What do AV Technician candidates prioritise when evaluating a job ad?

AV Technician candidates evaluate job ads through a distinctly technical lens, prioritising equipment quality, event complexity, and professional development above almost everything else. They want to know whether your venue runs current, well-maintained systems or aging, problematic kit that will frustrate them daily. The types of events matter enormously: a technician who thrives on complex multi-screen corporate productions will not be excited by a role limited to basic boardroom presentations. Candidates also assess whether there is genuine opportunity to work with emerging technologies and gain certifications like AVIXA CTS or manufacturer accreditations from Crestron and Extron. The technical environment you describe in your ad directly determines whether skilled technicians see your role as a step forward or sideways.

Common misunderstanding: AV Technicians primarily evaluate job ads based on salary and location, just like candidates in other hospitality roles.

While salary and location matter, AV technicians weight equipment quality and technical challenge far more heavily than most hospitality candidates. A technician will commute further or accept slightly less pay for the chance to work with superior systems and more complex events. Your ad must speak to these technical priorities to be competitive.

Common misunderstanding: AV Technician candidates are a homogeneous group with similar priorities and career goals.

AV technicians range from entry-level operators learning the basics to senior professionals seeking technical management pathways. Some want variety and complexity; others prefer straightforward reliability. Your ad should be clear about the technical level and event complexity so candidates can self-select based on where they are in their career.

How do I address the main concerns AV Technician candidates have about a new position?

The primary concerns for AV Technician candidates centre on equipment condition, overtime expectations, and the balance between technical and client-facing work. Technicians worry about inheriting poorly maintained systems where they spend more time firefighting than operating, so address your maintenance standards and equipment investment cycle directly. Unsocial hours compensation is a significant concern because event-driven scheduling means early setup calls and late-night breakdowns, and candidates want to know whether overtime is paid, offered as time off in lieu, or simply absorbed. Be transparent about the client interaction element, because some technicians relish explaining technology to non-technical clients while others find it draining. Addressing the realistic weekly hours and weekend commitment upfront prevents mismatched expectations that lead to early departures.

Common misunderstanding: Addressing concerns about working conditions in the job ad makes the role sound unappealing and discourages applications.

Transparency about working conditions actually increases application quality. Experienced AV technicians have encountered poor overtime practices and neglected equipment before, so direct acknowledgement of these concerns signals a professional employer. Candidates who apply despite knowing the honest demands are far more likely to stay.

Common misunderstanding: AV Technicians do not care about client interaction as long as the technical work is satisfying.

Client interaction is a daily reality for venue-based AV technicians, and it represents a genuine concern for candidates evaluating a move. The best technicians combine technical excellence with hospitality awareness, but many candidates want to understand the ratio of technical work to client management before committing.

What assumptions do AV Technician candidates typically make about job opportunities?

AV Technicians commonly assume that hospitality venues operate with inferior, outdated equipment compared to dedicated AV integration companies or corporate environments. They also tend to assume that event-driven scheduling will involve unpredictable overtime with inadequate compensation, and that career progression will be limited because hospitality venues rarely have the technical management structures found in AV firms. Many technicians also assume that hospitality employers do not value or fund manufacturer certifications and professional development, treating technicians as operators rather than skilled professionals. Your job ad must proactively counter these assumptions with specific evidence, whether that is naming your equipment brands, describing your overtime policy, outlining the career pathway to senior technician or technical manager, or listing the training and certification budget you provide.

Common misunderstanding: AV Technicians will research the venue independently, so the job ad does not need to counter their assumptions directly.

Most candidates form initial impressions from the job ad alone and will not invest time researching a venue that has already triggered negative assumptions. If your ad does not explicitly demonstrate equipment quality, fair scheduling, and development investment, technically strong candidates will move on to listings that do.

Common misunderstanding: Experienced AV Technicians have realistic expectations and do not bring assumptions to the application process.

Even experienced technicians carry assumptions shaped by previous employers. A technician who left a venue with neglected equipment will assume others are similar unless told otherwise. Explicitly addressing common pain points in your ad distinguishes you from venues that confirm the negative stereotype.