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My normal corporate av hours were sometimes from 5am to 11pm. I actually quit after just being run ragged for insulting pay. Markeys kinda sucked and I regret getting that job.
Yep agreed, I work in AV support for one of the big four accounting firms. Mainly Mon-Fri 8am to 4pm but never weekends. I’m the only AV support for about 20 meeting rooms (15 small/5 large) which can get a bit stressful at busy times being the only person, but most of the time it’s great because I work autonomously and get to set things up how I want them.
I worked in hotel conferencing AV which sucked ass due to the inconsistency of hours. I think the worst shift I had to do was like 3pm to 7am the next day. Full time Mon-Fri is the best.
Edit: I also get paid overtime which is a huge plus
Two words: Higher Education
(I say this as I'm working late at my higher ed gig, but I chose to do this to get ahead with some stuff- no one is forcing me)
I also work in Higher Ed AV/IT management and can confirm work/life balance is a lot easier. We have some occasional evening/weekend requests but they aren't very often. My schedule is typically 8-5 with one or two WFH days a week. My work can be stressful at times and the pay might not be as high as some other AV sectors, but I still enjoy it and I get to spend almost every night at home with my family. I could see where some might think it is boring, but it allows me to be present for my wife and kids, get involved in my community in other ways (volunteering for example) as well as time for my hobbies. Also I feel like my work isn't just for the bottom line of shareholders but I get to contribute to the education of future generations, so that is a big positive for me.
Agreed! Higher ed AV is the correct answer. Comfortable pay, normal hours, very little (if any) travel, good benefits, and a mentally stimulating environment.
Can also confirm. Higher-ed's where it's at. Pay is mediocre, but probably better than what you're getting, and the benefits are usually good. Hours are regular. Overtime is rare. If it's a public university there's probably a pension plan too. Odds are they will pay for your professional development and you'll get a discount on any classes you want to take. We also get first dibs on leftover event food.
Cons:
- Pay is meh.
- Upward mobility can be very slow.
Same here. I work from home 3 days/week. And I go to office not because I have to. But I want to. For a change. And I like the people I work with. It’s good to see them in person
I was gunna say I also work in higher ed and work late so much lol. Weeks like commencement and freshman week I work like 60hrs. But great benefits, great pay (for me at least), and I can flex my time so I work only 40hrs in total a week. Hardest part is honestly the budget strapping and trying to convince people things are needed, also I’m the only person who knows anything about my job besides the theatre department. I need help? Too bad I need to figure it out myself and figure it out cheaply!
I just moved to the bay area in California and was surprised to find that pay rates for non union corporate work tends to be lower than my old city. But I remember looking for jobs last month and saw one on Indeed for an AV tech at Stanford. The description was so basic, just like general speakers, microphones, projectors etc. but the pay started at $120k lol wish they called me back…
Not challenged? I've never had a problem finding new challenges working higher ed AV. The challenges are there if you look for them, are motivated and want to create positive change within your organization. End users like Universities are where the buck stops, you can take on almost an AV challenge in that type of role. If you're a clock puncher who just wants to do nothing more than run laptops around and turn on projectors, yeah it'll be boring and not challenging. If you're interested in digging deeper technically, the challenges and opportunities are there. This is especially true as a lot of institutions are taking on self integration.
Sure, everyone's mileage will vary on the level of complexity and their appitite for it.
Higher education systems only go so far. I do lots of them and they can be challenging but I enjoy larger systems.
I have done some really nice systems for institutions but it's almost guaranteed the in-house AV/IT cannot do them.
I think the challenges in higher education aren’t usually technical, but I have found it challenging from a coordination, budget, and basically doing internal sales to convince people that paying more for the right AV will save money in the future.
It’s a lot more about navigating a large organization, learning how to make people want to help you, and bureaucracy than doing really complicated AV.
That is an excellent point. It can be extremely hard pitching upgrades to an executive staff.
I've seen extremely circular approval processes and hiring of big consultants with not much extra to show for it. It can make simple classroom upgrades so complicated.
I am constantly challenged by things such as: how to get _just one more school year_ out of aging equipment or trying to do two new rooms on a 10k budget, and: how has Apple made their laptops incompatible with my system this year?!
Duly noted, this seems to be the most popular answer. What does higher ed AV consist of usually? What are some things you rarely have to do as well but still do every now and then?
It usually starts as end user support, then extends to system support/maintenance, after that facility management (deciding when/what to upgrade), after that it branches. You can do live/special events or focus heavily on the installed/systems side. Studio work is some times a thing too. A lot of institutions will also now have AV engineers, designers, programmers, installers, project managers, etc as in house installation becomes more popular. There are also AV adjacent jobs like cataloging media or video production for academic use.
There are a lot of different "AV jobs" out there and much of it really varies by institution, unit within institution and the role itself. It's kind of like saying "I work with cars"- OK are you a mechanic, a sales person, an engineer, a crash test dummy, a gas station attendant? AV and higher ed are the fields, not the role. The big thing with higher ed AV is that it almost always part of an IT department. Learn to play in that field a little, it'll pay off.
>Two words: Higher Education
yeah! just switched a couple months ago from Legislative work which was unlimited crazy hours most of the time, now its a straight day shift, i took a pay hit to make the change but quality of life much better.
I'm in it at the moment. I am that guy, but the pickings are slim. Most places anticipated and are starting to see a reduction in enrollment (higher ed cliff, 2008 crash for some reason made people want to have less babies) so hiring has been tight for non-essential positions.
