All You Need To Know About An Electrician Career

You think about becoming an electrician but are not entirely sure whether this is the right career path for you or not?

Stick with me since I will show you all you need to know about an electrician career in the following chapters.

Not only will I show you how much you can make as an electrician, but we will also talk about job prospects, future outlook, working hours, job satisfaction, work-life balance and much more.

At the end of this article, I also provide you with a useful FAQ section where I answer many questions about being an electrician so that you can better decide whether you still want to become an electrician or rather want to go for an alternative career instead.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

What does an Electrician do?

Electricians install all kinds of electric devices and make sure that everything runs smoothly and safely.

Electricians also repair and expand electric systems for private people at home as well as corporations and public institutions to assure the efficiency of electric use in society in general.

Responsibilities & Duties of an Electrician

• Installation of electric systems
• Expanding existing systems
• Fixing electric issues
• Making sure that clients can use electric systems in a safe manner
• Figuring out what’s wrong with existing electric systems
• Improvement of efficiency of electric systems to safe energy
• Replacement of jacks
• Replacements of cables
• Estimation of costs for clients
• Ensuring that electric systems comply with local rules and regulations
• Replacing old with new electric technology
• Ordering electric equipment
• Checking if electricity flows according to plan
• Use of digital technologies to make electric systems more efficient

What a Typical Day of an Electrician looks like?

Electricians usually start their workday between 8 and 10 a.m.

After getting basic instruction from their boss regarding what their workday will look like and on what projects they will work on that day, electricians don’t have to care much about organizational work but can rather get to the actual electrician work pretty soon.

This includes making sure that all the necessary equipment is in stock and in place before electricians actually drive to the respective client.

After getting to their clients, electricians install and repair jacks, wires and all other sorts of electric equipment to make sure that the end result is as satisfying as possible for the client.

After working for many hours, electricians finish their workday between 4 and 6 p.m. most of the time.

Electrician Salary 2023

Electrician salary brackets 2023

Electrician salary 2023 by expert level

Electrician salary by state 2023 (average)

Job Security for Electricians

Electricians enjoy pretty decent job security.

In fact, they are in high demand right now and even if you get fired for some strange reason, chances are that you will find a new job pretty soon and therefore don’t have to worry about becoming unemployed that much.

Future Job Prospects of Electricians

Electricians will also be in high demand in the future since our world population is growing and an increasing number of people out there want to build a home and need electricians to install and fix things in this regard.

Hence, good electricians will not have to worry about becoming unemployed for many years or even decades.

Working Hours of Electricians

Most electricians have a rather relaxed workweek.

They get to work between 8 and 10 a.m. and get back from work between 4 and 6 a.m.

Thus, working as an electrician is a classical 9 to 5 job and you will have more than enough leisure to spend with your family or to meet up with your favorite people after work.

Job Satisfaction of Electricians

Most electricians are pretty happy with their overall working conditions since many of them can make decent money while they still enjoy a high level of job security and also don’t have to invest many years in college education.

Consequently, electricians don’t have to pay back student loans and don’t have the financial pressure many other people have to deal with.

In turn, many electricians are able to enjoy a nice lifestyle while they still don’t have to worry about financial issues or losing their jobs that much.

Promotion Opportunities of Electricians

Promotion options for electricians are pretty limited.

Once you start working in this field, you will do the same things for many years or even decades and you will just not have the same promotion options as someone who works in a demanding job in the corporate world and can climb the corporate ladder soon.

Career Levels of Electricians

• Electrician intern
• Electrician apprentice
• Junior electrician
• Senior electrician
• Electrician with budget and/ or personnel responsibility
• Manager of an electrician company
• Owner of an electrician company

Fields and Types of Electricians

• Electrician focused on private homes
• Electrician specialized in fixing electric systems for corporations
• Electrician focused on machines
• Electrician focused on vehicles
• Electrician specialized in public transport
• Residential electricians
• Commercial electricians
• Maintenance electricians
• Installation electricians
• Highway electricians
• Marine electricians

Educational Requirements for Electricians

While electricians don’t have to go to college to get a degree, they still need to work as an apprentice for a few years.

