In the spring, when HVAC companies are hiring in droves, it’s likely that we’ll see the hottest market yet for HVAC entry level jobs. However, if you want to score a position with the company of your choice, it pays to get prepared to show off your skills and position yourself as a top candidate.
We began to address this subject last spring with a set of 5 tips for landing a job with no industry experience (it’s here in case you missed it).
This time we have more advice about what you can do now to set yourself up for success.
More tips for scoring HVAC entry level jobs this spring
1. Start learning on your own
While HVAC service companies do hire candidates with no industry experience for HVAC entry level jobs, candidates who already have some knowledge will certainly have an advantage.
That means you can get a leg-up on the competition by learning as much as you can before you start applying for jobs. Take advantage of the excellent online resources available to learn the basics about HVAC theory and practice. Many of them are free. Here are a few to get you started:
- HVACR Career Connect NY: check out our technician resources, training articles and videos
- HVAC School
- Content from HVAC manufacturers, such as Trane
- NATE training
2. Earn your EPA 608 certification
While the certification and licensing requirements for HVAC technicians vary quite a bit from state to state, everyone needs a national certification called EPA 608. This certification proves that you are trained and qualified to handle the refrigerant chemicals used in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment repair.
Employers love it when candidates for HVAC entry level jobs (and Refrigeration jobs) have already earned this certification on their own. It means they can have you do more useful work right away. AND it’s a sign that you are truly committed to working in this industry. Companies like to be confident that you’re going to stick around and not decide to try something else after they expend time and money on training you.
Learn more> HVAC Technician Certification: EPA 608 Certification Explained
3. Fix your driving record
This is an important tip, and one you might not come across elsewhere. Service companies need technicians to drive company vehicles. Those vehicles are increasingly expensive, as is the insurance. An HVAC or Refrigeration service company will not hire someone with a poor driving record, because it increases their liability and their costs.
If you have points on your license, take driving classes or do whatever you can to fix your driving record and improve your driving skills.
4. Get proof of in-demand skills
While you don’t need industry experience to get hired for HVAC entry level jobs, you do need to demonstrate that you have certain skills and qualities that companies need. The most important include:
- Reliability
- Communication and customer service skills
- Capacity for ongoing learning
- Self-motivation and work ethic
- Aptitude for technology
It’s not enough to say you have these skills… be prepared to prove it with recommendations from past employers, references from teachers or other sources. Being able to tell stories about how you used these skills can also be valuable in an interview.
Learn more> Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Jobs: What’s Required to Get Hired
5. Get vaccinated against Covid
HVAC & Refrigeration employers are struggling to meet the demands of customers to send vaccinated technicians into their spaces. If you’re fully vaccinated, that’s another factor that can make you valuable to employers.
Learn more> UA and MCAA Encourage Members to Get Vaccinated
BONUS TIP: Consider Refrigeration service jobs
If you’re thinking about joining the HVAC industry, have you considered jobs in Refrigeration service? Refrigeration technicians install, repair, and maintain critical equipment in supermarkets, manufacturing plants, healthcare and research facilities, and more. They do similar work with a similar skillset, and these technicians may be in even higher demand.
Learn more> Refrigeration Maintenance: Why It’s a Great Career
Prepare to land Refrigeration & HVAC entry level jobs in New York
HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.
Learn about technical careers in the HVAC & Refrigeration industry, how to get hired and tips to build your career.