Skills
Elevator Technician Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in elevator technicians, and how to build and show them.
Elevator Technicians need technical skills such as electrical troubleshooting, reading wiring diagrams, and hydraulic systems, plus people skills like problem solving and safety discipline. They also use tools such as Multimeters and diagnostic tools and Hand and power tools.
Technical (hard) skills
- Electrical troubleshooting
- Reading wiring diagrams
- Hydraulic systems
- Rigging and hoisting
- Safety code compliance (ASME A17.1)
- Controller programming
People (soft) skills
- Problem solving
- Safety discipline
- Customer communication
- Teamwork
Tools, equipment and technology
- Multimeters and diagnostic tools
- Hand and power tools
- Rigging equipment and chain hoists
- Laser alignment tools
- Hydraulic pressure gauges
- Lockout/tagout devices
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how elevator technicians put their skills to work:
- How to perform preventive maintenance on a traction elevator
- How to respond to an elevator entrapment
- How to troubleshoot a door that won’t close
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Electrical troubleshooting” and “Reading wiring diagrams.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “problem solving,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as State elevator mechanic license near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our elevator technician glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Elevator Technician training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.