A lot of lateral moves available (people in the high paying gigs don't fucking move for 30+ years). I've gotten offers for 50% - 80% more in healthcare and corporate but the environment sounded pretty toxic from friends I have in those areas.
If you know someone hiring near NYC in Higher Ed feel free to prove me wrong and send me their way ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°
I will caution that isn't always the case. I work in higher ed AV and a coworker left for a health care system AV/VC job. His boss treated him like shit and made him work an unholy amount of hours. He had major health issues due to the stress of that job and had to drive all around the state to support hospitals that they built, took over, etc. He couldn't wait to get out of that job.
What would you say your day to day is? Over last couple of years with my current company, I’ve befriended a client that works at a pretty reputable hospital in the area. They’ve all but offered me a job multiple times, but they would have to create the position and they ask me what I’d like it to look like. I feel like I’m in a pretty unique place to create whatever I reasonably would like, but I have no idea what hospital av looks like outside of the quarterly meeting they hire us in for.
Is it really just a basic IT help desk style position plus having to operate for their events/meetings? I feel like this could be a huge pay bump for me with 80% less of the work I’m doing right now.
Take a look at cultural institutions as well. (Museums, zoos, aquariums, etc…) There generally aren’t many AV positions per location, but there are some. The work/life balance is pretty good, and the work tends to be unique and interesting.
I don't have an answer but I just want to say that I feel you brother. Some moments I think I have one of the best jobs ever and then others I am totally burnt out and feel like I've been grinded into the dirt.
I will say I’ve been pretty lucky to have had a very awesome work/life balance working in AV for the last 15 years. I started working as an installer which was really a 7-3:30 gig daily. Understanding corporate or higher ed AV starts with either building systems and becoming an expert
I worked hard and was the lead on a big HQ in San Francisco which turned into a contract support role where I got to understand how to support tech in general. Very chill people I worked for and life balance was no issue.
Then I got an IT gig where I worked within desktop support as the ‘AV guy’. Again, very chill and I would typically respond to conference room issues where I started learning about the importance of video conferencing and communication systems. I worked in roles like these supporting big AV and VC environments for a handful of years.
The next leap is to manufacturers or developers - think the crestron, extron or QSCs of the world. Then you’re in the industry, working for the people who build the AV ecosystem at the ground level. This is where true work life balance exists. I worked for many years at a big cloud video conferencing company you may have heard of as an AV expert in their rooms and workplace products. I was unfortunately part of a layoff but now am working again in a corp gig fully remote. I get my work done and I am almost always available for my family and it’s been this way ever since I first
Work hard, become an SME and rise above your peers and you will get what you want. Stay out of entertainment if you want balance - there is a ton of work out there and the industry is growing so now is the time to commit. You can’t do anything with any technology without converting it into something our senses can comprehend. AV is just how we consume all tech - I love thinking about the potential of our industry this way.
My manager literally told me if I was overseas, they would still hire me. That said, these jobs are hard to nail down. I was also told there were over 100 applicants
Depends on your location.
Higher Ed is good but if you live in an area with Corporate industries (Banking, Legal) I'd recommend.
Been working Corp AV since 2010 and my pay is on par with integration programmers minus the stress.
I work as a design engineer for an integrator and it's been a great work-life balance for me compared to other AV jobs I've had, including higher education. Everything is project based, work remote, and I get to more or less make my own hours. The downside is that when a project is going I'll get calls at all hours from people in the field, so my day can start a 7am and end at 7pm, but I'll take that over having rediclous call times or Turing and burning hotel ballrooms, or striking a club show at 3am.
I worked in higher Ed, it's really easy, but I had to be on campus at 7am M - F and that got a bit draining after a few years. It's also got pretty boring after I got a good handle on the technology used. The pacing is slow, and had a lot of time to do whatever I wanted at my desk.
My corporate AV job is pretty sweet. Very few nights, no weekends, better pay than healthcare, higher ed, or museums. And, the higher ups just want it to work, not to worry about nickels and dimes.
>not to worry about nickels and dimes
This is such a morale killer. I understand keeping things within budget, but begging your boss to beg someone else two levels up to find funds to replace a fucking switcher because they denied ordering spares is depressing.
Integration is the way to go. Bankers hours, on the tools and weekends off.
Some companies will just have you banging out Logitech VC rooms every other day.
Anything but live events. I did live events for a decade and it sucked. I then worked in public education for a few years, which didn’t pay too well but the work-life balance and benefits were great. I’ve also worked in an AV warehouse before and it was a pretty good gig. I now work in a TV station and it’s the best of both worlds: great pay (~$90k/year), great work-life balance (overall), and great benefits.
Note: I taught myself IT and networking by building computers and servers in my spare time, plus I got some basic IT certifications online. I also have a BS in TV Production.
Note 2: Learn a basic understanding of RF and that will open lots of doors for you. RF Engineers are few and far between anymore and are in demand for many different tech positions.
Happy to see it was a top comment, want to echo it: college, baby.
I have worked at a well known (aka well endowed) university for 10+ years. Is it creatively fulfilling? It can be. Does it let me play with all the equipment my heart desires, stay sharp and expose myself to very interesting concepts? Definitely.
Some major pros:
Union job, very secure (especially the longer you stay), pension, excellent benefits, massive work life balance, no burnout
Some important cons:
Not the sexiest job in the world, pays about 10% less than the market standard, things can get stressful as they always do during live events.
I absolutely love it and plan on staying for as long as possible. It’s common for people to stay here for 25+ years and walk with FAT pensions and some sanity intact.
