networks?

The Internet?

Basic electricity?

Basic electronics?

Linear thought?

Anylitical thinking?



[Edited by R12rules on 12-24-2004 at 11:08 PM]

[coolairman]

Several things that I look for in a prospective employee.

1. Physical appearance. If a person does not care about the way he looks he will not care about the appearance of his work. The person in the field is the face of the company for better or for worse.

2. Handwriting. If one has to read a large number of service tickets or any other type of written correspondence it is important that management does't have to struggle to do so.

3. Attitude. If a person has a can do attitude and is willing to accept the fact he does not know it all, he can be trained to do the work at hand. A person with a bad attitue is a cancer in the bosom of a company.

4. Technical background. How much do we have to train this person? All good and competent HVAC people have to train and learn their entire careers.

These are a couple of hints one can use to seperate oneself from the rest of the pack.

Good luck

Coolairman

[lwarren]

Your hvac experience is your biggest asset.

[press1]

Willingness to go where no man has gone before!

Knowing the sequence of operation of anything you are working on.

Knowing where to put in the control relay...you don't want your compressors going off on oil failure because you put the relay on the wrong side of the circuit.

Have the 'I can do anything attitude' mixed with 'yeh, I'm the one that turned off your system all night'. Have confidence in yourself...that comes with experience, but also admit your mistakes.

Good luck

[comfortmaster1]

R12,

perhaps a person of your credential might have to take a paycut.

BTW, I started doing Staefa a few months ago.

[d big 1]

One thing that is coming fast is the merger between HVAC, DDC and HTML for total control anywhere, anytime. Mixed w/ router experience and you can almost be prepared to write your own ticket. TRUTH: An HVAC tech can learn the rest easier than vice versa

[Freezeking2000]

I believe a positive attitude and a willingness to learn the way they want it done is most importent.

Second is the ability to complete the assigned task.

The rest doesnt matter that much!

[d big 1]

True, but to understand all these mergers of trades and information one would have to be willing to learn and eager. When I first got into HVAC in '86 there was a drive to know all about the field because the techs I worked w/ were eager about it. That became contagous to others over a period of time. I do not believe there are as many plumbers or electricians (God bless them) that are as excited about their trade as HVAC techs are. Let's face it - this is the best trade in the world to have. Eagerness and williness is the only the beginning of a good tech but not the end.

[anonymous]

Ability to stay with and hold a job. A resume that shoes you have been unemployed for a while and that you have terminated several jobs in the past few months would be a big red flag.

[Control Man]

1) Know HOW FAR to try and GO

2) Know when to STOP

3) Do not act like you KNOW everything

4) Respect the other trades

5) Remember that NO ONE knows EVERYTHING and you NEVER STOP learning NEW things

[trane_stud]

I don't who you guys work for but a good attitude and eagerness to learn only goes so far. I think it is essential to have an understanding of how mechanical equipment works, before you think you can program it or control it. I have seen it too many times where a "well dressed", "eager to learn", "positive thinking" control tech has damaged equipment because he had no clue on how it is supposed to work. Being able to use a computer is small requirement, understanding hvac systems is a major requirement.

[maxster]

paint the inside and outside of your house the same color as the units...able to put out fires the salesmen mouths light not calling back from new installs,have a positive approch that you as the factory with that emblem on your shirt and truck have the backing you need from them.when a problem is found on new equipment you can call the factory engineers up and convince them it is a problem,and here is what you as the tech will do to fix it.....great feeling.to know as you go along don't be to surprised when the factory tells your SM on future jobs put so and so on that job and have him call me with what he found.you will be unlimited in what you can do as a tech in an OEM shop.

[sysint]

Don't call yourself a "stud" unless your wife says so and lets you say it at work...