How to hire an installation and service technician

How to hire an installation and service technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step installation and service technician hiring guide:

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

What does an installation and service technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The installation and service technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an installation and service technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an installation and service technician that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of installation and service technician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Installation And Service Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Installation And Service Technician	Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers—often called heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) technicians—work on heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems that control the temperature and air quality in buildings.	$13-23
   Hvac Apprentice	Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) apprentices are trainees who work under HVAC maintenance workers. They train under HVAC maintenance workers to gain actual, on-the-job experience... Show more	$12-20
   Hvac Mechanic	An HVAC mechanic specializes in installing and repairing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, ensuring quality and efficiency. Their responsibilities revolve around communicating with clients to identify their needs, troubleshooting, identifying the root of issues, and performing corrective measures... Show more	$16-35

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Customer Service
   • Ladders
   • OSHA
   • Little Supervision
   • Service Calls
   • NEC
   • Work Ethic
   • Broadband
   • PET
   • Plumbing
   • Windows
   • HVAC/R
   • CATV

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Facilitate escalations of complex desktop issues and manage cases through resolution.
   • Work with services from DSO, DS1, DS3, Ethernet and OCX.
   • Complete demo work and replacementa of sheetrock with drywall and painting.
   • Work on switches, control modules, motor pumps, valves & heaters using wiring diagrams.
   • Analyze, maintain and repair copper drop system, phone and DSL wiring network equipment and service.
   • Provide services for installation and moving of both PC's printers and voice equipment and their relate connections.

   More installation and service technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the installation and service technician job description is a good way to get more applicants. An installation and service technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an installation and service technician in Montana may be lower than in Massachusetts, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level installation and service technician. Additionally, an installation and service technician with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average installation and service technician salary

   $37,202yearly

   $17.89 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level installation and service technician salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average installation and service technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$54,988	$26
   2	Alaska	$51,009	$25
   3	New York	$50,851	$24
   4	California	$44,945	$22
   5	New Hampshire	$43,888	$21
   6	Texas	$42,345	$20
   7	Virginia	$40,496	$19
   8	Colorado	$40,222	$19
   9	Michigan	$39,239	$19
   10	Louisiana	$38,471	$19
   11	Georgia	$38,420	$18
   12	Illinois	$38,121	$18
   13	Nevada	$38,037	$18
   14	North Carolina	$37,600	$18
   15	Indiana	$37,044	$18
   16	Florida	$36,058	$17
   17	South Carolina	$35,438	$17
   18	Alabama	$34,783	$17
   19	Mississippi	$34,191	$16
   20	Montana	$33,552	$16

   Average installation and service technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Johnson Controls	$55,742	$26.80	495
   2	Willdan	$55,037	$26.46	16
   3	Culligan	$47,528	$22.85	94
   4	Aquarius	$46,906	$22.55	23
   5	Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions LLC	$44,909	$21.59	41
   6	GROWMARK	$43,398	$20.86	5
   7	Gorrie-Regan & Associates	$42,478	$20.42	2
   8	Recon Experts	$42,473	$20.42
   9	Zayo Group	$42,345	$20.36	2
   10	Cintas	$41,760	$20.08	55
   11	WEConnect International	$40,650	$19.54
   12	Casella Waste Systems	$39,915	$19.19
   13	FANUC America	$39,542	$19.01	1
   14	Superior Plus Energy	$39,087	$18.79	81
   15	CCI Systems	$39,066	$18.78	43
   16	A Head For Profits	$39,050	$18.77	11
   17	Triage Partners	$39,050	$18.77	46
   18	Provisional Educational Services, Incorporated	$39,033	$18.77
   19	Church Of Jesus Christ Inc	$39,033	$18.77
   20	California	$39,033	$18.77	16

4. Writing an installation and service technician job description

   An installation and service 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 an installation and service technician job description:

   Installation and service technician job description example

   This company's greatest strength is their people. They were founded on a set of core values and beliefs that express their responsibility to their customers, colleagues, and communities. Their culture and values match the culture of the military and they have hired and want to continue to hire veterans. They want candidates who are looking for careers and not just a job. There is plenty of room for upward mobility for people who want to really learn and build a career within this industry.
   
   They have started a Military Transition Program (MTP) where they will be hiring Veterans for Installer and Technician positions in locations across the country. You will start your training in the area you are hired for but at some point, they will have a 2 week class, for additional training and on boarding to familiarize candidates not only with the technology they use but to the company culture.
   
   They have Service Specialist position, which are installer and technician roles. You will be responsible for installing, programming, system start-up/check-out, certification, and related customer training on assigned security, CCTV, video and/or other building automation projects including small to large projects that vary in complexity (they do not currently do fire alarms at this location).
   
   This location is currently hiring specialists who will need to use their electronic troubleshooting and repair skills to install and integrate systems; you may need to troubleshoot and repair electronic systems as well. You will also need to show you can assist in delivering assigned projects effectively and within budgeted cost and time schedules. At times, you may need to act as a key interface for technical support with the customer, training them on the installed systems and maximizing customer satisfaction, so communication and customer service skills are important for this role.
   
   This position will require you to obtain a Q Level Security Clearance, which is the equivalent of a Top-Secret Clearance. It can take 6 months to a few years to get this clearance and once you do you will be working at a government site in Albany about 3 days a week and other sites the other days. Your hourly pay will be higher the days you work at this facility.
   
   The key things they are looking for in this role are strong low voltage electronic system troubleshooting and repair experience to go along with networking experience as you will be integrating systems, they will train you on their systems but make sure you let them know if you have alarm or security system experience. On top of this, they emphasized that you will need to show you are a problem solver who is a self-starter that takes initiative, has energy and excitement to be in this industry.
   
   This is primarily a day shift role where you head out to client's locations in the morning and are back home at night most days/weeks. There is occasional overnight travel, but you will be given plenty of notice and it is rare.
   
   Their technicians average about 5 hours a week of overtime and you will also get on an on-call rotation once you are trained and up to speed.
   
   $30 - $32/hour DOE. Full comprehensive benefits. Company vehicle is provided once trained and up to speed and they have a vehicle available
   Job 55277

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right installation and service technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your installation and service technician job on Zippia to find and recruit installation and service technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit installation and service technicians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 installation and service technician

   Once you've found the installation and service technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

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.)

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How much does it cost to hire an installation and service technician?