How should I present experience flexibility in a AV Technician job ad?

Present experience flexibility by clearly separating the fundamental technical capabilities that a candidate must bring from the venue-specific knowledge you can train. Core AV skills in video, audio, and troubleshooting transfer across sectors, so a technician who has worked in corporate AV, live production, or broadcast brings a foundation that adapts quickly to venue-based event work. Explicitly state which aspects of your operation you will train, whether that is Crestron programming for your specific control systems, your video conferencing platform configurations, or your event setup procedures. By framing your requirements around transferable competencies such as troubleshooting under pressure, client communication, and systematic equipment management rather than demanding "three years venue AV experience," you open the door to excellent candidates from adjacent fields who might otherwise self-exclude. This approach is particularly important in the current market where experienced venue AV technicians are in high demand and competition for a small talent pool drives up costs.

Common misunderstanding: Flexibility on experience requirements means lowering standards and accepting less capable AV Technicians.

Flexibility means broadening where you look for capability, not reducing what capability you require. A theatre lighting technician with five years of live production experience may have stronger troubleshooting skills and greater composure under pressure than a venue AV technician with two years of basic boardroom setup work. Flexibility applied intelligently raises the standard, not lowers it.

Common misunderstanding: Only candidates with direct venue AV experience can perform effectively in a hospitality AV Technician role.

The technical skills of AV work are highly transferable. What venue experience specifically provides is familiarity with hospitality client expectations and event-driven scheduling. These elements can be trained far more quickly than core technical competence. A technically excellent candidate from broadcast or live production often outperforms a mediocre candidate with venue experience after a brief orientation period.

What alternative backgrounds should I consider for a AV Technician position?

Consider candidates from corporate IT support, particularly those who manage video conferencing infrastructure across office environments, as they bring strong skills in Zoom, Teams, and Webex deployment along with experience supporting non-technical users. Theatre and live production technicians offer valuable lighting, sound, and rigging skills along with proven ability to perform under the pressure of live audiences. Broadcast technicians bring sophisticated video and audio knowledge that translates directly to complex event productions. AV integration engineers who have worked installing systems may want to transition into operational roles that offer more client-facing variety and event-to-event change. Military and public sector personnel with communications technology experience often bring exceptional discipline, equipment handling skills, and the ability to operate reliably under pressure. Each of these backgrounds provides a strong foundation that can be developed into venue-specific AV expertise relatively quickly.

Common misunderstanding: Candidates from IT support lack the hands-on practical skills needed for venue AV Technician work.

Modern IT support, particularly in organisations with sophisticated video conferencing deployments, involves significant hands-on work including hardware configuration, cable management, and real-time troubleshooting. An IT technician who manages Teams Rooms across a corporate campus already possesses skills directly applicable to venue AV work, plus strong client support experience.

Common misunderstanding: Theatre and live production technicians will find venue AV work too repetitive and leave quickly.

Some production technicians actively seek the relative stability and regularity of venue work after years of touring or freelance production schedules. The variety within venue AV, covering different events, clients, and technical requirements daily, provides enough change to maintain interest. Being honest about the pace and variety in your ad helps production candidates assess whether it matches their needs.

How do I signal openness to non-traditional AV Technician candidates in a job ad?

Signal openness by explicitly naming the alternative backgrounds you would welcome in your ad. Phrases like "we welcome applications from candidates with backgrounds in IT support, live production, broadcast, or theatre technology" tell non-traditional candidates directly that they will be considered. State specifically what you will train: "full training provided on our Crestron control systems and venue-specific procedures" removes the barrier for candidates who have strong general AV skills but lack your specific platform experience. Frame your core requirements around transferable capabilities rather than sector-specific experience: "proven ability to troubleshoot technical problems calmly under pressure" describes what you actually need without restricting it to venue AV contexts. Include a sentence acknowledging that transferable skills are valued: "we recognise that excellent AV skills develop across many technical environments" gives candidates permission to apply even if their CV does not use conventional venue AV terminology.

Common misunderstanding: Explicitly welcoming alternative backgrounds attracts too many unqualified applications from candidates with loosely related experience.

Specificity in your alternative background descriptions prevents this. Naming "IT support with video conferencing management" rather than "any IT experience" pre-qualifies candidates. Combining openness to backgrounds with clear essential skills requirements ensures that flexibility does not become vagueness.

Common misunderstanding: Non-traditional candidates require significantly more training investment than candidates with direct venue AV experience.

The training difference is often smaller than expected. Venue-specific procedures, client protocols, and platform configurations typically require a few weeks of orientation regardless of the candidate's background. A technically strong candidate from broadcast may need venue orientation but already understands signal flow, equipment handling, and problem-solving methodology. The additional training investment is minimal compared to the expanded talent pool.