Electrician Skills: What They Are and How to Gain Them

Are you thinking of becoming an electrician? Then you’ll need to work on your key skills for electrician, learn from mentors, and network. And you’ll also need to learn how to write good resumes to craft a winning resume and give all of your professional accomplishments justice.

Keep reading—and we’ll tell you everything you need to know about electrician skills and the best strategies for putting them into writing.

What Is Electrician?

Electrician skills form a pretty long list. An electrician is a professional responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems in homes or other buildings and structures. They engage with clients, diagnose problems, and recommend solutions.

Skills of an electrician needed to be an electrician include knowledge of electrical codes and regulations, the ability to read and interpret technical drawings and blueprints, and experiences with various tools and equipment. To get more interviews, electricians should also have excellent communication skills and demonstrate a track record of successful projects and satisfied clients.

What are electrician skills?

Electrician skills cover many different things that an electrician uses on the job. This includes soft skills like talking to people and figuring out problems, along with the technical stuff related to electrical work. Being good at the technical side is super important for getting the job done right and safely. But don’t forget that soft skills are important, too, since they help create a good vibe for both customers and coworkers.

When looking at job ads, pay attention to the skills companies require. When you send in your applications, highlight those skills so they see that you get what the job is about and have what it takes to do the work well. Showing off those skills makes you stand out to potential employers, boosting your chances of getting noticed and landing interviews or job offers. You can boost your skills through formal training or learning and growing while you work.  If you’re wondering what skills do you need to be an electrician, both technical and soft skills are key to success in the field.

Top Skills to Land an Electrician Position

Sure, few job seekers have all the skills that a perfect electrician is supposed to have. Recruiters and recruiting firms are often looking for entry-level electricians. So if you’re just starting your career, focusing on the top electrician skills is better. They are:

• Electrical systems knowledge;
• Troubleshooting and problem-solving;
• Technical drawing and blueprint reading;
• Safety procedures and protocols;
• Communication and interpersonal skills;
• Customer service skills;
• Attention to detail;
• Teamwork and collaboration.

Electrical Systems Knowledge

Electrical systems knowledge is a critical skill on the electrician skills list. Without it, electricians can’t understand any elements of electrical systems, including circuitry, wiring, transformers, and motors. Any job an electrician performs relies on how well they know electrical systems.

Knowledge of electrical systems allows professionals to safely and effectively complete tasks such as installing, maintaining, and repairing electrical systems. It’s a crucial competence for any electrician who wants to be in demand and have a competitive salary in the job market.

Safety

Safety is among critical electrician apprentice skills and one of the key skills needed to be an electrician. All electricians must follow rigorous safety standards and use personal protective equipment when working with electrical systems. Otherwise, they’ll be risking their own and other people’s lives.

Any electrician should learn all safety procedures early in their career, and career resources can help. Also, when applying for jobs, electricians must craft a winning resume and include their safety skills and experience (among other things).

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting is yet another vital of electrician skills. It’s about identifying problems with electrical systems, diagnosing issues quickly and accurately, and finding solutions to technical difficulties. Troubleshooting is central to electrician competence.

Hardly any employer will hire humans to perform electrical work unless they’re skilled in troubleshooting. Moreover, employers seek candidates who can troubleshoot with minimal downtime and fewer errors. An electrician’s troubleshooting skills and experience are always among the first things considered during the hiring process.

Reading Blueprints and Technical Drawings

No skills needed for electrician list would be complete without the ability to read blueprints and technical drawings. Electricians can’t do what they’re hired for unless they can read technical drawings, blueprints, and schematics to understand electrical system layouts.

This is essential for installation, maintenance, and repair work. If you’re looking to invest in your career,  it’s a good idea to get extra training and resources that focus on the ability to understand blueprints. They’ll look good on your resume or job application.

Customer Service

Finally, customer service is a non-technical yet essential item on the list of electrician resume skills. No matter how impressive your professional qualification is, no one will want to employ you unless you know how to engage with clients and make them feel comfortable.

Customer service is about being ready to help with requests while setting clear yet mutually respectful boundaries. Any electrician who has mastered this skill is twice as competitive in the job market.

How to Improve Electrician Skills

Contrary to popular belief, the best answer to the question of how to improve electrician skills isn’t to study more. It’s to land an entry-level job with great training opportunities and learn from the best.

No one can teach you the skills needed to be an electrician better than a successful electrician. They’ll share their knowledge with you. In turn, the experiences you’ll get as a mentee will help you get more interviews in the future.

Remember, though, that you’ll need a well-written and ATS-friendly resume to land an entry-level job. Luckily, Skillhub professional resume writers will gladly help you with that.

Learn From Industry Experts

Still, besides looking for mentorship and crafting a winning resume, it’s a good idea to use any career resources you can find. Following an expert electrician blog or two can help you fill on the gaps in your knowledge as well as connect with other industry professionals that know everything about electrician requirements.

Blogs and Websites:

1. Electrical News. For any electrician who wants to stay current on what’s happening in the industry.

2. Voltage. It’s the best place to buy or sell equipment.

3. r/electricians. Reddit isn’t exactly a blog, but the r/electricians sub is probably the most informative and fun online place for an electrician.

Twitter Accounts:

1. Electrical News (@ElectricalNews). A lot of relevant information as well as networking opportunities.

2. Electrical Safety (@ElecSafetyFirst). A go-to place for any electrician who’d like to improve their safety knowledge.

3. Professional Electrician & Installer (@proelectrician). A great magazine with industry updates, product reviews, and more.

How to Put Your Electrician Skills for Resume

An electrician needs to know how to put their skills for electrician resume into words and give them justice. Even an applicant with years of experience can miss out on a job opportunity unless they can highlight their electrician skills in a resume in such a way that’ll impress a hiring manager and help them get an interview.

The most important tip is to include both technical and non-technical skills; neglecting to mention one’s soft skills is a losing strategy. Also, avoid being too humble, write in bullet points, and use keywords to ensure your resume will beat ATS bots.

Electrician Skills in a Resume Skills Section

Want a recruiter to notice your resume, convince their company to employ you, and help you build a thriving career? Then you must put some thought and effort into your electrician resume skills section. Here’s a good example of how your electrician skills should look on paper:

• Strong knowledge of electrical codes and safety measures;
• Proficient in reading blueprints and schematics;
• Experienced in installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical systems and equipment;
• Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving skills;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Great teamwork skills.

Electrician Skills in a Resume Work Experience Section

An experience section is also a good place for an applicant to show off their top skills for electrician positions and convince employers that they can follow any demands. Here’s a decent example:

Gear Up, San Diego, CA

March 2020-September 2022

• Installed, repaired, and maintained electrical systems and equipment in accordance with local and national codes;
• Conducted routine maintenance and testing on electrical systems and equipment to ensure proper functioning and safety;
• Troubleshot and repaired electrical issues in a timely and efficient manner;
• Maintained accurate records of work completed and materials used;
• Educated customers on proper electrical safety practices.

And if you need extra career resources to write a great resume, get professional resume help at Skillhub — and you won’t be disappointed.

To Sum Up

There are quite a few electrician key skills, but nothing beyond what 99% of electricians learn during their training. The technical side of skills required for electrician include electrical systems knowledge, safety, troubleshooting, and reading blueprints. However, soft skills like communication and customer service also affect the electrician’s chances of getting their dream job.

How good one’s resume is also mattered for an electrician who wants to pursue professional growth and succeed in their career field. That’s why we encourage you to hire our resume writers—they’ll write an ATS-friendly and perfectly formatted resume.