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How to hire a general maintenance technician

General maintenance technician hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring general maintenance technicians in the United States:

  • HR departments typically spend 15% of their expenses on recruitment.
  • It usually takes about 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • It typically takes 36-42 days to fill a job opening.
  • The median cost to hire a general maintenance technician is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend an average of $1,105 per general maintenance technician on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • There are currently 580,822 general maintenance technicians in the US and 233,558 job openings.
  • Columbia, SC, has the highest demand for general maintenance technicians, with 18 job openings.
  • Prudhoe Bay, AK has the highest concentration of general maintenance technicians.

How to hire a general maintenance technician, step by step

To hire a general maintenance technician, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a general maintenance technician:

Here's a step-by-step general maintenance technician hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a general maintenance technician job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new general maintenance technician
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a general maintenance technician do?

General maintenance technicians are skilled technical professionals who are responsible for fixing and maintaining machines and equipment as well as general home appliances. These technicians are required to use hand or power tools to perform preventive maintenance of equipment while repairing or replacing defective parts. They must inspect company vehicles so that they can provide complete preventive maintenance services. General maintenance technicians must also perform maintenance on establishments such as carpentry, general repair, and pest control.

Learn more about the specifics of what a general maintenance technician does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a general maintenance technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A general maintenance technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, general maintenance technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    The following list breaks down different types of general maintenance technicians and their corresponding salaries.

    Type of General Maintenance TechnicianDescriptionHourly rate
    General Maintenance TechnicianGeneral maintenance and repair workers fix and maintain machines, mechanical equipment, and buildings. They paint, repair flooring, and work on plumbing, electrical, and air-conditioning and heating systems.$13-23
    Maintenance EngineerA 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... Show more$13-35
    Maintenance HelperA maintenance helper performs basic support tasks to assist maintenance technicians in installing and repairing machines and equipment. Their responsibilities typically include gathering and handing tools, changing fixtures such as light bulbs and faucets, preparing workspaces, and cleaning work areas and equipment... Show more$11-19
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Electrical Systems
    • Plumbing
    • HVAC
    • Ladders
    • Customer Service
    • Absorbers
    • Safety Procedures
    • Hand Tools
    • OSHA
    • Facility Equipment
    • Snow Removal
    • Switches
    • Equipment Maintenance
    • Maintenance Services
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Asphalt repair, concrete repair.
    • Travele during require new PC deployments.
    • Design solutions to eliminate note reoccurring issues for customer PC concerns.
    • Construct, erect, maintain and dismantle scaffold per OSHA and ADOSH specifications.
    • Repair or replace PLC's, various sensors and switches on production lines.
    • Make minor electrical repairs from switches, power outlets, ballast and light sockets.
    More general maintenance technician duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your general maintenance technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A general maintenance technician can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, general maintenance technicians' average salary in mississippi is 42% less than in massachusetts.
    • Seniority. Entry-level general maintenance technicians 43% less than senior-level general maintenance technicians.
    • Certifications. A general maintenance technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a general maintenance technician's salary.

    Average general maintenance technician salary

    $37,463yearly

    $18.01 hourly rate

    Entry-level general maintenance technician salary
    $28,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 15, 2025

    Average general maintenance technician salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1New York$44,790$22
    2Indiana$39,764$19
    3Colorado$39,731$19
    4Tennessee$39,001$19
    5California$38,338$18
    6Illinois$38,212$18
    7Kentucky$37,094$18
    8New Jersey$36,903$18
    9Louisiana$36,758$18
    10Wisconsin$36,573$18
    11Ohio$36,384$17
    12Missouri$34,327$17
    13Oklahoma$33,736$16
    14Georgia$33,667$16
    15North Carolina$33,551$16
    16Texas$33,369$16
    17Michigan$31,805$15
    18Arizona$31,735$15
    19Kansas$31,612$15
    20New Mexico$31,109$15

    Average general maintenance technician salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Sandia National Labs$56,446$27.14
    2Whirlpool$56,309$27.074
    3Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital$53,726$25.83
    4ITW$52,369$25.18345
    5General Dynamics$50,557$24.3160
    6United Natural Foods$50,025$24.0511
    7Anheuser-Busch$49,107$23.6129
    8EMCOR Group$49,042$23.58140
    9Central Vermont Medical Center$48,198$23.17
    10Clean Harbors$47,638$22.90162
    11Delhi Unified School District$47,534$22.852
    12Builders FirstSource$47,330$22.7523
    13North Central College$47,137$22.662
    14Thiel College$47,078$22.63
    15ASRC Federal$47,051$22.624
    16E. & J. Gallo Winery$46,985$22.59
    17PepsiCo$46,766$22.4832
    18Volvo Trucks$46,688$22.4525
    19Fruit of the Loom$46,347$22.284
    20Pelican Products$46,347$22.284
  4. Writing a general maintenance technician job description

    A general maintenance technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a general maintenance technician job description:

    General maintenance technician job description example

    Pay: $22.00/HR

    Shift:

    1st - 6:00 AM - 2:30 PM (2)

    2nd - 2:30 PM - 11:00 PM (1)

    Typical Day:

    - Will conduct light maintenance on facility (lights, minor repairs, general upkeep)

    - Complete building maintenance (painting, equipment moving, assist in wiring, etc.)

    - Will operate a forklift and tow motor for material handling

    - Opening and closing (locking up) the building

    - Assist in setting up workstations

    - Assist in production when necessary (coating, painting, reworking parts, assembly, etc.)

    - Assist in troubleshooting and repair of facilities and production equipment

    - Order and maintain spare parts and equipment

    - Assist and monitor contractors for building repairs (heating and air, overhead doors, etc.)

    - Use basic computer skills

    Additional Skills & Qualifications:

    - High level of mechanical inclination

    - Experience operating forklift / tow motor

    - Will lift, bend, twist, walk majority of shift

    This candidate will wear quite a few hats - no "that's not my job" mentality

    Experience Level:

    Entry Level

    About Aerotek:

    We know that a company's success starts with its employees. We also know that an individual's success starts with the right career opportunity. As a Best of Staffing Client and Talent leader, Aerotek's people-focused approach yields competitive advantage for our clients and rewarding careers for our contract employees. Since 1983, Aerotek has grown to become a leader in recruiting and staffing services. With more than 250 non-franchised offices, Aerotek's 8,000 internal employees serve more than 300,000 contract employees and 18,000 clients every year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. Learn more at

    The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find general maintenance technicians for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your general maintenance technician job on Zippia to find and recruit general maintenance technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting general maintenance technicians requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new general maintenance technician

    Once you've decided on a perfect general maintenance technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new general maintenance technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a general maintenance technician?

Before you start to hire general maintenance technicians, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire general maintenance technicians pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

The median annual salary for general maintenance technicians is $37,463 in the US. However, the cost of general maintenance technician hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a general maintenance technician for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $13 and $23 an hour.

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