How to hire audio and video technicians
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Compress, digitize, duplicate, and store audio and video data. • Control the lights and sound of events, such as live concerts, before and after performances, and during intermissions. • Diagnose and resolve media system problems. • Direct and coordinate activities of assistants and other personnel during production. • Install, adjust, and operate electronic equipment to record, edit, and transmit radio and television programs, motion pictures, video conferencing, or multimedia presentations. • Notify supervisors when major equipment repairs are needed. • Record and edit audio material, such as movie soundtracks, using audio recording and editing equipment. • Switch sources of video input from one camera or studio to another, from film to live programming, or from network to local programming. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Postsecondary nondegree award] • Strong monitoring, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking and writing skills • Working knowledge of computers and electronics, communications and media, English Language and telecommunications • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $27.93 an hour ($58,100 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for audio and video technicians
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to compress, digitize, duplicate, and store audio and video data. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to control the lights and sound of events, such as live concerts, before and after performances, and during intermissions. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to diagnose and resolve media system problems. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to direct and coordinate activities of assistants and other personnel during production. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What audio and video technicians do
- Compress, digitize, duplicate, and store audio and video data.
- Control the lights and sound of events, such as live concerts, before and after performances, and during intermissions.
- Diagnose and resolve media system problems.
- Direct and coordinate activities of assistants and other personnel during production.
- Install, adjust, and operate electronic equipment to record, edit, and transmit radio and television programs, motion pictures, video conferencing, or multimedia presentations.
- Notify supervisors when major equipment repairs are needed.
- Record and edit audio material, such as movie soundtracks, using audio recording and editing equipment.
- Switch sources of video input from one camera or studio to another, from film to live programming, or from network to local programming.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for audio and video technicians
- Typical education to start: Postsecondary nondegree award (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +3.9% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 6,600 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay audio and video technicians
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $78,770 |
| New Jersey | $71,040 |
| Maryland | $70,040 |
| Washington | $69,270 |
| New York | $67,600 |
| Arizona | $47,140 |
| North Carolina | $46,700 |
| Louisiana | $44,480 |
See audio and video technicians pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Broadcast Technicians
- Sound Engineering Technicians
- Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film
- Lighting Technicians
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians
- Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers
- Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment
- Electro-Mechanical and Mechatronics Technologists and Technicians
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians
- Motion Picture Projectionists
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.