Skills
Septic Tank Technician Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in septic tank technicians, and how to build and show them.
Septic Tank Technicians need technical skills such as vacuum truck operation, septic system inspection, and sewer jetting and cabling, plus people skills like customer service and problem solving. They also use tools such as Vacuum pump trucks and Hydro jetters.
Technical (hard) skills
- Vacuum truck operation
- Septic system inspection
- Sewer jetting and cabling
- Camera inspection
- Basic plumbing
- Record keeping and manifests
People (soft) skills
- Customer service
- Problem solving
- Reliability
- Independence
Tools, equipment and technology
- Vacuum pump trucks
- Hydro jetters
- Drain cables and augers
- Sewer cameras and locators
- Probes and shovels
- Gas detectors
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how septic tank technicians put their skills to work:
- How to pump a septic tank
- How to clear a sewer line with a jetter
- How to inspect a septic system for a home sale
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Vacuum truck operation” and “Septic system inspection.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “customer service,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as State septage hauler license near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our septic tank 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 Septic Tank 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.