What does a general maintenance mechanic do?

A general maintenance mechanic is responsible for ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities and inspecting the condition and performance of the equipment and machinery for business operations and processes. General maintenance mechanics handle equipment repairs and replacement of defective components, requiring them to have extensive knowledge of the mechanical industry. They also install and assemble equipment by analyzing mechanical schematics and blueprints accurately. A general maintenance mechanic creates a comprehensive schedule of inspection, repairs, and quality control checks to preserve the safe standards of the premises.
General maintenance mechanic responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real general maintenance mechanic resumes:
- Maintain all safety and training documentation as required by OSHA.
- Assist client in maintaining a clean, safe work environment per OSHA regulations.
- General apartment maintenance in HVAC repair
- Perform PLC setup of newly install production machinery.
- Repair and troubleshoot not only plumbing but also construction and general maintenance situations.
- Perform general maintenance of parks facilities including carpentry, electrical and plumbing work.
- Perform multiple assignments relate to maintenance, cleanliness and operation across multiple hydroelectric power stations.
- Inspect boilers and other machinery to ensure proper operation by making require adjustments or repairs.
- Operate trucks, tractors with attachments, loaders, forklifts and riding mowers.
- Mow and trim lawns and shrubbery, using mowers, hand and power trimmers.
- Use and install chain hoists or any other lifting device require for rigging of equipment and hardware throughout the plant.
- Mow and trim lawns and shrubbery, using mowers and hand and power trimmers, and clear debris from grounds.
General maintenance mechanic skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of General Maintenance Mechanics are proficient in Plumbing, HVAC, and Customer Service. They’re also known for soft skills such as Customer-service skills, Dexterity, and Troubleshooting skills.
We break down the percentage of General Maintenance Mechanics that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Plumbing, 16%
Team Leader-LandscapingTeam Leader-Mowing I also performed some maintenance technician duties which included* Electrical* Plumbing* Painting
- HVAC, 11%
Maintain boilers, air handlers (HVAC), grease motors, replace belts, and components that are related.
- Customer Service, 11%
Provided outstanding customer services in applying basic construction to more than 500 customers with 100% satisfied results.
- Hand Tools, 5%
Assemble, install, test, and maintain electrical appliances, apparatus, and fixtures, using hand tools/power tools.
- Ladders, 5%
Utilize safety practices relating to aerial lift vehicles, ladders and potentially hazardous environments.
- Electrical Equipment, 4%
Research and requisition of repair parts for electrical equipment maintenance.
"plumbing," "hvac," and "customer service" are among the most common skills that general maintenance mechanics use at work. You can find even more general maintenance mechanic responsibilities below, including:
Customer-service skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a general maintenance mechanic to have is customer-service skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "these workers interact with customers on a regular basis." General maintenance mechanics often use customer-service skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "responded to all guest calls for both tower and room maintenance to include all electrical repairs. "
Dexterity. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling general maintenance mechanic duties is dexterity. The role rewards competence in this skill because "many repair and maintenance tasks, such as repairing small devices, connecting or attaching components, and using hand tools, require a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination." According to a general maintenance mechanic resume, here's how general maintenance mechanics can utilize dexterity in their job responsibilities: "maintained cleanliness of workout machines, bathrooms, locker rooms and weight lifting area. "
Troubleshooting skills. This is an important skill for general maintenance mechanics to perform their duties. For an example of how general maintenance mechanic responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "workers find, diagnose, and repair problems." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a general maintenance mechanic: "perform troubleshooting procedures on electrical systems. ".
The three companies that hire the most general maintenance mechanics are:
- McDonald's29 general maintenance mechanics jobs
- Presbyterian9 general maintenance mechanics jobs
- Hilton6 general maintenance mechanics jobs
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General maintenance mechanic vs. Mechanic
Mechanics are professionals responsible for assembling, maintaining, and repairing vehicles and types of machinery. They are knowledgeable of various tools and equipment, machinery, electrical systems, and other components. They can usually be seen indoors, garages in particular. Due to the advancement of technology, they are also required to be familiar with computer and software programs that can be used in auto shops and vehicles. They always work in safety precautions.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, general maintenance mechanic responsibilities require skills like "plumbing," "electrical equipment," "mechanical equipment," and "caulking." Meanwhile a typical mechanic has skills in areas such as "preventive maintenance," "customer vehicles," "diagnosis," and "routine maintenance." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Mechanics tend to make the most money working in the manufacturing industry, where they earn an average salary of $51,758. In contrast, general maintenance mechanics make the biggest average salary, $41,234, in the manufacturing industry.On average, mechanics reach similar levels of education than general maintenance mechanics. Mechanics are 0.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.General maintenance mechanic vs. Maintenance associate
A maintenance associate is responsible for ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities, as well as inspecting and repairing broken machines and defective equipment to avoid delays in the operations. Maintenance associates monitor the adequacy of inventories, especially in manufacturing settings, coordinating with suppliers and third-party vendors for distribution and delivery. They also report hazardous incidents to the management, resolve maintenance complaints, and suggest quality control strategies to prevent reoccurrence and improve operational structures.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that general maintenance mechanic responsibilities requires skills like "electrical equipment," "switches," "door locks," and "osha." But a maintenance associate might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "clean environment," "sales floor," "groceries," and "clean restrooms."
Maintenance associates earn a lower average salary than general maintenance mechanics. But maintenance associates earn the highest pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $37,733. Additionally, general maintenance mechanics earn the highest salaries in the manufacturing with average pay of $41,234 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Maintenance associates tend to reach similar levels of education than general maintenance mechanics. In fact, they're 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.General maintenance mechanic vs. Maintenance engineer
A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a general maintenance mechanic is likely to be skilled in "safety procedures," "door locks," "minor maintenance," and "ventilation," while a typical maintenance engineer is skilled in "guest rooms," "maintenance tasks," "boilers," and "kitchen equipment."
When it comes to education, maintenance engineers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to general maintenance mechanics. In fact, they're 4.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.General maintenance mechanic vs. Maintenance team member
Inspection, performance, and maintenance are the major functions of a maintenance team member. They are the ones responsible for repairing, fixing, monitoring, and ensuring that the equipment or tools are utilized properly without having any issues. This job position requires someone who is organized and can multi-task because of the unpredictable nature of the job.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between general maintenance mechanics and maintenance team members, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a general maintenance mechanic might have more use for skills like "caulking," "electrical systems," "door locks," and "osha." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of maintenance team members require skills like "pallets," "general maintenance," "safety standards," and "sales floor. "
Maintenance team members enjoy the best pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $33,118. For comparison, general maintenance mechanics earn the highest salary in the manufacturing industry.maintenance team members reach similar levels of education compared to general maintenance mechanics, in general. The difference is that they're 2.4% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of general maintenance mechanic
Updated January 8, 2025











