How should I present management style in a AV Technician job ad?

Present your management style by explaining the reporting structure and the level of technical autonomy your AV technician will have during event setup and live operation. AV technicians are highly skilled professionals who need to make rapid technical decisions during events, and they want assurance that their manager trusts their judgement rather than micromanaging system configurations they do not understand. Explain whether the technician reports to a technical manager with AV experience, an events or operations manager, or directly to a general manager. Describe how equipment investment decisions are made and whether the technician has input into system upgrades and procurement. If your management approach involves regular one-to-one meetings, performance development conversations, and proactive career pathway discussions, include these details as they signal a structured and supportive environment.

Common misunderstanding: AV Technicians prefer to be left alone and do not want active management or regular check-ins.

AV technicians want autonomy during technical operations but still value supportive management that advocates for equipment budgets, approves training opportunities, and helps navigate career development. The distinction is between micromanagement of technical decisions, which frustrates them, and structured support for professional growth, which they appreciate.

Common misunderstanding: Management style is not a deciding factor for AV Technicians choosing between job opportunities.

Management quality is one of the top reasons AV technicians leave positions. A technically excellent venue with poor management loses technicians to competitors offering better leadership. Candidates who have experienced managers with no understanding of AV work will specifically look for signals in your ad that indicate your management structure respects technical expertise.

What do AV Technician candidates want to know about their line manager?

AV Technician candidates want to know whether their line manager has genuine technical understanding or manages from a purely administrative and operational perspective. A manager who understands that troubleshooting a Crestron system failure during a live conference requires uninterrupted focus provides very different support from one who interrupts with client-facing requests mid-diagnosis. Candidates also want to understand whether their manager advocates for equipment investment and training budgets with senior leadership, because this directly affects their working conditions and professional development. The question of autonomy is critical: during event operation, the technician needs to be the technical authority in the room, making real-time decisions about sound levels, video switching, and problem resolution without seeking approval for every adjustment.

Common misunderstanding: AV Technicians only respect managers who have direct AV technical experience.

While technical understanding is valued, AV technicians also respect managers from operations or events backgrounds who listen to technical recommendations, trust professional judgement, and fight for appropriate resources. The key quality is respect for expertise, not necessarily shared technical background. A manager who says "you know the systems better than I do, what do you need?" earns trust quickly.

Common misunderstanding: The line manager relationship is less important for AV Technicians because they work independently during events.

The line manager relationship shapes everything outside of live event operation: scheduling, training approval, equipment procurement, performance reviews, and career progression. A technician may operate independently during events but still interacts with their manager daily on planning, maintenance priorities, and professional development. This relationship fundamentally affects job satisfaction.

Why is describing leadership approach important when recruiting a AV Technician?

Describing your leadership approach is important because AV technicians have frequently experienced managers who do not understand technical work and consequently set unrealistic expectations about setup times, troubleshooting capabilities, and equipment limitations. This is a common pain point across the industry, and technicians who have been burnt by poor management actively screen job ads for signals that the next role will be different. When you describe a leadership approach that includes technical input into equipment decisions, autonomy during live events, structured performance development, and a manager who understands the difference between a quick cable swap and a complex system reconfiguration, you immediately differentiate your opportunity. This is particularly compelling for experienced technicians moving from AV integration companies into hospitality, where they may fear losing the technical management structure they are accustomed to.

Common misunderstanding: Leadership approach descriptions in job ads are just corporate language that candidates ignore.

AV technicians read management descriptions carefully because bad management is the primary reason they leave roles. Specific descriptions such as "your technical recommendations on equipment upgrades will be taken seriously" or "you will have full technical authority during events" carry real weight with candidates who have experienced the opposite.

Common misunderstanding: Describing leadership approach only matters for senior AV Technician roles, not entry-level or mid-level positions.

Leadership approach matters at every level. Entry-level technicians want to know they will receive proper training and mentoring. Mid-level technicians want autonomy and professional development support. Senior technicians want strategic input and management pathways. Describing your approach helps candidates at every career stage assess whether your venue supports their growth.