Electrician: What is the cost of hiring?
2025-10-0121.3051.3994.20HOURLY
Electrician: What is the cost of hiring?
As of April 2022, the average number of jobseekers per electrician job in Australia is 8.8.
an electrician: What is the cost of hiring?
As of April 2022, the average number of jobseekers per electrician job in Australia is 8.8.
Why hire an electrician?
A world without electricity is unthinkable – we depend on it to power our homes and the technology we use every day. Electricians ensure that electricity gets from its source to wherever it is needed. They also reduce the risk of fatal accidents by carrying out electrical work safely and efficiently.
Contributions of a great electrician:
- Plan electrical systems for buildings, including the layout of electrical outlets, light fixtures, heating outlets and ventilation systems
- Install, maintain and repair wiring, lighting and control systems, and ensure compliance with the relevant codes
- Train and oversee other electricians
Deciding between a full-time vs freelance electrician
Electricians are employed on permanent contracts in electrical and construction companies and various other sectors, including in the mining industry as fly-in fly-out workers. Many electricians work for themselves. Your decision about whether to hire a full-time or freelance electrician will depend on your business’s needs. If you run a construction company, for example, and have a strong and ongoing demand for electrical work, you might prefer to hire a permanent electrician. Or perhaps you only need additional staff during summer and winter – the busy periods for electricians – or to help out with a large project. In that case, hiring a self-employed freelance electrician might be a better option.
What are the different types of electrician?
From installing wiring in homes to fixing machinery in factories, electricians work in a range of areas. Here are some of the most common types of electrician:
- Residential/domestic electrician: Performs a range of electrical work in residential properties, including planning electrical designs for new houses, installing wiring as well as installing, maintaining and repairing lights, power outlets, heating and ventilation systems.
- Commercial electrician: Mostly performs the same tasks as a residential electrician, but works in commercial buildings such as retail stores, restaurants, hospitals and schools. Typical jobs include various kinds of electrical work on wiring, outlets, lighting and generators.
- Construction electrician: Generally works on large residential, commercial and industrial construction projects and is responsible for ensuring that the wiring and electrical components are up to code, and working efficiently and safely.
- Emergency electrician: Responds to unexpected electrical problems, such as a power failure or electrical damage from a storm, at any time of the day or night.
- Automotive electrician: Installs, maintains and repairs wiring and electrical components in vehicles.
- Lift mechanic: Specialises in designing, installing, maintaining and repairing various kinds of lifts and lift equipment.
Where to find an electrician
Electricians are on the Skills Shortage List in Australia, and finding qualified electricians is a major challenge for employers. To find the right electrician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:
- Attend trade shows and career fairs: Connect with other professionals in your industry and attract prospective employees at trade shows and career fairs.
- Offer an apprenticeship: Partner with local TAFE colleges and vocational education providers to offer apprenticeship places. Offering an apprenticeship allows you to mould electricians who are starting out in the industry and, if you’re happy with their work, you can offer them a permanent position once they graduate.
- Sponsor electricians from overseas: You could consider sponsoring an electrician living overseas to come to Australia and work for you. The condition is that you must be unable to find an Australian citizen or permanent resident with the skills required for the job.
- Use social media: Creating a social media profile for your business is a great way to network and attract
talent
, particularly younger electricians.
Post your job online: Try posting your electrician job on Indeed to find and attract quality electrician candidates.
Skills to look for in a great electrician
A great electrician candidate will have the following skills and attributes as well as work experience that reflects:
- a current electrician’s licence (different for each state and territory)
- strong technical skills, including electrical installation and safety knowledge
- excellent analytical ability and problem-solving skills
- basic understanding of mathematics and physics
- ability to work as part of a team
- physical fitness
Writing an electrician job description
A thoughtful description is important for finding qualified electrician candidates. An electrician job description includes a compelling summary of the role, a detailed list of duties and responsibilities and the required and preferred skills for the position.
When writing your job description for an electrician, consider including some or all of the following keywords to strengthen the visibility of your job posting. These are the most popular search terms leading to clicks on electrician jobs, according to Indeed data:
- electrician
- electrical
- auto electrician
- electrician FIFO
- visa sponsorship, electrician
- maintenance electrician
- FIFO electrician
- electrical apprentice
- industrial electrician
- apprentice electrician
Interviewing electrician candidates
Strong candidates for electrician positions will be confident answering questions regarding:
- safety procedures to avoid electrical accidents
- previous experience, such as recent projects and types of electrical systems worked on
- technical knowledge
- working with others
- customer service skills
Need help coming up with interview questions? See our list of electrician interview questions for examples (with sample answers).
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
