HVAC technician resume example

What recruiters look for

• EPA 608 certification: legally required to buy and handle refrigerants. Universal covers every type of equipment.
• Service numbers: calls a day, first-time fix rate, callbacks and maintenance agreements. Service managers track them, so you can quote them.
• Equipment range: residential splits, heat pumps, furnaces, rooftop units, chillers or refrigeration. Name tonnage where it helps.
• Electrical troubleshooting: most no-cool and no-heat calls are electrical. Show you can work through a wiring diagram.
• New refrigerants: A2L refrigerants (R-454B, R-32) are replacing R-410A in new equipment, and employers want techs already trained on them.

Writing the summary

Say whether you do service, installation or commercial work, your years, and your certifications. Add one number that shows you are good at it: fix rate, callbacks or maintenance agreements sold.

Bullet points that work

Strong lines for this role, beyond the ones in the example. Borrow the shape and put in your own numbers.

• Cut callbacks on my installs from 5% to under 1% by adding a commissioning checklist for charge, airflow and drain lines.
• Serviced 60 rooftop units across 14 restaurant locations on a quarterly maintenance contract, renewed 3 years running.
• Replaced compressors on 25 systems in one summer, cutting average downtime per job from 2 days to 1.
• Diagnosed a building automation fault that had kept a school’s gym unit running 24 hours a day, saving about $600 a month in power.
• Converted 30 customers with failing R-22 systems to new heat pumps, with financing options explained in writing.
• Earned a 4.9-star rating across 500+ customer reviews, mentioned by name in 120 of them.
• Recovered and logged 900 lb of refrigerant in a year with zero compliance issues.
• Trained 3 new techs on the company’s diagnostic flowchart; their first-time fix rates reached 80% within 6 months.
• Worked 1 in 3 weekends on emergency calls during peak season, reaching no-cool calls within 2 hours on average.

Skills to list

Certifications and licenses worth listing

• EPA Section 608 (Type I, II, III or Universal): required by federal law to handle refrigerants. Universal is the one employers prefer.
• NATE certification: the best-known industry certification; list the specialties you hold.
• HVAC Excellence certifications: another respected option, common in schools and training programs.
• A2L refrigerant training: short courses from ESCO and manufacturers that show you are ready for the new equipment.
• State or city mechanical license: some states and cities license HVAC technicians or require a contractor license for some work. Check where you apply.

Length and format

One page. Certifications belong high on the page or in a clear section right after experience. Give your current service job four or five bullets with numbers, and earlier install or helper jobs two or three.

Common mistakes

• Leaving out EPA 608 or burying it. It is often the first thing a service manager checks.
• Bullets about tasks every tech does (“performed maintenance”) with no volume or results.
• Not saying what equipment you work on. Residential and commercial are different jobs.
• Ignoring the customer side. Service companies earn on trust, so reviews and agreements count.
• Listing brands you have installed without saying what you did with them.