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What is a general service technician and how to become one
A general service technician does various maintenance duties in the machinery and automotive industries. You are responsible for installing new products and testing them to verify they are working properly.
Also, diagnosing problems and coming up with solutions to repair them is part of your job description. It is expedient to also build and maintain relationships with customers. This will enable you to be able to educate clients on how to use and maintain their devices.
A high school diploma or GED is needed for this role. You must also be available to work at any time of the day as needed. An impressive work ethic is also required of you. In addition to this, you must be at least 18 years and possess a valid driver's license. You will earn $25,947 on average in a year.
What general advice would you give to a general service technician?
Julia Johnson
Professor, Automotive Technology, Skyline College
Avg. Salary $28,048
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 1%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.81%
Asian 5.07%
Black or African American 10.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.24%
Unknown 4.25%
White 60.63%
Genderfemale 5.52%
male 94.48%
Age - 39American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 39Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
General service technician career paths
Key steps to become a general service technician
Explore general service technician education requirements
Start to develop specific general service technician skills
Skills Percentages Customer Service 27.01% Maintenance Services 13.85% Strong Customer Service 12.84% Vehicle Inspections 10.07% Oil Changes 10.01% Complete relevant general service technician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New general service technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a general service technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real general service technician resumes.Gain additional general service technician certifications
More About CertificationsGeneral service technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific general service technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for general service technicians include Associate Service Executive (ASE) and EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA).
Research general service technician duties and responsibilities
- Perform quick lube and general service repairs; prepare and sell repair estimates as well as promoting tire sales.
- Perform maintenance on, mechanical, electrical, air, gas, ventilation, water, and hydraulic systems.
- Communicate recommendations to customers base off diagnosis.
- Load proprietary software packages onto various windows base systems.
Prepare your general service technician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your general service technician resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a general service technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable general service technician resume templates
Build a professional general service technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your general service technician resume.
Apply for general service technician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a general service technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first general service technician job
Are you a general service technician?
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Average general service technician salary
The average general service technician salary in the United States is $28,048 per year or $13 per hour. General service technician salaries range between $21,000 and $35,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do general service technicians rate their job?
General service technician reviews
Great pay, plus there's plenty of room for career advancement.
Long hours, and it tends to be a messy job.
Pay is minimal for your knowledge. Hours are better for white collar professionals. Have to buy your own tools with witch you could have bought your home with and no one cares. Treated as a second rate individual because you said "I'm an automotive mechanic." Expected to be perfect from customers who wonder why you didn't get it fixed on the first try when MD's almost never get it right. Expected to be an expert on over 60k types of automobiles that change every friggan year.....want more? If I had the choice to do it all over again I'd go into politics so I could rip off ppl every day and get rich and no one would ever complain.
I don't like while am working somebody speaking to me.
Updated January 8, 2025