Hence, while it may take you as long as getting a bachelor’s degree for becoming an electrician, you will still not have to spend lots of money on your education but can rather start making money from the beginning of your electrician apprenticeship.

How to become an Electrician

1. Inform yourself about the advantages and disadvantages of being an electrician
2. Get good grades in high school
3. Apply for an internship at a local electrician company
4. Make a good impression and work hard during your internship
5. Stay in touch with your colleagues
6. Finish high school with good grades
7. Apply for an electrician apprenticeship
8. Master the job interview
9. Sign your employment contract
10. Work hard and get promoted
11. Start your own company

Character Traits you need as an Electrician

• Attention to detail helps getting long-lasting results
• You should be able to work independently
• Willingness to always learn and expand your knowledge
• You should be curious and interested in electrician work
• You should be open to acquiring new clients
• Empathy helps you manage clients as well as employees
• Patience during times things don’t work out as planned
• Ambition to do your work as best as possible
• Ambition to stay ahead of the game

Hard Skills for Electricians

• Excellent knowledge of electric systems
• Knowledge of how to repair electric things
• Knowledge of how to install new electric systems
• Talent for forecasting how electric systems will look like in the future
• Good math skills to make cost estimations
• Knowledge of laws and regulations related to electric work
• Knowledge of how to install and repair electric things in a safe manner
• Knowledge of digital technologies
• Marketing skills are a plus

Soft Skills for Electricians

• Good time management skills help you get things done
• Empathy helps you deal with difficult clients
• Good people skills help you lead a team
• Motivation to learn every day
• Good communication skills help you acquire new customers
• Attention to detail lets you stand out from the crowd
• You should be trustworthy
• You have to display competence so that clients trust you
• Patience is key to overcome difficult periods

Exit Options for Electricians

While electricians are pretty good at installing and repairing all sorts of electric things, they are also pretty specialized and will not have many exit options since they just don’t have the skills needed to work in most other fields.

However, electricians can often still work in construction or as allrounders in case they don’t want to work as pure electricians anymore.

Electrician – Similar Careers

• Construction worker
• Electrical engineer
• Roofer
• Welder
• Carpenter
• Metalworker
• Mechanic
• Mechatronic technician
• Salesperson for electric devices

Electrician Career FAQs

Is working as an electrician physically demanding?

Working as an electrician is not heavily physically demanding. However, you will still have to work with your hands and will also be on your knees quite often.

Consequently, you should not become an electrician if you don’t like working in a physical manner at all and in such a case, you should rather go for a classical office job instead.

Is working as an electrician mentally demanding?

Being an electrician is not mentally demanding most of the time.

Sure, there are projects where you have to use your brain quite a lot to figure out electric issues.

However, most of the time, you will do pretty standard work and will not have to stress your brain that much.

Is it dangerous to work as an electrician?

Working as an electrician can be pretty risky.

Even though you might try to comply with all the safety rules, you will make mistakes sooner or later and mistakes related to electric work can lead to serious accidents or may even take away your life if you are unlucky.

How long do electricians stay in their jobs?

Electricians stay in their jobs for many years or even decades since they often like what they are doing and also enjoy overall working conditions.

Moreover, electricians are also pretty specialized and have a hard time working in a different field so that they are forced to stay in the electrician industry.

Is it easy for electricians to find a new job?

Since electricians are in high demand right now, it is pretty easy to find a new job as an electrician right now and this trend will likely continue in the future since our world population increases and so does the need for construction work and for the installation and the repair of electric systems.

Is it hard to switch from being an electrician to another field of work?

While electricians have excellent job prospects in their field, it is pretty hard for electricians to switch to a different field of work since they are often pretty specialized and lack the skills needed to work in a different industry.

Thus, make sure that you want to work as an electrician for quite a long time to avoid any issues in this regard.

Do electricians have a high social status?

Electricians don’t have a high social status.

While they are important for society and people will really appreciate your work, electricians still don’t have the same high social status as veterinarians or nurse practitioners and you will therefore just not be admired as much as people who work in more popular fields.