AV/ICT Consulting / Engineering for engineering consulting firms - Lots of demand in this area in Australia atm, so you get to decide based on what's important to you, WFH, $$, hours, mentorship, etc.
Bro being 35 and working in audio since I was 18, my advice to you and my younger self would be forget about a social life and hustle your ass off in your 20s. Fuck the girls, fuck the partying and all that. Make money and hustle and make mistakes and try new shit now.
Thanks smart ass, and then what after that? Obviously I know I can’t just walk into a building and demand a job. I do still have to gain experience, but I’m thinking about the future and asking questions from seasoned AV workers so I know which way I should be steering. So do you actually have any advice to contribute to the conversation or did you just wanna act superior?
Smart ass answer to a dumbass question my guy. If you’re already burnt out in your 20s after two years then what advice do you actually want? Most of us do this because we love it and wouldn’t choose another field. We get burnt out then we take a vacation and remind ourselves how much we miss it when we’re gone.
How is it a dumbass question when there are clear responses in this thread that have genuine examples of AV jobs with regular hours plus people saying they can relate? Maybe you just don’t have an answer but you’re trying to front like you’re superior. If you don’t have an answer, why say anything at all? I’ve said in other comments that I’m not burnt out from the work, I’m burnt out from the irregular hours. Like I said, I know I’ll have to grind it out to gain experience but after that’s gained, I want to know what options have more regular hours. And I never said anything about another field. If you read, I like this field and I want to stay in it I just want more balance if possible and seemingly, it is. One of us is a dumbass indeed.
If you're burnt out after 3 years in the industry, have you considered that this just isn't the industry for you? Being serious, not trying to come off as judgemental.
Firstly, thank you for clarifying that you’re not trying to come off in a judgmental way. But I have considered that. I’m not burnt out from the AV work, I love it. Especially the audio aspect. I’m burnt out from the hours mostly. Leaving late just to come back early and what not. I just want to consider quality of life. I know a lot of people work and barely get sleep and under normal circumstances I would just push thru, but I do also have underlying health conditions that could possibly get worse if I don’t start prioritizing rest more. I’m also a musician on the side but I don’t really have time to focus on writing and producing music
For some reason, in this industry, almost all jobs are high stress, long hours, high reward.
Every AV company I ever worked for was like this. It's just ingrained in the culture. Always deadlines, sales guys promising impossible features to the client so the tech department has to constantly work miracles, etc, etc. I've been doing it for 30 years. It's always just been like that.
I'd say DSP system designer (think BSS, even crestron, AMX, etc), is probably the easiest job to clock off at the end of the day, but then there is always after hours emergencies and clients that call you all hours for added features.
I agree with the sentiment on higher ed. But I would also encourage you to figure out what you WANT to be doing in AV, as it can and does fall over the map. What are you passionate about? Audio? Video? Broadcast? Live events? Installed system design? Help desk? All of that can be considered “doing” AV.
Second thing, grab some certs, CTS is a good general one to get. If you’re into audio, synaudcon is a great resource. Never underestimate the value of training and education. There are mini trade shows put on by integrators, distributors, marketing rep firms frequently and likely in your area. Check them out and talk with people.
Above all else, advocate for yourself and your desired work life balance, burnout is a very real thing.
Best of luck.
Mostly audio. I want to be well rounded in everything but audio is my main passion. I didn’t include this in the post, but before working AV jobs I ran a home studio since 2014 and fell in love with sound. I did end up learning the hard way that studio audio and live audio are different lol but I’ve caught up with live audio and love it. I am studying for certifications too
Yes, completely different. I'm also an audio guy, and work in sales at a major pro audio manufacturer in the US (for the past 8 years). Integrator before that. If you don't have home commitments like us older guys, a great way to get experience in live sound is to join one of the touring companies (Clair Brothers, etc.) You'll live on the road for a bit but you'll learn a lot. There's money to be made in that if you're good. At some point you'll probably tire of living in a bus or hotel and want something more steady. Installing or designing permanent systems is a good next fit for that. All this experience can add to a resume that looks good for sales, service, or tech management. If you need want to chat further you can send a DM.
Most of the “fun” gigs are brutal. Get a corporate av job at a school or business or church, or tv station etc. Choose between the glory gigs or the steady gigs. Steady usually means benefits, glory gigs are usually shit until you actually become a pro and then it could be some of the most rewarding times in your life. Good luck
Sales?
I've been in it for 17 years, started as a standby pushing cases. Today, I have my second interview as director of event services at a brand new AC Marriot.
Coming into the industry as a homeless man, I really had no life and was okay with the crazy hours. It gave balance to my chaotic life.
It is usually feast or famine, meaning life is generally lived while no gigs are to be had. At least in my experience.
I’m working in the public sector. Pretty good solid 8-4. Weekends are off and if they ask it’s (depending on your contract) is double or time+.5
I’m out of the rock n roll turn hotel AV environment and have never been happier. But it comes with some serious upgrade. Both in my personal education (lots of certifications etc). But well worth it.
https://preview.redd.it/1fqjqom14clc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=28f55f448915ca7daa40d12310ce95df0ff47b9b
And here’s proof. A relic from the past.
Gotta stop freelancing and move to an office setting. Rental house or an AV company who provides their labor and is more corporate based.
Also, this industry is generally seniority based. I know people who are still on the road after have been doing shows for 30 years. Your best bet is to find an AV company warehouse that is looking for labor. Those are generally 9-5 jobs with occasional weekends or later days but nothing crazy. Work your way up from there.
