What personality traits should I look for when writing a AV Technician job ad?

Look for personality traits that reflect the dual nature of venue-based AV work: technical precision combined with genuine hospitality awareness. The most important trait is composure under pressure, because a technician who panics when a sound system feeds back during a live conference makes the situation worse for everyone. Meticulous attention to detail matters because AV work has zero margin for error; untested systems and forgotten cables become failures visible to entire audiences. Patience with non-technical clients is essential, as AV technicians constantly interact with presenters and event organisers who cannot explain what is wrong in technical terms and need clear, jargon-free guidance. Look for genuine problem-solving curiosity rather than mere procedural competence, because the technician who actively investigates why a system failed rather than simply rebooting it prevents future problems. Flexibility and adaptability are critical in event environments where schedules change, clients add last-minute requirements, and improvisation is a daily necessity.

Common misunderstanding: Technical expertise is the primary personality indicator for a successful AV Technician, and soft skills are secondary.

Some technically excellent AV professionals have poor client manner, becoming impatient or condescending when explaining systems to non-technical people. In a venue environment where client satisfaction depends on the technician's demeanour as much as their technical output, personality traits around communication and composure are equally as important as technical knowledge.

Common misunderstanding: Any calm, patient person can learn the technical side of AV work, so personality traits matter more than technical aptitude.

While personality is crucial, AV work requires genuine technical problem-solving ability that not everyone possesses. The ideal candidate combines both. A patient communicator who cannot diagnose why the projector is displaying at the wrong resolution is no more useful than a technical genius who makes clients feel incompetent. Your ad should signal that both dimensions matter.

How do I describe the ideal cultural fit for a AV Technician in a job ad?

Describe cultural fit through specific scenarios that reveal how your team operates rather than using abstract values statements. If your AV operation values methodical preparation over last-minute heroics, explain that you expect technicians to arrive with enough time for thorough system testing rather than rushing setup. If collaborative troubleshooting defines your team dynamic, describe a situation where technicians pool their expertise to solve a problem that no individual could resolve alone. If your venue culture requires technicians to interact professionally with high-profile corporate clients, explain the standard of client interaction expected and how this shapes the daily experience. Cultural fit for an AV technician is not about whether they enjoy after-work socials; it is about whether they approach live events with the same priorities your team holds, whether that is calm professionalism, thorough preparation, or client-first problem solving.

Common misunderstanding: Cultural fit means finding AV Technicians who share personal interests and social styles with existing team members.

Professional cultural fit is about shared working standards, problem-solving approaches, and communication styles during high-pressure events. Whether a technician shares hobbies with their colleagues is irrelevant; whether they share the same approach to pre-event preparation and client interaction is what determines team cohesion and operational quality.

Common misunderstanding: Describing cultural fit in a job ad risks making the role seem exclusive and discourages diverse candidates from applying.

Describing professional working standards and team dynamics is not exclusionary. It helps all candidates, regardless of background, assess whether they would thrive in your specific environment. A technician from a fast-paced production background might not enjoy a venue that values deliberate, methodical preparation, and knowing this before applying benefits everyone.

How can I help AV Technician candidates self-assess their suitability through a job ad?

Include scenario-based descriptions that invite candidates to mentally test their responses. Describe a projector failing five minutes before a CEO presentation with 200 executives arriving: would the candidate stay calm, diagnose systematically, and communicate clearly with the event organiser about the situation? Describe a client asking for the third time how to share their screen on Teams during a video conference: would the candidate remain patient and helpful without letting frustration show? Describe an event organiser calling at 4pm to request a complete room reconfiguration for a 7pm event: would the candidate approach this with problem-solving energy or resentment? These scenarios give candidates genuine insight into the daily reality and allow them to honestly evaluate their temperament. The right candidates will read these scenarios and feel energised by the challenge. Candidates who feel anxious reading them are probably telling themselves something important about their fit for this specific type of AV work.

Common misunderstanding: Scenario descriptions in job ads are off-putting and make the role sound more stressful than it actually is.

The scenarios should reflect real events that actually happen at your venue. If they make the role sound stressful, that is because the role involves genuine stress in those moments. Candidates who find the scenarios off-putting would find the reality far more difficult. Self-selection at this stage saves significant recruitment costs and avoids the disruption of early departures.

Common misunderstanding: Candidates cannot accurately self-assess their suitability from a job ad; only interviews and practical assessments reveal true fit.

While interviews and practical assessments are essential, the self-assessment process begins at the job ad stage. Candidates who have worked in AV before can accurately judge whether they handle pressure well, communicate with non-technical people effectively, and adapt to last-minute changes. Giving them the information to make this judgement improves the quality of every subsequent stage in your hiring process.