Can you help out your family and friends as an electrician?

You can greatly help out your loved ones as an electrician since you can fix all sorts of issues related to electric systems.

Problems with electricity are pretty common and if you have decent knowledge in this field from your job, you can also fix those things for your favorite people and your family and friends will be quite grateful for your support.

Can electricians work remotely?

Electricians are not able to work remotely since they have to be present at their clients’ homes in person to fix and install things.

Consequently, you will not be as flexible as someone who works in a classical office environment and can work from home since you will just not be able to manage your private and your professional life at the same time.

Is it easy to find a partner as an electrician?

Since electricians don’t have a high social status and also don’t make as much money as many other people who work in demanding jobs in the corporate world, you will have a harder time in the dating market and it may be hard for you to find a partner for a long-term relationship, especially if you live in a region where living costs are pretty high and your electrician salary will not be enough to afford any luxury.

Do electricians have to work on weekends?

Electricians don’t have to work on weekends most of the time.

However, you can still work during Saturdays and Sundays if you need the money and just want to make some quick bucks on the side.

Electricians are in high demand right now and there will be more than enough jobs waiting for you during all days of the week.

Do electricians have to work on holidays?

Electricians also don’t have to work on national holidays.

Instead, you can rather spend your time with your family or your friends and enjoy those days off from work.

You can also spend this time on your hobbies or other side-projects you may want to undertake in the future.

Do electricians have to work at nighttime?

Electricians also don’t have to work at nighttime most often.

Consequently, while waiters and many other people out there have to work during those times and have to destroy their natural sleeping rhythm, you will have a rather relaxed time in this regard since you will work in a classical 9 to 5 job instead.

Do you have to travel as an electrician?

There is no need to travel long distances as an electrician.

While many other people who work in the corporate world will have to do business trips and will be away from home quite often, you as an electrician will be able to stay at home and to spend much more time with your family instead.

Are electrician pensions good?

Since electricians don’t make that much money, also their pensions are rather low.

Moreover, electricians are also often not able to save and invest enough money for retirement and this can become a real issue once they get older and quit their active careers.

Are electrician salaries going up?

Due to the high demand for electrician work over the past years, electrician salaries have been going up substantially and this trend will likely continue in the future.

However, electricians still don’t make as much money as many other people who go to college and work in classical office jobs in the corporate world and if money is really important to you, you should not become an electrician but rather go for other jobs instead.

Can you have a positive effect on society as an electrician?

You can have a positive effect on society as an electrician since you are crucial to keeping our system running.

Imagine a world without electricians.

We would have nobody to maintain our electric systems and in case something breaks down, we would be completely lost.

Also our overall level of productivity would be much lower.

Consequently, electricians do a pretty important job for society.

How long does it take to become an electrician?

Since you don’t have to go to college for becoming an electrician, you also don’t have to spend many years on theoretical work.

Instead, you will have to apply for an electrician apprenticeship which will usually last two to three years until you are finally considered a real electrician.

Is it difficult to become an electrician?

It is not difficult to become an electrician since you don’t have to get a fancy degree.

However, you should still be motivated to learn many things related to electricity since you will have to solve all sorts of complex problems during your career and if you are not interested in the topic, chances are that your working results will be quite poor.

Do you need to be smart to work as an electrician?

You don’t have to be smart for becoming an electrician.

What’s much more important is that you are ambitious enough to really learn your craft and that you stick with problems until you finally find solutions to them.

In fact, this high level of persistence is much more important than your IQ when it comes to succeeding as an electrician in the long run.

Do electricians have a good work-life balance?

Electricians enjoy a pretty solid work-life balance since they have free weekends, holidays and also come home from work pretty early most of the time since they work in a classical 9 to 5 environment.

Consequently, most electricians are pretty happy with the amount of leisure they have and some of them even work on weekends to trade additional time for money.

Do electricians have to work many extra hours?

Electricians don’t have to work many extra hours. Instead, they don’t work more than 40 hours most of the time and this means that you will have more than enough time for your family or to spend on your favorite hobbies.

