Cable TV Technician
Career review from a person working in the job
How I Got The Job
My Education: 2 Yrs Liberal Arts HVCC
My Prior Experience: Before my current job I was in the United States Air Force and worked in Satellite Communications
My Job Profile
My Company: My company sells subscriptions and maintains customer connections to cable TV, Internet and phone service.
Job/Career Overview: As a CATV technician my primary duties are to respond to the needs of our customers.
A typical day starts with a review of jobs that are scheduled to me remotely via a wireless connection to my laptop. I route these jobs according to times. Next I go each home completing the tasks as indicated on each work order.
Our company is extremely careful to make sure that appointment times are kept so managing time effectively is a key part of my daily life. Each stop at a home is a unique opportunity to provide customer satisfaction and no two calls ever seem to be exactly the same.
Many times throughout the day my job requires that I climb to heights of 20 - 30 feet to work on cable lines that are strung on poles. Safety is extremely important and is a strong part of our training. We often review past and learn about newer safety data at our weekly meetings.
Love It? Hate It?
I rate this career 6 out of 10.
What I Love or Hate
The best parts of my job are things like working outside as well as inside the homes of our customers. Also, meeting people and helping them with their needs gives me a sense of satisfaction.
Some parts of my job that can be tough are usually those that I have no control over. Bad weather is at the top of that list. It causes the day to slow down and can create trouble with my work schedule. Hectic traffic and unsafe drivers are another thing that can cause problems on any given day.
My Career Tips
As you pursue your studies in telecommunications make sure to fit in as many computer classes as you can. I have watched this industry change from simple connections to the back of a TV to advanced computer hook-ups.
Also, look for the type of courses that are heavy in hands on work. Reading about electronic work in a book is very helpful but actually performing the tasks can give you the strong head start you need.
