1. "Top 5 HVAC Jobs You Haven't Heard of and How to Land Them"

Some jobs are better than others, I don't care what kind of business you are in. HVAC is no different. Over my career I've seen things go amazingly right, and things go horribly wrong. The one common theme through it all though is whether a job is good depends a lot on who you work for. Thankfully I've had the pleasure of working for some pretty good folks, but many of my friends have not. I've got a horror story of a workplace that was so toxic certain employees literally wouldn't go in the office. They were working remotely pre-covid and it wasn't because of anything more than the service manager being a completely ridiculous person. He would curse out technicians for not finishing jobs fast enough, play favorites with on call, and belittle anyone in the office that gave him an answer he didn't like. I don't care what job you have, if you work for someone like that it won't be enjoyable.

Once you're able to get past that hurdle you might find yourself curious about what other jobs may be available besides the obvious technician/installer. I'm glad you asked. HVAC is a complex industry made up of manufacturers, distributors, contractors, engineers, and more. Many of these people spend their entire careers working under this all encompassing term called HVAC, but with few people outside the business understanding what they do or how to make it a career path. I'll highlight my top 5 HVAC Jobs You Haven't Heard of but I'm curious if you're an industry insider what yours are? Drop a comment below.

What are the Top 5 Jobs in HVAC You May Not Know About? 

When you think of HVAC, you may think of technicians who install and repair furnaces, air conditioners, and ducts. However, there are many other jobs in HVAC that are less known but equally important and rewarding. Here are some of the top 5 jobs in HVAC that you may not know about, and what they involve. 

Number 5 Controls Technician

A controls technician is responsible for installing, programming, troubleshooting, and maintaining the electronic and computerized systems that control HVAC equipment and devices. Controls technicians ensure that HVAC systems operate efficiently and effectively, and can adjust the settings and parameters to optimize performance and energy savings. Controls technicians also monitor and analyze data from sensors, meters, and other devices to detect and diagnose problems and provide solutions. Generally you'll want to have some kind of programming background or have taken some training courses, however there are plenty of guys who started in this on the service side and worked their way into controls. Starting out with a manufacture is also a way to break in. Companies like Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric, KMC, would all be great places to look.

Number 4 Outside Sales/Territory Manager

Outside Sales/ Territory Manager: An outside sales or territory manager is a person who sells HVAC products contractors in a certain geographic are. Often times these jobs come by way of wholesalers/distributors. They help the supply chain by making products locally available and allow contractors to be more efficient. You have accounts that are usually contractors, but could be institutions like universities, large land owners, or big property management companies. As an Outside Sales person you work the either the owners or the purchasing agents to sell your equipment and commodity products. The salaries hear can get pretty significant, I knew personally of people earning well of 200k per year. If you're interested in this lookup some local wholesalers in your area and see if they're hiring. It might take you starting at a lesser job on the totem pole, but if you can be patient there's a very good living ahead of you.

Number 3 Project Manager

Probably the job that gets all the blame and not enough credit, a project manager is a person who oversees and coordinates HVAC projects from start to finish. Project managers plan, organize, and manage the resources, budget, schedule, and scope of HVAC projects, and ensure that they are completed on time, within budget, and according to specifications and standards. This is no easy task it takes people skills to negotiate with your vendors your labor and the client. Often times there have to be uncomfortable conversations about change orders or project delays because of mistakes, product availability and more. Having said that, this can also be one of the most rewarding jobs. Nothing can replace the satisfaction of a job well done. From a salary standpoint this job should make you in the range of 80k-150k. Not bad for not turning a wrench. Usually the way to make is either having a certification in project management or like most of the PM's in our business, work in the field. Field experience gives you the necessary tools to think your way through problems and really execute projects.

Number 2 Energy Engineer

This has been one of the fastest growing areas of the HVAC business. As the world continues to look for more efficient buildings, these professional are setup to continue huge job growth well into the future. An energy engineer is a person who designs, evaluates, and implements HVAC systems and solutions that reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Energy engineers conduct energy audits and assessments, and identify and recommend energy efficiency and conservation measures for HVAC systems and buildings. Energy engineers also monitor and measure the performance and impact of HVAC systems and solutions, and report and document the results and savings. Most energy engineers have a degree in an engineering discipline with a heavy emphasis on mechanical engineers., The best way to move into this are of the business would be to get a degree in mechanical engineering and look for energy solution providers. Most are in desperate need of quality engineers and people to workin in business development. The total compensation or these people can be between 125k and 500k.

Number 1 Manufacturer's Representative

Ok I'm biased, this is my number one because this is where I ended up spending lots of time. This job has been great for a number a reasons not directly to being a rep. I've been able to travel across the county for conferences, trainings, corporate events, and enjoy lots of activities that I would. have never dreamed of doing before. The job is complex and certainly comes with the added stress of trying to meet sales quota's, but ultimately it pays well and the fringe benefits make it my favorite. As a manufacturer's rep you usually work for a pretty small company. I've seen a lot that are less than 10 people total, but that makes the environment one where you really are collaborators trying to get the best results. Usually you work with engineers to get your products specified as basis of design and bid against other rep's once the plans come out. It can be a challenge to break into this part of the business. Because most firms are small, they don't really have the time or resources to train so it's best to start somewhere else in the business first unless you have some connections. The big companies like Trane, Carrier, JCI, etc.. usually supply a lot of the people who end up becoming reps. The salary range usually is between 100k and 300k for top reps.

Are you looking to get into the HVAC business, but have questions about what that looks like? I'd love to hear from you. Drop a comment below and I'll be happy to share what I've learned after spending a decade in the business. Thanks for reading and drop me a like if you find this content useful.