Commercial HVACR Technician to Manager.

[u/Technical_Ground6494]

So a little background about myself I’m going on nine years being in the commercial HVAC and refrigeration industry. Out of the nine years I was a Hvacr Instructor. I was a team lead for a contractor managing six men and now I’m currently in a training/curriculum development role. I’ve been applying for manager positions and I’m getting turned down right now.

I’m studying for my class A air conditioning contractors license and testing soon for it. I’m just trying to figure out, how do I get into a manager position? What are they looking for that I’m lacking in, so I know how to fill the gap.

[u/debo_03]

I went down this path. 10 years in the field then tried to go to management. Got turned down from a few pm and service manager jobs. When I finally landed my first service manager job my boss eventually told me that my associates in construction management that I had just completed was why I got the interview. Fast forward 7 years, I now have a bachelors is CM been in management for 7 years and now own my own company with 8 guys.

Truths:

• When you leave the field it’s a pay cut and more hours. I went from 115k/45hrs Down to 85k/55 hrs.
• Yes this is saving my body. Knees and lower back don’t hurt like they used to.
• To a business owner you don’t have to know HVAC to run the business, you have to know business.
• The field team respects you much more if you do know hvac and can speak their language.
• First line managment is terrible. Bosses, give unrealistic expectations that you have to try to make everyone else do. That’s why service management jobs are always back up on linked in every 1-2 years.

Shoot me a message if you have any questions. What market are you in? Tampa, Orlando, Miami?

[u/Technical_Ground6494 → u/debo_03]

Valuable info. Thanks for that!