You will also be able to meet up with your friends after work while many other people who have to work long hours every day simply don’t have the opportunity to do so.

How to maximize your chances of becoming an electrician?

The more you learn from an early age, the higher your chance of becoming a good electrician.

Hence, you should apply for an internship at a local electrician company to get some hands-on experience and also to get to know people in this industry so that you already have a foot in the door once you officially apply for an electrician apprenticeship.

Can electricians work part-time?

While it might be possible to work as an electrician part-time, most electricians still work full-time since they simply need the money and can’t afford to work part-time, especially in expensive regions where living costs are quite high and a full-time salary will be needed to cover basic expenses.

Do electricians work indoors or outdoors?

While electricians work indoors most of the time, there are also cases when you have to work outdoors to fix and install electrical systems.

Hence, you should be fine to work outdoors during times of bad weather, even though this might not happen that much.

What does the workplace of an electrician look like?

Electricians work for many different clients.

Thus, it is impossible to say what the workplace of an electrician really looks like since you will just be present in person at your client’s place and your workplace will change pretty often, even though you might use similar equipment to solve the most common electrical problems.

Do you have to look good for working as an electrician?

You don’t have to look good for working as an electrician.

However, you should still look groomed since you will get in touch with your clients and if you don’t look groomed, clients may just not trust you and may also not get back to you in the future.

Is an electrician career beneficial for your private life?

An electrician career can be pretty beneficial for your private life since you can fix all sorts of electric problems at home yourself and don’t have to pay someone to do so.

In turn, you have more money left to spend on other things you like and you can also fix issues immediately while other people often have to wait for electricians for many days or even weeks.

Do you need a college degree for becoming an electrician?

You don’t need a college degree for working as an electrician.

Instead, you need to do an apprenticeship and while this apprenticeship also takes a few years to complete, you don’t have to pay for tuition and other expenses related to college but can rather earn money at a young age instead.

Do you need to be certified to work as an electrician?

For working as an electrician, you have to successfully complete an apprenticeship and often also have to pass an exam.

However, in some states, there are additional certificates that may be needed before you will finally be able to work as an electrician on your own.

How much does it cost to become an electrician?

Since you don’t have to get a college degree for becoming an electrician, becoming an electrician doesn’t involve huge costs.

Instead, you just need to start an apprenticeship and you can even make money from the beginning while many other people have to spend lots of money on tuition and may even have to take on student loan debt to be able to get their dream job.

Is being an electrician a good career?

While you will have decent job security and also a pretty good future outlook as an electrician, you will still not make that much money and if money and luxury are really important to you, you will not consider being an electrician a good job and in such a case, you should rather go to college and become an investment banker or judge instead.

Is it easy to start your own business as an electrician?

It is relatively easy to start your own business as an electrician since you can start out as one-man show and once you get enough clients and build a strong reputation, you can employ people to work for you.

There are also no huge upfront costs for starting an electrician business and this enables you to start your own business at a pretty young age in this field.

Can electricians teach themselves?

While you could teach many things about electricity yourself, it is still pretty dangerous and I highly recommend you just do an official apprenticeship where you learn all things you need to know in a safe manner instead of trying to learn those things yourself and eventually getting injured due to mistakes you will most likely make.

Do electricians make good money?

While electricians are able to make decent money, most of them still don’t make really good money and in case you live in really expensive regions, chances are that you will barely be able to even make a living from what you are doing.

Consequently, if you don’t want to worry about money, you may rather want to get a job where you can make more money instead.

Is it ever too late to become an electrician?

While you could still become an electrician in your 40s or even 50s, you should note that it will take you a few years to complete your apprenticeship and the older you are, the fewer years you will have to make this time investment worth it and also your chances in the job market will be lower once you get older.

Do electricians have to quit their careers early?

Since working as an electrician often involves physical work, some electricians also have to quit their careers early since their bodies are no longer working properly once they reach their 50s.

Consequently, many electricians may also no longer be able to pay their bills and may end up in poverty.