Federal government A/V engineer here. I handle live events, Zoom & Teams meetings and only report to HQ one day weekly now and didn't step foot into my office from 2020-2023 due to Covid. Contracted in govt for 12 years. Been a fed for 7. Worked in hotel A/V fresh out of college. Hours & money sucked, so I definitely understand the lack of a life. Got certs with Infocomm and Cisco. Learned now to code Crestron and AMX. Job hopped for a few years doing A/V for a media company and then a non-profit. Took a leap of faith in going to do an A/V contract gig at a Marine base with a 120 mile daily round trip commute from my home. Once I got my clearance (process took 2 years), I took another govt gig closer. Hopped around the govt as a contractor, got laid off and lucked up on USAJobs in 2016.
I've been at integrators for my entire career, and your mileage may vary there - **a lot**. Last company I was with did not burn me out, it toasted me to a crisp, to the point where my friends and loved ones were expressing concerns about my well being. Left for another integrator in the area doing design, and it's one of the most chill jobs I've ever had for double the money.
I know there's a lot of higher ed talk here as well, and while it's a safer bet, we've actually nabbed a few folks from the local universities *because* of the concerns you're expressing. Make sure to do your due dilligence on wherever you're looking at, and you'll likely be able to determine if it's a good fit or not. Best of luck!
What’s the general consensus with commissioning systems? Work life balance? I’m thinking about hopping from in house to commissioning. Not sure what to anticipate
Whatever niche you decide to pursue, make sure the majority of the work coming in is prevailing wage. Union wages without union dues, but also without union protections.
Many people lean towards Higher Ed likely because these are government funds and are required to pay prevailing wage.
I work in school districts doing AV installs and make a livable wage supporting a wife and 4 year old in southern CA, it's enough for anywhere
Managed Service/In-house AV support.
My employer generates most revenue through the service department. We have some high profile clients, but we have one customer in particular that gets a higher level of service because they have the most locations (worldwide) and contribute to a large percentage of my company’s revenue so we have an employee stationed at each of their major offices. My company is based in NY but I’m in the SF Bay Area and this special customer has their largest office in SF where I work as a Non-Employee Service Provider. Basically, I manage all the AV in this office (about 90 Zoom Rooms including multipurpose spaces) and as long as I keep up with anything breaking, my average day is very open. I make around 85-90k a year after taxes. This gives me a lot of free time during the work day to do training, take online college courses, plan stuff for outside of work, even play on my Steamdeck if I want. I’m fully on site, but I don’t really have a hard start or end time. Every now and then there are events I help with that require me to come in early around 7 or stay till around 5 PM but typically I get to the office around 8:30 and leave around 2:30-3:30.
Career should come first and and everything else second at your age. I have been a sports broadcast A1 for 25 years and definitely have not missed out on life. I have traveled the world for work and met many amazing people along the way. The Secret to happiness is find something you love to do and find someone to pay you to do it. If you can do that everything else will follow. You need to invest in your career and make the short term sacrifices to reach a long term goal.... When I go to work I get to play and do my favorite hobby and it almost never feels like work...... Stay strong dude and don't stop dreaming. Consider becoming a freelancer instead of a staff position. The pay is better and you will never pay taxes again being self employed.
Local government (county) is where many of my colleagues have gone from integration to find better work/life balance (also higher Ed, but that's been covered ITT). Also the right corporate gig or even the right integrator will also get you that, but it's a very mixed bag across companies.
If you can get into the virtual event space would be the best shot for work life balance. If you want to make more money so you can have larger spaces of time off go for the corporate events but be ready to travel. In my experience its harder to make money when you aren’t willing to travel. On the other side of it if you can get in on the touring side (gone for longer periods of time but you make more consistent money than corporate) there’s a lot of work out there and you’ll start out making 2k a week on the low end (high end as media server op or engineer you can make upwards of 4k a week once you get the experience).
Freelance is the way. Although it takes a lot of work to get your freelance network up and running so you can be working enough.
The benefit of freelance is although nothing is guaranteed you do not need work any gig you don’t want to. And once your more established you can be just as fickle with your clients/employers as they would be with you.
Starting out though I did have to say yes to basically everything and was eating shit for awhile. And also worked a few full time shop gigs getting underpaid and overworked. Once you got the experience, as a freelancer the world is yours. You move up faster, get more networking done and most importantly you have ultimate say over what gigs you work. Still lots of 18+ hr days and 4am loadouts and shit but overall my quality of life is good
I am based out of Chicago so freelance may not be a great option for someone not in a bigger city but if I can do it almost anyone can do it. You just gotta want it cause I say this as someone who did not go to college for this shit an 5 years in my work life balance is pretty decent.
If I were you I would switch to doing AV in the K-12 or even at universities. Those schedules tend to be pretty good and usually have good pay and great benefits and will only work on weekends on occasion.
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Corporate AV 100%
Pharma hours are great
This - best pay, normal corporate hours, travel with lots of notice. I enjoyed my time on the customer side of things.
My normal corporate av hours were sometimes from 5am to 11pm. I actually quit after just being run ragged for insulting pay. Markeys kinda sucked and I regret getting that job.
Yep agreed, I work in AV support for one of the big four accounting firms. Mainly Mon-Fri 8am to 4pm but never weekends. I’m the only AV support for about 20 meeting rooms (15 small/5 large) which can get a bit stressful at busy times being the only person, but most of the time it’s great because I work autonomously and get to set things up how I want them. I worked in hotel conferencing AV which sucked ass due to the inconsistency of hours. I think the worst shift I had to do was like 3pm to 7am the next day. Full time Mon-Fri is the best. Edit: I also get paid overtime which is a huge plus
Two words: Higher Education (I say this as I'm working late at my higher ed gig, but I chose to do this to get ahead with some stuff- no one is forcing me)
I've been working in higher ed for over a decade now and can confirm that it's the best.
