Electricians play a crucial role in our society by keeping our homes, businesses, and public spaces powered and safe. However, with the increasing demand for electrician skills, competition for jobs has become more intense. In this post, we will explore the top skills and characteristics that electricians can highlight on their resume to increase their chances of finding a job and securing higher pay.
Summary:
- The top electrician skills and characteristics electricians can emphasize on their resume include commercial and residential expertise, installation, repair, and wiring abilities, and experience troubleshooting and reading blueprints.
- According to our data, job descriptions with “industrial”, “battery”, and “motor work” as key-phrases tend to offer higher average salaries.
- Other skills that electricians can highlight in their resume include experience with power and hand tools, knowledge of circuits and batteries, and familiarity with generators and circuit breakers.
- In addition to technical skills, soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork are also highly valued by employers in the electrical industry.
- Overall, electricians who can demonstrate a combination of technical expertise and strong soft skills are more likely to land high-paying jobs and succeed in their careers.
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Aspiring and professional electricians should know that certain electrician skills and characteristics on their resume can increase their chances of finding a job and earning a higher salary. To provide some guidance, we analyzed a sample of 117 electrician job descriptions and found the following key-phrases to be the most commonly mentioned:
1. Commercial: Mentioned in 48.72% of job descriptions, having experience with commercial electrical systems can be a valuable skill for electricians to have. The average salary for jobs mentioning commercial electrical work was $74,885.70.
3. Residential: Mentioned in 41.88% of job descriptions, having experience with residential electrical systems can be an asset for electricians. The average salary for jobs mentioning residential electrical work was $72,563.96.
4. Installation: Mentioned in 37.61% of job descriptions, having experience with electrical installation can make an electrician more attractive to potential employers. The average salary for jobs mentioning electrical installation was $75,672.66.
5. Repair: Mentioned in 35.90% of job descriptions, having experience with electrical repair can be a valuable skill for electricians. The average salary for jobs mentioning electrical repair was $72,331.58.
6. Commute: Mentioned in 35.90% of job descriptions, being able to travel to job sites can be an important characteristic for electricians. The average salary for jobs mentioning a willingness to commute was $69,656.16.
7. Wiring: Mentioned in 31.62% of job descriptions, having expertise in electrical wiring can be a valuable skill for electricians. The average salary for jobs mentioning electrical wiring was $72,213.31.
8. Blueprint: Mentioned in 29.06% of job descriptions, having experience reading blueprints can be a valuable skill for electricians. The average salary for jobs mentioning blueprint reading was $71,915.34.
9. Industrial: Mentioned in 25.64% of job descriptions, having experience with industrial electrical systems and PLCs (programmable logic controllers) can be a valuable skill for electricians. The average salary for jobs mentioning industrial electrical work was $74,253.95.
10. Troubleshoot: Mentioned in 24.79% of job descriptions, having experience troubleshooting electrical systems can be a valuable skill for electricians. The average salary for jobs mentioning electrical troubleshooting was $77,264.74.
Highlight Skills to Make Your Resume More Attractive to Employers
Based on this analysis, electricians should consider highlighting their experience with commercial, residential, and industrial electrical systems, as well as their proficiency in electrical installation, repair, and troubleshooting. Additionally, having the ability to read blueprints, travel to job sites, and work with a variety of hand and power tools can make electricians more marketable to potential employers.
According to our data, electricians with skills in industrial, circuit, and motor work tend to earn higher average salaries. Other skills that can make electricians more competitive in the job market include experience with power and hand tools, knowledge of circuits and batteries, and familiarity with generators and circuit breakers.
In general, highlighting all of your skills on your resume is critical to get through initial screens with employers, both those using automated applicant tracking systems (ATS), and those using manual processes to pre-screen candidates for jobs. Using more of the key-phrases associated with the job description is more likely to help land the interview.
Beyond Technical Skills
in addition to technical expertise, electricians must also possess strong soft skills. This includes the ability to communicate effectively with clients and colleagues, as well as being able to work well in teams. Often, electricians work alongside other professionals, such as architects, engineers, and contractors, and must be able to collaborate effectively with these individuals to ensure that projects are completed on time and to a high standard.
Furthermore, electricians must be adaptable and able to work in changing environments. This can include working on different job sites, or working on projects that require them to learn new skills or techniques. The ability to quickly adapt to new situations and learn on the job is essential for electricians who want to succeed in their careers and take on more challenging and higher-paying roles.
Final Thoughts
It is important to note that these keyphrases were only analyzed in a sample of 117 job descriptions and may not be representative of all electrician job opportunities and opportunities may vary by employer and region. The analysis here also does not account for years of experience required. It is also important to understand that employers are hiring for a combination of skills and experience for a given job, and not just one skill. However, this analysis provides insight into what skills and characteristics employers may be looking for when hiring electricians. It also offers individuals aspiring to grow within the electrical field an opportunity to ascertain what skills they can consider acquiring.
You may also be interested in in our blog post on how we have used this data to create a list of Electrician Skills that Residential Electricians can Highlight to Employers to increase their chances of landing a higher paying job.
Are you looking for jobs in the skilled trades? Check out our job listings below or at: our jobs access page.
