A telecommunications technician is expected to be able to service and install telecommunication systems. Oftentimes, telecommunications technicians may work as either a contractor or under companies that specialize in telecommunication servicing. A telecommunications technician is usually tasked with setting up and managing local area networks, setting up and updating phones and fax machines, and upgrading old and expiring equipment when new updates become available. A telecommunications technician can be beneficial to any company with large computer networks that relies on these for communication.
Although telecommunications technicians work in most office environments, these technicians will usually travel between the office or network locations in order to fully service the network. Technicians must be analytical, able to work with and troubleshoot networking issues, and able to communicate with office workers and superiors. Oftentimes, it is beneficial to hire a telecommunications technician with previous experience or who has the latest certifications for their position.
Sample job description
Average salary and compensation
The average salary for a telecommunications technician is $55,700 per year in the United States, with a potential for cash bonuses per year. Salary may depend on the level of experience, education, and geographical location.
| Location | Salary Low | Salary High |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix, Arizona | $55,400 | $74,950 |
| Los Angeles, California | $62,500 | $84,550 |
| Denver, Colorado | $52,100 | $70,450 |
| Washington, DC | $63,450 | $85,850 |
| Miami, Florida | $51,850 | $70,150 |
| Orlando, Florida | $47,800 | $64,700 |
| Tampa, Florida | $48,300 | $65,350 |
| Atlanta, Georgia | $50,650 | $68,550 |
| Chicago, Illinois | $58,250 | $78,800 |
| Boston, Massachusetts | $62,950 | $85,200 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota | $50,200 | $67,900 |
| New York City, New York | $66,300 | $89,700 |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $53,950 | $73,000 |
| Dallas, Texas | $52,550 | $71,100 |
| Houston, Texas | $52,100 | $70,450 |
| Seattle, Washington | $60,600 | $82,000 |
| National Average | $47,350 | $64,050 |
Sample interview questions
- What would you do if you couldn’t locate replacement components for a necessary piece of equipment?
- How would you handle customers or clients with unreasonable timeframes or deadlines?
- What measures would you take to protect customers while conducting wiring work in a building?
- How do you generally keep up to date on technology in the telecommunication industry?
- Can you describe a time in which you made a costly or time consuming mistake? How did you recover and what was learned?
- How would you test a fiber optic cable?
- How would you test a fiber circuit?
- How would you test a wireless access point?
- How would you handle an angry customer?
- Can you give me the first few things you’d try to resolve a telephony issue with a customer?
- Can you explain VoIP?
- Can you explain a time you had to approach a problem with creative problem solving? What was the outcome?
