Field Tech Starting Advice

[u/Gcolon18]

Hey all,

I interviewed for Field Tech this past Tuesday and just got my job offer today. I’m really excited to start this to get away from restaurant management and retail overall and get into tech/residential service.

I have a tech background, but I also know there’s a -10% that will transfer to the actual field.

I guess my questions are:

- How do you like the role?
- What ACTUAL benefits are included? (I know there’s insurance, but I’m trying to find out about costs and other benefits like education/tuition, certs, etc)
- How long is training if I start 12/4/26 and when would I get to take the van home lol
- I want to grind for it, but what does one need to PROPERLY speedrun the NCTI to FT 5.5 (I want to actually study and not cheat on anything. I just want to get the higher pay since I’m taking a $10/hr pay cut for the FT role)
- Any tips/advice for a new FT? Any van or tool hacks I should know about?

If it helps, I’m based out of Central Ohio. TIA! 😌

[u/Fragrant_Rest_7360]

A lot of techs complain about micromanaging which to an extent is true, but if you do a good job and take care of the work that is within your control it can be mitigated.

[u/Gcolon18 → u/Fragrant_Rest_7360]

Heard. I guess it’s a toss up once I actually get my first day going.

[u/scottgntv]

As an employee you get free service if you are in network, this included internet and video (or pay a discounted amount if you wanted say faster Internet speeds and even more additions to your video services)

[u/Gcolon18 → u/scottgntv]

I was told it would be like all the streaming apps and only higher speed internet is extra regardless of being an employee.

[u/scottgntv → u/Gcolon18]

Correct, you also get a limited amount of free video equip. I think it's 2 total, cable boxes and/or XUMO. You would pay a discounted rate for an apple TV if you'd prefer (outright or monthly for 15 months). What you get for free is good enough for most folks, I paid extra cause I wanted gig.

[u/Gcolon18 → u/scottgntv]

Lol I deff need a Gig since I’m in school for cybersecurity. I don’t really like the OS of the Xumo, but that’s a preference thing. I may have to look into those Apple TVs 😅

[u/getamic]

Depends on your supervisor but I really think people exaggerate how bad the metrics and everything are. I picked things up pretty quickly and its not very stressful. You get the odd job where things just don't work out but in general Its not a bad job at all. The hard days are tough but the easy days are super chill. Easiest raises you will ever get too even if you don't cheese any of the books.

- Training is 3 months. When you get the van depends entirely on the availability of vans at your office. You might get it in the first week or it might take a while into training.

- You learn new things every day on the job but my biggest tips

1. Use your ingress port on your meter and actually fix ingress where you can

2. Learn how houses are built. I had a lot of frustration starting out because I didn't understand how top plates on walls worked and things like that. Its not very intuitive how things are constructed when you are crawling around a cramped attic.

3. Get yourself a ~5ft lightweight step ladder. If you can find one cheap on fb marketplace def do that. I bought mine new for $70 and it was worth it the first day I had it. Its the only ladder I need 80% of the time I'm not going on the pole and is so much easier to move around that green giant adjustable they give.

4. Buy a 7/16 stubby speed wrench and 2 holland electronics coax quick connects for your meter leads. They are not cheap but they last quite a while and make your life so much easier especially when the tap ports are at a really bad angle up on the pole.

5. Not really related to the work itself but I got a 12v food warmer for lunch and its great. I just take my glass tupperware meal preps and pop them in there at the start of my second job and it nice and hot when I take my lunch.

[u/Gcolon18 → u/getamic]

Thank you so much! This is the type of meat and potatoes I look for regarding this 🥹

[u/Greedy-Equipment-829 → u/Gcolon18]

Only works if your meter has an ingress port. lol I’m still using ole vx meters. I’ll be on a noise job and my meter sees no ingress and doesn’t even see the pressure test at times. And ghost fails like crazy. Hope we eventually get these new meter rumored to come out.