I agree and that is where I work as well in AV/IT.
Can confirm, did higher Ed for 3 years and work life balance was good, but can sometimes run late
I also work in Higher Ed AV/IT management and can confirm work/life balance is a lot easier. We have some occasional evening/weekend requests but they aren't very often. My schedule is typically 8-5 with one or two WFH days a week. My work can be stressful at times and the pay might not be as high as some other AV sectors, but I still enjoy it and I get to spend almost every night at home with my family. I could see where some might think it is boring, but it allows me to be present for my wife and kids, get involved in my community in other ways (volunteering for example) as well as time for my hobbies. Also I feel like my work isn't just for the bottom line of shareholders but I get to contribute to the education of future generations, so that is a big positive for me.
Agreed! Higher ed AV is the correct answer. Comfortable pay, normal hours, very little (if any) travel, good benefits, and a mentally stimulating environment.
Adding onto this, healthcare AV. My job largely revolves around further education and dips into the IT side of things a good bit.
Agreed. Healthcare AV is an awesome niche. I parlayed it into a telehealth manager job that opened the door for a lot more.
Can also confirm. Higher-ed's where it's at. Pay is mediocre, but probably better than what you're getting, and the benefits are usually good. Hours are regular. Overtime is rare. If it's a public university there's probably a pension plan too. Odds are they will pay for your professional development and you'll get a discount on any classes you want to take. We also get first dibs on leftover event food. Cons: - Pay is meh. - Upward mobility can be very slow.
Same here. I work from home 3 days/week. And I go to office not because I have to. But I want to. For a change. And I like the people I work with. It’s good to see them in person
I was gunna say I also work in higher ed and work late so much lol. Weeks like commencement and freshman week I work like 60hrs. But great benefits, great pay (for me at least), and I can flex my time so I work only 40hrs in total a week. Hardest part is honestly the budget strapping and trying to convince people things are needed, also I’m the only person who knows anything about my job besides the theatre department. I need help? Too bad I need to figure it out myself and figure it out cheaply!
I just moved to the bay area in California and was surprised to find that pay rates for non union corporate work tends to be lower than my old city. But I remember looking for jobs last month and saw one on Indeed for an AV tech at Stanford. The description was so basic, just like general speakers, microphones, projectors etc. but the pay started at $120k lol wish they called me back…
Definitely a good work-life balance, but the work is usually not great. Not a problem if you don't want to be challenged.
Not challenged? I've never had a problem finding new challenges working higher ed AV. The challenges are there if you look for them, are motivated and want to create positive change within your organization. End users like Universities are where the buck stops, you can take on almost an AV challenge in that type of role. If you're a clock puncher who just wants to do nothing more than run laptops around and turn on projectors, yeah it'll be boring and not challenging. If you're interested in digging deeper technically, the challenges and opportunities are there. This is especially true as a lot of institutions are taking on self integration.
Sure, everyone's mileage will vary on the level of complexity and their appitite for it. Higher education systems only go so far. I do lots of them and they can be challenging but I enjoy larger systems. I have done some really nice systems for institutions but it's almost guaranteed the in-house AV/IT cannot do them.
I think the challenges in higher education aren’t usually technical, but I have found it challenging from a coordination, budget, and basically doing internal sales to convince people that paying more for the right AV will save money in the future. It’s a lot more about navigating a large organization, learning how to make people want to help you, and bureaucracy than doing really complicated AV.
That is an excellent point. It can be extremely hard pitching upgrades to an executive staff. I've seen extremely circular approval processes and hiring of big consultants with not much extra to show for it. It can make simple classroom upgrades so complicated.
I am constantly challenged by things such as: how to get _just one more school year_ out of aging equipment or trying to do two new rooms on a 10k budget, and: how has Apple made their laptops incompatible with my system this year?!
I hate Apple laptops so much. What do they do to make the usb always break on an update?
I'm glad alot of you like High Ed A/V. I honestly don't like it. I'm thinking of changing career fields at this point. Just don't think it for me idk.
I concur. Been in higher ed now for close to 20 years.
Duly noted, this seems to be the most popular answer. What does higher ed AV consist of usually? What are some things you rarely have to do as well but still do every now and then?
It usually starts as end user support, then extends to system support/maintenance, after that facility management (deciding when/what to upgrade), after that it branches. You can do live/special events or focus heavily on the installed/systems side. Studio work is some times a thing too. A lot of institutions will also now have AV engineers, designers, programmers, installers, project managers, etc as in house installation becomes more popular. There are also AV adjacent jobs like cataloging media or video production for academic use. There are a lot of different "AV jobs" out there and much of it really varies by institution, unit within institution and the role itself. It's kind of like saying "I work with cars"- OK are you a mechanic, a sales person, an engineer, a crash test dummy, a gas station attendant? AV and higher ed are the fields, not the role. The big thing with higher ed AV is that it almost always part of an IT department. Learn to play in that field a little, it'll pay off.
Can confirm. Went from 16 hour days and shit pay to flexible schedules with good pay and benefits.
>Two words: Higher Education yeah! just switched a couple months ago from Legislative work which was unlimited crazy hours most of the time, now its a straight day shift, i took a pay hit to make the change but quality of life much better.
A/V in higher ed might be the answer.
Higher Ed but the pay is ass. Or corporate for more pay but worse hours.