What is the most challenging thing about working as an electrician?

The most challenging part about working as an electrician is that you will always face new problems you have never seen before and you will need strong problem-solving skills to detect potential issues so that you are able to resolve them properly within a reasonable amount of time.

Can you provide for your family by working as an electrician?

While you will be able to provide for your family if you work as an electrician in a region where wages are high and living costs are rather low, you will often struggle to provide for your family in regions where rents and other living costs are pretty high and in such a case, your spouse may also have to work full-time so that your household income will be enough to cover your expenses.

Will electricians suffer from old-age poverty?

Since electricians are not able to make really good money from what they are doing, many of them will not get good pensions and will also not be able to save enough money on the side.

In turn, many electricians will financially struggle once they get older and have to quit their active careers.

Can electricians retire early?

Most electricians are not able to retire early since they simply don’t make enough money to be able to do so.

Instead, most electricians have to work until official retirement age and some of them even have to work in their 70s since they have just not saved enough money during their active careers and need to continue to work in order to pay their bills.

Do electricians get a fixed or variable salary?

Most electricians get a fixed salary and will not have a significant variable salary component.

Hence, your performance at work will not matter that much for your income as an electrician, at least as long as you work as an employed electrician and don’t work on your own payroll.

Can you get rich as an electrician?

It is almost impossible to get rich as an electrician.

If you really want to make good money and want to get wealthy or even rich in this field, you should not stay a normal employee forever but rather start your own electrician business and scale it as much as possible to scale your profit as well.

Do electricians need a second job?

If you live in a pretty expensive region, you may even need a second job to pay your bills since your electrician salary might not be enough to cover even your basic expenses, especially in regions where rents and property prices are pretty high.

Do you get continuous training as an electrician?

While you will get lots of training as an electrician during your apprenticeship, you will no longer get much training after you have become a qualified electrician.

From this point on, you have to improve your knowledge during your work every day on your own without getting that much support from your boss or your colleagues anymore.

Do you get paid when you are sick as an electrician?

Whether you get sick pay as an electrician depends on the region and also on the company you work for.

If you are not sure about this, you should check your employment contract or ask your colleagues.

Do electricians have a high level of responsibility?

Electricians have a pretty high level of responsibility.

Even though their work is rather basic, mistakes can lead to serious adverse outcomes since electric accidents have the potential to take away the lives of people.

Consequently, you always need to stay focused during work to avoid those mistakes at all costs.

Can electricians work abroad?

Electricians are also able to work abroad.

However, quite often, foreign countries have different requirements and you should make sure that your electric education will be recognized in the respective country since you might not find a new job in this country otherwise or might have to go back to school.

Is it stressful to work as an electrician?

Being an electrician is not that stressful.

While you might have to solve complex problems under time pressure from time to time, you will have rather relaxed workdays most of the time while many other people out there really struggle at work and may even burn out sooner or later.

Is it boring to work as an electrician?

If you are really interested in electric work, chances are that your job as an electrician will never get boring since you can spend your time on the things you are passionate about and you will rather be excited than bored to get to work.

Is being an electrician hard?

While working as an electrician involves a physical component, you will not have to stress your brain that much and you will also have rather short workdays.

Consequently, while some days can be hard, many electricians are still happy with their jobs and are not that stressed at work.

Are electricians at risk of burnout?

Since the overall level of stress at work will be rather low, electricians are also not at great risk of burnout.

Instead, they will be able to work in a rather relaxed manner most of the time while many other people who work in demanding office jobs will be on the brink of burnout quite often.

Is there a dress code for electricians?

While there is no official dress code for electricians, the company you work for will often provide you with clothing so that you can represent the company in the best possible manner.

What kind of electricians are paid the most?

The rarer and more valuable your skills are, the better you will get paid for them.

Hence, you should always improve your knowledge in fields that are in high demand and will also be in high demand in the future if you want to make really good money as an electrician.

What percentage of electricians are women?

Only around 7% of electricians are women while the vast majority consists of men.

However, this doesn’t mean that men have better chances in this field.

