Working in the maintenance field has many positive aspects. With affordable technical school training, you can earn an honest wage and build a sustainable, recession-proof career. Specialties such as HVAC and plumbing repair are great for people who are skilled with their hands and enjoy physical activity on the job. However, knowledge and handyman skills are not the only things you need to become a successful maintenance technician. Soft skills are some of the most important aspects that contribute to long-term career success.
Over 90% of employers rank soft skills as the most important or one of the most high-ranking attributes that contribute to hiring decisions. Your handyman skills are important, but they are also easy to train and improve. Soft skills, such as your ability to communicate to customers and your team, will take you even further toward success in any maintenance field.
Below are the top five soft skills you will need to become a successful maintenance contractor in any specialty:
Communications
Listening and communication skills directly translate to leadership skills no matter what career you pursue. When you communicate with a team member, do you listen intently before you respond? Are you able to simplify information to a customer so they better understand? All of these communication skills are essential to being a better technician.
Teamwork
Most maintenance fields will require you to work in small teams for repairs on the job site, and in larger teams for major construction or renovation projects. Being able to work within a team atmosphere and put your personal needs aside will help you tremendously in advancing up the ranks of your organization.
Time management
Maintenance technicians need to maximize time in order to work efficiently and keep clients happy. The time it takes you to complete a repair or renovation will directly impact a customer’s experience, so slacking off is unacceptable in this line of work. If you are able to use your time productively (rather than just seeming busy) you will become the go-to technician at your company.
Customer service
Customer service is half of the job in any maintenance field. You will often be working with customers in times of stress, so it’s important that you are able to address their emotions as well as their maintenance issues. Customer service skill goes hand in hand with effective communications and time management.
Critical thinking
If customer service is half the job of maintenance work, the other half is critical thinking. You need to be able to solve problems quickly not only with the nuts and bolts of the system, but with your team and with the facility as a whole. A maintenance issue in the HVAC system could be indicative of a problem throughout the facility, and you need to be able to address these issues to prevent further damage.
With these five soft skills, you’ll be able to master any technical field or job you want in maintenance. Contact your local MaintenX team today for information on job openings!