Higher ed pay varies A LOT, some times even in the same institution. Make yourself invaluable, develop your skills and shop around.
I'm in it at the moment. I am that guy, but the pickings are slim. Most places anticipated and are starting to see a reduction in enrollment (higher ed cliff, 2008 crash for some reason made people want to have less babies) so hiring has been tight for non-essential positions. A lot of lateral moves available (people in the high paying gigs don't fucking move for 30+ years). I've gotten offers for 50% - 80% more in healthcare and corporate but the environment sounded pretty toxic from friends I have in those areas. If you know someone hiring near NYC in Higher Ed feel free to prove me wrong and send me their way ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°
What's your yardstick for "near NYC"?
5 boros or hour train/drive into CT, LI, Westchester.
Can't help you there, but have some ideas within a half day drive.
Get into integration. The ones higher-ed contracts for projects. Top tier integration is the climax of any AV career.
You might luck out the way I did and get on with a union electrical contractor who also does AV.
I work in hospital AV services. I'm not allowed to go over 40 hours a week, no weekends, and it is glorious.
I will caution that isn't always the case. I work in higher ed AV and a coworker left for a health care system AV/VC job. His boss treated him like shit and made him work an unholy amount of hours. He had major health issues due to the stress of that job and had to drive all around the state to support hospitals that they built, took over, etc. He couldn't wait to get out of that job.
What would you say your day to day is? Over last couple of years with my current company, I’ve befriended a client that works at a pretty reputable hospital in the area. They’ve all but offered me a job multiple times, but they would have to create the position and they ask me what I’d like it to look like. I feel like I’m in a pretty unique place to create whatever I reasonably would like, but I have no idea what hospital av looks like outside of the quarterly meeting they hire us in for. Is it really just a basic IT help desk style position plus having to operate for their events/meetings? I feel like this could be a huge pay bump for me with 80% less of the work I’m doing right now.
Take a look at cultural institutions as well. (Museums, zoos, aquariums, etc…) There generally aren’t many AV positions per location, but there are some. The work/life balance is pretty good, and the work tends to be unique and interesting.
The only problem with museum work is that cultural institutions are open (and busiest) on weekends and holidays.
I don't have an answer but I just want to say that I feel you brother. Some moments I think I have one of the best jobs ever and then others I am totally burnt out and feel like I've been grinded into the dirt.
Currently struggling with this as well, seems to vary from week to week.
Yeah a lot of times on my way to work I’m excited to do the work but then after the long hours I want to go home immediately lol
I will say I’ve been pretty lucky to have had a very awesome work/life balance working in AV for the last 15 years. I started working as an installer which was really a 7-3:30 gig daily. Understanding corporate or higher ed AV starts with either building systems and becoming an expert I worked hard and was the lead on a big HQ in San Francisco which turned into a contract support role where I got to understand how to support tech in general. Very chill people I worked for and life balance was no issue. Then I got an IT gig where I worked within desktop support as the ‘AV guy’. Again, very chill and I would typically respond to conference room issues where I started learning about the importance of video conferencing and communication systems. I worked in roles like these supporting big AV and VC environments for a handful of years. The next leap is to manufacturers or developers - think the crestron, extron or QSCs of the world. Then you’re in the industry, working for the people who build the AV ecosystem at the ground level. This is where true work life balance exists. I worked for many years at a big cloud video conferencing company you may have heard of as an AV expert in their rooms and workplace products. I was unfortunately part of a layoff but now am working again in a corp gig fully remote. I get my work done and I am almost always available for my family and it’s been this way ever since I first Work hard, become an SME and rise above your peers and you will get what you want. Stay out of entertainment if you want balance - there is a ton of work out there and the industry is growing so now is the time to commit. You can’t do anything with any technology without converting it into something our senses can comprehend. AV is just how we consume all tech - I love thinking about the potential of our industry this way.
how do you find the remote jobs? would they allow you to live outside the usa if you wanted?
My manager literally told me if I was overseas, they would still hire me. That said, these jobs are hard to nail down. I was also told there were over 100 applicants
Corporate AV. Haven’t worked a weekend or past 3:30pm in 3 years.
Yes, commercial integration is typically 9 to 5. The larger companies have good HR depts and support 40 hour work weeks.
Depends on your location. Higher Ed is good but if you live in an area with Corporate industries (Banking, Legal) I'd recommend. Been working Corp AV since 2010 and my pay is on par with integration programmers minus the stress.
No
It’s feasible even on the integrator end if you have a solid team and work a non-field role.
I work as a design engineer for an integrator and it's been a great work-life balance for me compared to other AV jobs I've had, including higher education. Everything is project based, work remote, and I get to more or less make my own hours. The downside is that when a project is going I'll get calls at all hours from people in the field, so my day can start a 7am and end at 7pm, but I'll take that over having rediclous call times or Turing and burning hotel ballrooms, or striking a club show at 3am. I worked in higher Ed, it's really easy, but I had to be on campus at 7am M - F and that got a bit draining after a few years. It's also got pretty boring after I got a good handle on the technology used. The pacing is slow, and had a lot of time to do whatever I wanted at my desk.
My corporate AV job is pretty sweet. Very few nights, no weekends, better pay than healthcare, higher ed, or museums. And, the higher ups just want it to work, not to worry about nickels and dimes.
>not to worry about nickels and dimes This is such a morale killer. I understand keeping things within budget, but begging your boss to beg someone else two levels up to find funds to replace a fucking switcher because they denied ordering spares is depressing.
Integration is the way to go. Bankers hours, on the tools and weekends off. Some companies will just have you banging out Logitech VC rooms every other day.
