Hiring, Developing, and Retaining the Best People

Seven characteristics good maintenance people share

April 19, 2021

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If you have worked in maintenance for a few years, you know the best maintenance people share certain characteristics. These traits usually are not spelled out in a resumé or revealed in an interview.

Look at your best maintenance people, and you should see these seven attributes:

Has a sense of urgency.
Not afraid of hard work.
Neat and methodical.
Focuses on what matters; gets to the crux quickly.
Shows respect and courtesy toward others.
Professional appearance.
Listens without interrupting.

In the hiring process, you can ask the interviewee to give examples of how they exhibit the first four characteristics (the last three will be obvious). The answers to the first four will also show if the person understands the difference between having a sense of urgency and rushing around.

Use coaching, culture, and leadership to help people develop strength in areas where they are weak, and you will improve retention by improving their job satisfaction and self-esteem.

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.