AV companies and their managers face challenges when hiring AV technicians. These technicians can’t just be the first freelancers you stumble upon—you must ensure you’re onboarding technicians who are well-rounded and can guarantee consistently strong AV installation work.
That’s why, when you’re shopping the AV freelance marketplace, you need to zero in on top talent. One all-but-foolproof strategy is to prioritize audio visual technician skills that define not just successful technicians, but successful projects as well. With the above in mind, here are seven audio visual technician skills we believe you should prioritize if you want to streamline your hiring process.
There’s a reason strong communication is among the three traits the best AV companies look for in their technicians. Strong communication between AV managers and technicians is the foundation upon which successful AV projects are built. We could even say communication skills trump organizational skills, since excellent organizational skills are made possible because of proficient communication.
Timely updates from your freelance technicians and the ability to implement tasks on schedule are essential qualities for successful AV projects. This skill is one of those audio visual technician skills that should hold make an impact on your hiring decisions.
Without effective time management skills, such as planning ahead and tackling troubleshooting issues as they arise, you can’t deliver projects on time or to standard for your clients. Not to mention, stakeholder buy-in will be much more difficult to obtain.
Technology is constantly evolving, which means your AV technicians should be active learners to keep pace with the industry. You should prioritize active learning because it’s a skill that keeps your technicians’ skillsets diverse and up to date with industry standards.
Active learning is also a skill that many proficient entry-level technicians possess; there are many options online to earn important training certifications. Many renowned AV manufacturers, like Extron, Crestron, BrightSign, and Biamp offer digital certifications. Many of these certifications also earn technicians renewal units (RUs) towards their AVIXA Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) credential.
This is one of those audio visual technician skills that seems like a no-brainer but often gets overlooked in favour of obtaining technicians with specific certifications or specializations.
Critical thinking is vital to AV design and installation because the process is fraught with complex problem solving. Your technicians should be able to not only visualize the best solutions for your clients’ needs, they should be able to troubleshoot specific issues that arise with each unique AV system.
We must stress the importance of technicians who possess this skill. Although you’re hiring primarily freelance technicians, you should always perceive your AV team as an extension of your company and its brand onsite.
Do you want to be known for tardiness, rude treatment of clients/stakeholders, and unprofessional appearance? Most likely not. When you’re assessing your freelance technicians, take into account how they present themselves and see how their past project managers perceived their onsite behaviour.
Another term for this skill is detail-oriented. Your technicians are dealing with finicky technological components, with regards to both hardware and software. Perceptiveness also impacts customer service as well, as your technicians will need to anticipate and meet various stakeholders’ expectations in order to facilitate a smooth installation.
Perceptiveness, together with critical thinking, will account for effective monitoring and troubleshooting of AV systems as well.
Last but not least, you should prioritize coordination. Technicians need to be capable of coordinating their tasks and goals with others on their AV team. They should adjust their actions as needed when parameters for a project change as well.
Seek these seven skills in your technicians and watch as the process of installing your AV projects becomes more streamlined than ever before!