It just means that working as an electrician has been more popular for men than for women in the past.

If you are female and really interested in working as an electrician, your chances of succeeding in this field will be excellent since companies often want to increase the fraction of female workers in this industry.

Do I need a mentor to succeed as an electrician?

You don’t need a mentor for succeeding as an electrician.

What’s way more important is that you gather as much experience as possible so that you can really hone your craft and increase your market value over time.

Will you be personally liable for mistakes as an electrician?

While your level of personal liability will be rather limited as an employed electrician most of the time, things may change once you get into a leading position where you have personnel responsibility.

In such a case, you may get proper insurance to be covered in case of emergency.

Do electricians have a high life expectancy?

Since electricians work in a rather risky environment since accidents with electricity can take away your life, electricians have a rather low life expectancy and in case they need expensive medical treatment, electricians are also often not able to do so since they just don’t make really good money from what they are doing.

Do electricians suffer from sleeping problems?

Since electricians don’t have to work at nighttime, they also don’t suffer from sleeping problems related to their jobs that much.

Instead, most electricians get enough sleep and can really enjoy their workday while other people who work at nighttime often destroy their natural sleeping rhythm.

What states are best for working as an electrician?

The best states to work as an electrician are the states where living costs are low while you can still make decent money.

Only then will you be able to afford a comfortable lifestyle and don’t have to care about every penny you spend.

Who do electricians work with?

Electricians work with many different clients on a regular basis.

Hence, you should have good people skills and you should also not be afraid to talk to new people if you want to succeed as an electrician in the long run.

Is working as an electrician cool?

Working as an electrician is not considered cool by most people.

However, you should still not choose a job according to what’s cool and what’s not.

Instead, you should make sure that you like this job and should not care about the opinions of others that much.

Can you start a side hustle as an electrician?

It is pretty easy to make money on the side as an electrician since electricians are in high demand right now and if you are willing to sacrifice your weekends, you can make serious money from side hustles.

You can also start a social channel and build an audience that you can monetize in the long run.

Do you have to be creative as an electrician?

Being creative helps you detect potential problems and finding solutions.

Hence, a certain level of creativity can let you do your work faster as an electrician, even though it is not urgently needed to get things done.

How employable are electricians?

Electricians are pretty employable and are in high demand right now since the number of construction projects increases and so does the need for qualified electricians.

Hence, you don’t have to worry about becoming unemployed as an electrician right now.

Are electricians happy with their jobs?

Most electricians are pretty happy with what they are doing for a living.

Even though they don’t make a fortune, they still have a good work-life balance and come home from work early quite often while they also don’t have that much stress at work.

Is working as an electrician exciting?

Working as an electrician is not that exciting.

While you might be motivated at the beginning of your career, your initial excitement will often drop pretty soon and you may no longer be that ambitious and motivated to get to work after just a few years.

Can you have a positive effect on our environment as an electrician?

You can also have a positive effect on our environment as an electrician if you specialize in electric devices related to renewable technologies so that you can make the world a better place in the long run.

What are the pros and cons of working as an electrician?

If you want to learn even more about being an electrician, you should also have a look at additional pros and cons of an electrician career.

Sources

https://www.statista.com/statistics/467294/leading-us-firms-in-electrical-based-on-revenue/

https://www.statista.com/statistics/716039/united-states-data-communication-technician-numbers/

Interviews and own research.

About the author

My name is Andreas and my mission is to educate people about the different career paths that are possible in our current state of the world. In my opinion, people often make the mistake to choose their profession solely based on how much money they can earn from it instead of doing what makes them really happy.

This is quite sad and I just want to give people a more objective picture of how a fulfilling career could look like. I did the same when I started working in consulting after finishing my Master’s degree in Economics. However, I’ve quit pretty soon after that since I haven’t found true meaning in my job.

Now I can do what I really love to do and I want to enable as many other people as well to go this exciting path towards happiness instead of money.

I conducted various interviews with employees to give you a good impression of what working in different fields will look like and that you can make the best possible decision regarding your future career choice.

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