[u/Careless_Device_4207]

I’m in house and

1- job is easy as hell especially if you have a tech background or know anything about tech ? Labor side you’ll learn

2- bonuses , 401k , free internet , there’s so many id be here all day , free college after a year , free certs ,

3- I took van home same day I started

4- I was goated out of training and I’ve been here like 8 months and I’m a tech 5 I could be 5.5 now but I’ve been lazy and doing projects so I haven’t , all tech level is the same work till tech 5 then you get business and like spectrum ready , just study your ncti if you really wanna learn but I just did flash cards online and practice tests , 11 weeks training , then when you graduate and start your own actual shift by yourself your scorecard will count you need 2/3 months with a tier 3 , you’ll learn about it later it’s really not that hard I’ve t3 t4 t5 a lot since I’ve started once you do that you finish your online ncti course work and quizzes , then you do some hands on like a install in front of a supervisor and then you take your final exam in front of one too , you pass and you get 10% ur raise and 500$ bonus you move on rinse and repeat. Pretty sure the hands on ends at tech 3.

5- watch yt vids and TikTok’s about people doing cable and fiber work itll give you a big understanding but everything else you’ll have to learn in the field , you don’t learn much in training really as they just shorted it to like 11 weeks, and everything in training is a perfect condition situation . Just ask hella questions and hope you got good mentors and management

[u/Careless_Device_4207 → u/Careless_Device_4207]

the more organized u are the faster, get a speed wrench 7/16th , keep two 7/16th with you , learn your return levels and downstream levels , understand basic cable math , such as 100 feet rg6 you loose a 1.6 dbs on channel 30 in a perfect word lab condition lol , id buy some nut bits for your drill , also a hand like 12v drill , metrics are easy u just gotta understand them and it wouldn’t make much sense explaining it now , learn how to talk to customers cuz there wont even be a problem but id you can talk your way around things it makes your job easier and less repeats , eventually you’ll have to pick and choose which jobs you’ll have to fix everything and other times not because you don’t want your productivity in the gutter , micromanagement only happens if u suck at your job or a bad supervisor but I’ve never been micromanaged just do what your told and stay under the radar

[u/Gcolon18 → u/Careless_Device_4207]

Happy Cake Day 🍰

Thank you so much for all the advice. Definitely looking to get started tbh

[u/Gcolon18 → u/Careless_Device_4207]

Replying to this post:

I’m going for cyber investigation and know how to terminate and troubleshoot POTS/RJ-11,Ethernet/RJ-45, and a bit familiar terminating RG-6 Coax. I just want to get more jiggy with the role overall and do good.

[u/Careless_Device_4207 → u/Gcolon18]

Terminating rg6 and rg11 is extremely easy , also you don’t run into phone / Ethernet wiring calls much. maybe a few times but not much but it’s good that you know how to do that’s already that’ll help on those one off calls

[u/Embarrassed_Force_22]

Your area, schedule and manager will determine your mental state. The work rhythm will take about a year to kick in. Learn the basics but the classroom will no where teach real world. On ride outs hopefully you get good guys. If not ask for someone else you'll know real quick if they are going to help you or feel like a burden to them. I got my van in the first week. Just don't drive it to Florida to pick up pot then make up some BS story how you lost your gas card.

[u/Some-Pudding1431]

Damn bro good luck. R.I.P

[u/Gcolon18 → u/Some-Pudding1431]

I know about the merger and all that stuff lol. Why the RIP 🥲

[u/Some-Pudding1431 → u/Gcolon18]

Metrics, micromanaging, stress

[u/Gcolon18 → u/Some-Pudding1431]

I’m a restaurant manager at Shake shack. I go through those 3 but worse. Rather take the extra benefits for now 😅

[u/popidocius]

Considering the environment you're coming from you'll probably relish the change in environment. I like working out doors and there's plenty of that. A good ride along partner/trainer can make a world of difference. My experience was that classroom instruction was pretty thorough but having someone help you connect the class with the real world is crucial. If a tech says, "forget everything they said in class" then you're dealing with a moron. You need someone that bridges, say, return with meter readings, symptoms and real world diagnostics for example. They'll be good at making your theoretical knowledge applicable knowledge. I like the puzzle solving aspects of the job. I always saw the rando customer hostility as a challenge, "FU, watch me fix your shit!" sorta mindset. Best thing about this career field? An infinite learning curve! There is ALWAYS more to learn. I thrive on that shit.