Electrician Job Interview Preparation Guide

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When dealing with an electrical problem, it's best to contact a licensed professional at once. If you try to solve the problem on your own, you could jeopardize your safety as well as that of your electrical system and equipment. And though it's not as urgent, electrical installation of any kind also merits expert assistance.

It's likely that you don't want to hire an electrician because of the expense, but that plan could easily backfire. Any mistakes you make may lead to damages that will only cost you more in the long run.

Electricians have varying levels of experience and qualifications. There are apprentices, Journeyman electricians, and Master electricians.

An apprentice is still required to work under the supervision of a Journeyman and Master electrician. A Journeyman electrician has extensive knowledge of various electrical fields and can work unsupervised, but he is still not sufficiently qualified to take on electrical projects of utmost complexity. A master electrician is fully qualified to handle any electrical project. Your electrician's experience should at least be directly proportional to the difficulty of the job you need to have done.

His years of studying, training, and gaining relevant experience. An electrician needs to complete school and spend years (or the equivalent of several thousand working hours) as an apprentice before he even becomes eligible for a license. Add the skill and experience he developed after acquiring his license, and you should be confident that he can serve you well.

Absolutely. A valid professional license is the ultimate proof of your electrician's qualifications. Without one, your electrician can't assure you that he has gone through the requisite training and tests that would enable him to perform at a high standard and in accordance with the NEC. Never hire an unlicensed electrician if you're after quality service. (Refer to our “Electrician Licensing” page for more on this.)

NEC stands for National Electrical Code. Refer to our page on the NEC for more details.

One of the best ways to save money on electrician costs is to do some research. Find out how much electrician companies and individual electricians charge for their services. Compare quotes between different electrician service providers and determine which one is best for your budget. You can learn more tips from our “Work and Costs” section.

Electrical contractors are qualified to install and connect wiring, fixtures and appliances. They also install solar panels and other equipment for generating power.

Most good quality electricians will provide you with a detailed quotation free. For smaller jobs, a price estimate is often available over the phone.

Be sure to hire a licensed professional electrician. There a several reasons for this:

1. you’ll get a better job
2. work will comply with the building code
3. you won’t have an insurance problems if something goes wrong

Electrician is a trade qualification and electrical contractors are licensed in each state. Many electricians also choose to belong to professional associations like NECA (National Electrical & Communications Association).

Have an electrical contractor install a safety switch or circuit breaker. Nearly all electrical accidents involving consumer products could have been prevented by one of these devices.

A safety switch is a device fitted to the property supply that cuts out electricity almost instantly in the event of a significant power leak or surge.

Only a qualified electrical contractor is licensed to properly test your installation for safety and issue a compliance certificate.

Old wiring can be dangerous. Use a licensed electrician with experience in older homes or property.

An electrical contractor can install solar panels to your property. Excess energy collected by your solar panels is fed into the electrical grid. You receive credit for power generated on your electricity bill.

Whenever you have a job relating to power or wiring.

It’s OK to visit the hardware shop and buy the switch you like the look of. But you need a licensed electrician to complete the work. A licensed electrician will issue a certificate to show the work complies with building standards. That way your property won’t be devalued or insurance issues crop up in the event of a problem.

If you are building a new property it is helpful for the electrician to see the plans. Also discuss your personal needs so that power outlets are conveniently placed.

The NEC is a model electrical code devised and published by the
National Fire Protection Association, an insurance industry group.
It's revised every three years. The 1993 version has been released.
You can buy a copy at a decent bookstore, or by calling them directly
at 800-344-3555. The code exists in several versions. There's the
full text, which is fairly incomprehensible. There's an abridged
edition, which has only the sections likely to apply to most houses.
And there's the NEC Handbook, which contains the ``authorized
commentary'' on the code, as well as the full text. That's the
recommended version. Unfortunately, there's no handbook for
the abridged edition. And the full handbook is expensive --
US$65 plus shipping and handling.

The UL stands for "Underwriters Laboratory". It used to be
an Insurance Industry organization, but now it is independent
and non-profit. It tests electrical components and equipment
for potential hazards. When something is UL-listed, that means
that the UL has tested the device, and it meets their requirements
for safety - ie: fire or shock hazard. It doesn't necessarily
mean that the device actually does what it's supposed to, just
that it probably won't kill you.

The UL does not have power of law in the U.S. -- you are
permitted to buy and install non-UL-listed devices. However,
insurance policies sometimes have clauses in them that will
limit their liability in case of a claim made in response to
the failure of a non-UL-listed device. Furthermore, in
many situations the NEC will require that a wiring component
used for a specific purpose is UL-listed for that purpose.
Indirectly, this means that certain parts of your wiring
must be UL-listed before an inspector will approve it and/or
occupancy permits issued.