Service technicians are required in virtually every industry. The machines and equipment used in various industries need to be frequently maintained, redesigned or repaired to keep them in optimum condition. So, service technicians are a vital cog in the wheel that keeps companies operational. At a basic level, we can define service technicians as skilled professionals who do technical services and repairs.
Due to the diverse nature of industries that need service technicians, the employment outlook is positive. According to TechForce, a nonprofit organization that prepares and channels students into careers as professional technicians, there's a real shortage of technicians. The U.S. industry, for example, requires roughly 260,000 technicians annually against the 48,000 released into the labour force. Interestingly, demand continues to outpace supply year after year. So, there's no doubt that these professionals are in demand.
But more importantly, technicians generally get middle-class pay and have many career development options. Generally, a high school diploma and a technical degree from an accredited learning institution are enough to get you started. According to a U.S. career website, 66% of service technicians have a high school diploma or GED. Only 3% have a master's degree. Often, career progression is based on experience level and skill set.
So, here is how to tailor your service technician resume to stand a good chance of joining this competitive industry.
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A service technician is the go-to person when installations, equipment and machinery need fixing or maintenance. This essentially sums up what they do because these professionals offer different services depending on their speciality. So for a home service technician, for example, their jobs may entail HVAC, electrical and mechanical maintenance, plumbing, and etcetera.
This service technician resume template highlights the applicant's duties and responsibilities in their previous workstations. It also showcases their academic credentials and the extra certifications they have acquired in a career spanning 9+ years. Their hard skills have also been highlighted to show their specialities.
Typically, service technicians are required to have a list of hard skills – it's their measure of expertise and experience. As a rule of thumb, prioritize the hard skills the employer is looking for, as highlighted in the job description. One of the most valuable skills in this regard is experience with preventative maintenance. Include it in the skills section, even if it's not in the job description.
Tailoring your resume to the specific position you're applying for serves two purposes. One, it makes it easier for your resume to go past the ATS screening stage. Two, it projects that you know exactly what you're looking for. Hiring managers generally prefer candidates who've specialized in a specific niche.
A field service technician is essentially a service technician who conducts field visits or dispatches. When your internet cable is broken, or your electrical/mechanical gadgets stop functioning, these are the people you call. They perform more customer-facing roles intended to improve customer satisfaction, maximize customer retention and increase margins.
This field service technician resume example showcases the applicant's conversance with customer service. Their 10 years of experience essentially comes down to problem-solving in various customer-facing roles in the computer engineering sub-industry.
At this level, the candidate is probably looking to level up into more senior roles. This requires that they showcase leadership and initiative. For senior management roles, hiring managers prefer candidates that can coach and mentor others. So, show how you've been able to work cooperatively with other teams and the impact you've had on those teams.
Most of the jobs conducted by service technicians fall in the SMART domain. One of their characteristic features is measurability. It's easy to measure the impact of their work. So, leverage the power of numbers, ratios, and percentages to demonstrate the effect of your work. Consider how this example demonstrates this: "Effectively maintained 50 copiers in 19 different locations in 3 months…." This candidate will create an impact.
These professionals predominantly work in healthcare sectors where their job revolves around maintaining a clean and healthy environment. In some instances, they can undertake traditional janitorial duties as well as handling and disposing biological waste. They typically work under an environmental services supervisor or director.
This environmental service technician resume focuses on the applicant's professional experience. It highlights their gradual rise from an entry-level janitor post to EST within four years. This applicant also has a solid educational background in environmental studies and is also a certified safety professional.
Probably the best way to catch that hiring manager's attention is by showing that you're continually bettering yourself as an environmental service technician. Skills development doesn't necessarily mean returning to college or university, though this is ideal. Signing up for volunteer opportunities can also signal your desire to acquire more skills and knowledge in your speciality.
Marketplace research that analyzed millions of resumes and job postings identified the most important keywords for environment service technician jobs. These are hospital, housekeeping, cleaning experience, manufacturing sanitation, customer service, disinfectant and mopping. If you don't have these skills yet, get them.
An HVAC tech installs, maintains, and repairs/replaces air conditioners, heating equipment, climate control systems, refrigeration equipment, ventilation units and other air quality systems. This is one of the service tech jobs that are constantly in demand. Among the top skills for HVAC technicians are troubleshooting, customer services, hand/power tool experience, and mechanical skills.
This resume template focuses solely on the applicant's relevant work experience as an HVAC service technician. This is ideal because it specifically targets the resume using a title and keywords directly related to the position. The applicant's educational background in Associate Science HVAC Installation and Repair, in addition to the various HVAC certifications, strengthens this resume considerably.
This resume uses bulleted sentences that begin with strong action verbs to highlight the applicant's HVAC skills and experience. Power verbs such as "Performed," "Succeeded," "Serviced" and "Completed" frame your accomplishments in a more favourable light and indicate that you are success-oriented.
We interviewed hiring managers at top companies that hire Service Technicians, like Google, Apple, and Verizon, to understand what they look for in resumes. Based on their feedback and our expert analysis, here are the most important tips for your Service Technician resume:
Emphasize your technical skills that are relevant to the Service Technician role you're applying for. Be specific about the systems, equipment, and tools you have experience with.
Avoid being too general or vague about your technical skills:
While a resume summary is optional, it can be a valuable addition for service technicians looking to provide context or highlight key details not covered elsewhere in their resume. A well-crafted summary can help you stand out to hiring managers and showcase your most relevant skills and experiences. However, it's important to avoid using an objective statement, as these are outdated and less effective than a tailored summary.
When writing your service technician resume summary, focus on your specific expertise, certifications, and notable achievements. Tailor your language to the job description and emphasize the value you can bring to the role. Remember to keep your summary concise, typically no more than a few sentences or a short paragraph.
Your work experience section is the heart of your resume. It's where you prove to employers that you have the skills and experience to excel in the service technician role.
In this section, we'll cover the key steps to take to create a compelling work experience section that will get you interviews.
Action verbs are vital components of any resume. They add poise and strengthen your delivery in the resume and should be used generously. The key to making action verbs work for you lies in following these simple rules:
Here are some action words to use in your service technician resume.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
Service technicians are highly skilled professionals with hands-on experience and knowledge in their specialities. The list of hard skills they are required to have is virtually endless – that's how diverse this industry is. So when applying for a service technician job, it's better to identify the skills the employer is looking for and tailor your resume accordingly. For example, if you're in the automotive industry, certifications in Collision Repair or Parts Repair mark you out as proficient in your field. For home service technicians, an HVAC certification is certainly an added advantage.
Meanwhile, here are some core skills you can add to your service technician resume to make it stand out.
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Service Technician job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
