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What does a Technician do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
What does a Technician do

Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.

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Technician responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real technician resumes:

  • Achieve multiple ASE certifications within first year of employment.
  • Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
  • Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
  • Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
  • Manage, troubleshot and repair multiple wireless technologies including fiber optic transmission switches.
  • Install peripherals including printers, fax machines, scanners, and smartphones.
  • Design, set up, implementation, and troubleshooting of PBX networks (VOIP) and small LAN/WAN networks.
  • Perform repairs on all appliances to include washing machines, dryers, ovens, dishwashers, refrigerators, furnaces, etc.
  • Demonstrate general understanding of basic math skills.
  • Monitored/Suction ventilator patients; assist in performing CPR.
  • Perform life-saving interventions including CPR for critically ill patients.
  • Provide system diagnosis and troubleshooting to the component level via both manual and automate test equipment generate reports.
  • Diagnose as well are repair mainly Chrysler vehicles.
  • Gain knowledge on servicing Samsung televisions and appliances.
  • Complete entire series of Daimler Chrysler home study courses.

Technician skills and personality traits

We calculated that 16% of Technicians are proficient in Patients, Customer Service, and Patient Care. They’re also known for soft skills such as Detail oriented, Organizational skills, and Physical strength.

We break down the percentage of Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Patients, 16%

    Provided bedside care to patients enduring surgical procedures and neurological issues.

  • Customer Service, 14%

    Developed and maintained solid client relationships by providing quality customer service upon on-site visits or by phone.

  • Patient Care, 8%

    Organized the medical environment, performed and directed support activities in-patient care situations including contingency operations and disasters.

  • Hand Tools, 6%

    Align, fit, or assemble component parts using hand tools, power tools, fixtures, templates, or microscopes.

  • Diagnosis, 5%

    Troubleshooted equipment wiring harnesses using technical manuals and schematic drawings to diagnosis and isolate faults and effect repairs.

  • Preventative Maintenance, 4%

    Performed routine preventative maintenance on machines to ensure maximum productivity at all times and ensured quality control standards were met.

Common skills that a technician uses to do their job include "patients," "customer service," and "patient care." You can find details on the most important technician responsibilities below.

Detail oriented. The most essential soft skill for a technician to carry out their responsibilities is detail oriented. This skill is important for the role because "service technicians must be aware of small details when inspecting or repairing vehicle systems, because mechanical and electronic malfunctions are often due to misalignments or other easy-to-miss causes." Additionally, a technician resume shows how their duties depend on detail oriented: "coordinated detailed inventory records involving bulk items as well as fda regulated antibiotics. "

Organizational skills. Another essential skill to perform technician duties is organizational skills. Technicians responsibilities require that "service technicians must keep workspaces clean and organized in order to maintain safety and ensure accountability of parts." Technicians also use organizational skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "assist with post-anesthesia patient care, completed organizational tasks as needed"

Physical strength. This is an important skill for technicians to perform their duties. For an example of how technician responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "service technicians must sometimes lift and maneuver heavy parts such as engines and body panels." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a technician: "directed and performed all modalities of nuclear stress testing, ekg preparation and monitoring, performed physical assessment examinations. ".

Customer-service skills. technician responsibilities often require "customer-service skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "service technicians discuss automotive problems—along with options to fix them—with their customers." This resume example shows what technicians do with customer-service skills on a typical day: "labeled, boxed, and shipped plasma to customers such as vets and universities in accordance with fda standards. "

Dexterity. Another crucial skill for a technician to carry out their responsibilities is "dexterity." A big part of what technicians relies on this skill, since "service technicians perform many tasks that require steady hands and good hand–eye coordination, such as assembling or attaching components and subassemblies." How this skill relates to technician duties can be seen in an example from a technician resume snippet: "operated wide variety of equipment including power saws, sanders, grinders, drill press, forklift and basic hand tools. "

Mechanical skills. Lastly, "mechanical skills" is an important element of what a technician does. Technician responsibilities require this skill because "service technicians must be familiar with engine components and systems and know how they interact with each other." This resume example highlights how technician duties rely on this skill: "utilized advanced mechanical and electrical troubleshooting skills in problem assessment. "

All technician skills

The three companies that hire the most technicians are:

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Compare different technicians

Technician vs. Installation and service technician

An installation and service technician is an individual who oversees the continuous operation of personal equipment through operating functions. Installation and service technicians maintain the supplies, perform preventive maintenance, and call for repairs in structures. They install, test, maintain and troubleshoot cables, switches, and any other telecommunications equipment. The skills necessary to perform this job include mechanical and electrical knowledge, customer service, working for long hours in confined spaces, and communication skills.