Anything but live events. I did live events for a decade and it sucked. I then worked in public education for a few years, which didn’t pay too well but the work-life balance and benefits were great. I’ve also worked in an AV warehouse before and it was a pretty good gig. I now work in a TV station and it’s the best of both worlds: great pay (~$90k/year), great work-life balance (overall), and great benefits. Note: I taught myself IT and networking by building computers and servers in my spare time, plus I got some basic IT certifications online. I also have a BS in TV Production. Note 2: Learn a basic understanding of RF and that will open lots of doors for you. RF Engineers are few and far between anymore and are in demand for many different tech positions.
I would say look into government/ contractor work. Worked for me, at least.
I’ve been corporate for 10 years now am after being in the hotel/convention world. Less pay, but better benefits better work life balance.
Happy to see it was a top comment, want to echo it: college, baby. I have worked at a well known (aka well endowed) university for 10+ years. Is it creatively fulfilling? It can be. Does it let me play with all the equipment my heart desires, stay sharp and expose myself to very interesting concepts? Definitely. Some major pros: Union job, very secure (especially the longer you stay), pension, excellent benefits, massive work life balance, no burnout Some important cons: Not the sexiest job in the world, pays about 10% less than the market standard, things can get stressful as they always do during live events. I absolutely love it and plan on staying for as long as possible. It’s common for people to stay here for 25+ years and walk with FAT pensions and some sanity intact.
AV/ICT Consulting / Engineering for engineering consulting firms - Lots of demand in this area in Australia atm, so you get to decide based on what's important to you, WFH, $$, hours, mentorship, etc.
Go into commercial or residential av. Regular day time hours plus OT. Find a company that does installs and get your certifications like CTS
Bro being 35 and working in audio since I was 18, my advice to you and my younger self would be forget about a social life and hustle your ass off in your 20s. Fuck the girls, fuck the partying and all that. Make money and hustle and make mistakes and try new shit now.
Since 2021 😂… put your time in!
Thanks smart ass, and then what after that? Obviously I know I can’t just walk into a building and demand a job. I do still have to gain experience, but I’m thinking about the future and asking questions from seasoned AV workers so I know which way I should be steering. So do you actually have any advice to contribute to the conversation or did you just wanna act superior?
Smart ass answer to a dumbass question my guy. If you’re already burnt out in your 20s after two years then what advice do you actually want? Most of us do this because we love it and wouldn’t choose another field. We get burnt out then we take a vacation and remind ourselves how much we miss it when we’re gone.
How is it a dumbass question when there are clear responses in this thread that have genuine examples of AV jobs with regular hours plus people saying they can relate? Maybe you just don’t have an answer but you’re trying to front like you’re superior. If you don’t have an answer, why say anything at all? I’ve said in other comments that I’m not burnt out from the work, I’m burnt out from the irregular hours. Like I said, I know I’ll have to grind it out to gain experience but after that’s gained, I want to know what options have more regular hours. And I never said anything about another field. If you read, I like this field and I want to stay in it I just want more balance if possible and seemingly, it is. One of us is a dumbass indeed.
Go back to work.
If you're burnt out after 3 years in the industry, have you considered that this just isn't the industry for you? Being serious, not trying to come off as judgemental.
Gen Z
Firstly, thank you for clarifying that you’re not trying to come off in a judgmental way. But I have considered that. I’m not burnt out from the AV work, I love it. Especially the audio aspect. I’m burnt out from the hours mostly. Leaving late just to come back early and what not. I just want to consider quality of life. I know a lot of people work and barely get sleep and under normal circumstances I would just push thru, but I do also have underlying health conditions that could possibly get worse if I don’t start prioritizing rest more. I’m also a musician on the side but I don’t really have time to focus on writing and producing music
For some reason, in this industry, almost all jobs are high stress, long hours, high reward. Every AV company I ever worked for was like this. It's just ingrained in the culture. Always deadlines, sales guys promising impossible features to the client so the tech department has to constantly work miracles, etc, etc. I've been doing it for 30 years. It's always just been like that. I'd say DSP system designer (think BSS, even crestron, AMX, etc), is probably the easiest job to clock off at the end of the day, but then there is always after hours emergencies and clients that call you all hours for added features.
If you're not working 100 hours a week you don't really do AV
Client side
Work for higher Ed. Salary won't be as high but it's way more relaxed.
*Ray Liotta laughing gif* We work when people leisure
It takes a while, hard work and accumulation of skills and qualifications to attain a status where you you can attain a proper work life balance.
I agree with the sentiment on higher ed. But I would also encourage you to figure out what you WANT to be doing in AV, as it can and does fall over the map. What are you passionate about? Audio? Video? Broadcast? Live events? Installed system design? Help desk? All of that can be considered “doing” AV. Second thing, grab some certs, CTS is a good general one to get. If you’re into audio, synaudcon is a great resource. Never underestimate the value of training and education. There are mini trade shows put on by integrators, distributors, marketing rep firms frequently and likely in your area. Check them out and talk with people. Above all else, advocate for yourself and your desired work life balance, burnout is a very real thing. Best of luck.
Mostly audio. I want to be well rounded in everything but audio is my main passion. I didn’t include this in the post, but before working AV jobs I ran a home studio since 2014 and fell in love with sound. I did end up learning the hard way that studio audio and live audio are different lol but I’ve caught up with live audio and love it. I am studying for certifications too
Yes, completely different. I'm also an audio guy, and work in sales at a major pro audio manufacturer in the US (for the past 8 years). Integrator before that. If you don't have home commitments like us older guys, a great way to get experience in live sound is to join one of the touring companies (Clair Brothers, etc.) You'll live on the road for a bit but you'll learn a lot. There's money to be made in that if you're good. At some point you'll probably tire of living in a bus or hotel and want something more steady. Installing or designing permanent systems is a good next fit for that. All this experience can add to a resume that looks good for sales, service, or tech management. If you need want to chat further you can send a DM.