We looked at the average technician salary and compared it with the wages of an installation and service technician. Generally speaking, installation and service technicians are paid $843 lower than technicians per year.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between technicians and installation and service technicians are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like customer service, hand tools, and preventative maintenance.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, technician responsibilities require skills like "patients," "patient care," "diagnosis," and "safety procedures." Meanwhile a typical installation and service technician has skills in areas such as "ladders," "little supervision," "nec," and "work ethic." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Installation and service technicians really shine in the construction industry with an average salary of $40,171. Comparatively, technicians tend to make the most money in the telecommunication industry with an average salary of $46,660.On average, installation and service technicians reach similar levels of education than technicians. Installation and service technicians are 2.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Technician vs. Installation and repair technician

An Installation and Repair Technician specializes in installing and repairing equipment and systems in establishments and homes. It is their responsibility to communicate and meet with clients to identify their needs, assess installation areas, implement tests, inspect damages or defects, troubleshoot problems, and perform corrective measures as needed. They may also recommend practices, provide instructions, maintain the cleanliness of work areas, and refer clients to other services should the case require. They must also keep records of transactions and maintain an active communication line with co-workers for an efficient workflow.

A career as a installation and repair technician brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a technician. In fact, installation and repair technicians salary is $2,939 higher than the salary of technicians per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Technicians and installation and repair technicians both require similar skills like "customer service," "hand tools," and "preventative maintenance" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, technician responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "patients," "patient care," "diagnosis," and "safety procedures." Meanwhile, an installation and repair technician has duties that require skills in areas such as "ladders," "crawl spaces," "dsl," and "little supervision." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Installation and repair technicians earn a higher average salary than technicians. But installation and repair technicians earn the highest pay in the utilities industry, with an average salary of $52,512. Additionally, technicians earn the highest salaries in the telecommunication with average pay of $46,660 annually.In general, installation and repair technicians achieve similar levels of education than technicians. They're 0.0% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Technician vs. Information technology technician

An information technology technician, also known as an IT technician, is responsible for ensuring that all computer systems in a company or organization are running smoothly and efficiently. Their duties primarily revolve around installing and maintaining systems, including software and hardware, and resolving any issues. They also provide technical support such as troubleshooting, navigation, and even system upgrades. Furthermore, an information technology technician can choose whether to work for a company or independently.

On average scale, information technology technicians bring in higher salaries than technicians. In fact, they earn a $10,986 higher salary per year.By looking over several technicians and information technology technicians resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "customer service," "computer system," and "powerpoint." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a technician is likely to be skilled in "patients," "patient care," "hand tools," and "diagnosis," while a typical information technology technician is skilled in "troubleshoot," "technical support," "desk support," and "network printers."

Information technology technicians make a very good living in the finance industry with an average annual salary of $66,881. On the other hand, technicians are paid the highest salary in the telecommunication industry, with average annual pay of $46,660.Most information technology technicians achieve a similar degree level compared to technicians. For example, they're 1.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Technician vs. Service and repair technician

Service and repair technicians install, maintains, or repair equipment and often travel to customer's location to provide service and maintenance. They are also known as field service technicians who have technical knowledge and skills to be able to install and conduct product testing or demo to properly instruct customers on the proper usage of the product. Also, they provide preventive maintenance procedures to prevent damage to the equipment, diagnose problems and make repairs. The job involves various services depending on the area of experience and expertise.

Service and repair technicians average a higher salary than the annual salary of technicians. The difference is about $4,054 per year.While both technicians and service and repair technicians complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like customer service, diagnosis, and preventative maintenance, the two careers vary in some skills.Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A technician uses "patients," "patient care," "hand tools," and "safety procedures." Service and repair technicians are more likely to have duties that require skills in "working independently," "dishwashers," "plumbing," and "stoves. "service and repair technicians enjoy the best pay in the transportation industry, with an average salary of $42,616. For comparison, technicians earn the highest salary in the telecommunication industry.In general, service and repair technicians hold similar degree levels compared to technicians. Service and repair technicians are 1.3% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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