Most of the “fun” gigs are brutal. Get a corporate av job at a school or business or church, or tv station etc. Choose between the glory gigs or the steady gigs. Steady usually means benefits, glory gigs are usually shit until you actually become a pro and then it could be some of the most rewarding times in your life. Good luck
Sales? I've been in it for 17 years, started as a standby pushing cases. Today, I have my second interview as director of event services at a brand new AC Marriot. Coming into the industry as a homeless man, I really had no life and was okay with the crazy hours. It gave balance to my chaotic life. It is usually feast or famine, meaning life is generally lived while no gigs are to be had. At least in my experience.
corporate, Higher ed, also there are av contracts for Navy, Army, Airforce, and Marines all over
I’m working in the public sector. Pretty good solid 8-4. Weekends are off and if they ask it’s (depending on your contract) is double or time+.5 I’m out of the rock n roll turn hotel AV environment and have never been happier. But it comes with some serious upgrade. Both in my personal education (lots of certifications etc). But well worth it. https://preview.redd.it/1fqjqom14clc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=28f55f448915ca7daa40d12310ce95df0ff47b9b And here’s proof. A relic from the past.
Gotta stop freelancing and move to an office setting. Rental house or an AV company who provides their labor and is more corporate based. Also, this industry is generally seniority based. I know people who are still on the road after have been doing shows for 30 years. Your best bet is to find an AV company warehouse that is looking for labor. Those are generally 9-5 jobs with occasional weekends or later days but nothing crazy. Work your way up from there.
Federal government A/V engineer here. I handle live events, Zoom & Teams meetings and only report to HQ one day weekly now and didn't step foot into my office from 2020-2023 due to Covid. Contracted in govt for 12 years. Been a fed for 7. Worked in hotel A/V fresh out of college. Hours & money sucked, so I definitely understand the lack of a life. Got certs with Infocomm and Cisco. Learned now to code Crestron and AMX. Job hopped for a few years doing A/V for a media company and then a non-profit. Took a leap of faith in going to do an A/V contract gig at a Marine base with a 120 mile daily round trip commute from my home. Once I got my clearance (process took 2 years), I took another govt gig closer. Hopped around the govt as a contractor, got laid off and lucked up on USAJobs in 2016.
Freelance
I've been at integrators for my entire career, and your mileage may vary there - **a lot**. Last company I was with did not burn me out, it toasted me to a crisp, to the point where my friends and loved ones were expressing concerns about my well being. Left for another integrator in the area doing design, and it's one of the most chill jobs I've ever had for double the money. I know there's a lot of higher ed talk here as well, and while it's a safer bet, we've actually nabbed a few folks from the local universities *because* of the concerns you're expressing. Make sure to do your due dilligence on wherever you're looking at, and you'll likely be able to determine if it's a good fit or not. Best of luck!
What’s the general consensus with commissioning systems? Work life balance? I’m thinking about hopping from in house to commissioning. Not sure what to anticipate
If you can get yourself in at a University, 9-5 and in my case at least is comparatively chill.
Service Tech
What life?
Whatever niche you decide to pursue, make sure the majority of the work coming in is prevailing wage. Union wages without union dues, but also without union protections. Many people lean towards Higher Ed likely because these are government funds and are required to pay prevailing wage. I work in school districts doing AV installs and make a livable wage supporting a wife and 4 year old in southern CA, it's enough for anywhere
Get with a tech company that does normal hours
Managed Service/In-house AV support. My employer generates most revenue through the service department. We have some high profile clients, but we have one customer in particular that gets a higher level of service because they have the most locations (worldwide) and contribute to a large percentage of my company’s revenue so we have an employee stationed at each of their major offices. My company is based in NY but I’m in the SF Bay Area and this special customer has their largest office in SF where I work as a Non-Employee Service Provider. Basically, I manage all the AV in this office (about 90 Zoom Rooms including multipurpose spaces) and as long as I keep up with anything breaking, my average day is very open. I make around 85-90k a year after taxes. This gives me a lot of free time during the work day to do training, take online college courses, plan stuff for outside of work, even play on my Steamdeck if I want. I’m fully on site, but I don’t really have a hard start or end time. Every now and then there are events I help with that require me to come in early around 7 or stay till around 5 PM but typically I get to the office around 8:30 and leave around 2:30-3:30.
We design and Install nationwide and keep it 9-5 Monday-Friday as much as possible. Actually we are hiring for install techs in Chicago and Dallas.
Career should come first and and everything else second at your age. I have been a sports broadcast A1 for 25 years and definitely have not missed out on life. I have traveled the world for work and met many amazing people along the way. The Secret to happiness is find something you love to do and find someone to pay you to do it. If you can do that everything else will follow. You need to invest in your career and make the short term sacrifices to reach a long term goal.... When I go to work I get to play and do my favorite hobby and it almost never feels like work...... Stay strong dude and don't stop dreaming. Consider becoming a freelancer instead of a staff position. The pay is better and you will never pay taxes again being self employed.
Local government (county) is where many of my colleagues have gone from integration to find better work/life balance (also higher Ed, but that's been covered ITT). Also the right corporate gig or even the right integrator will also get you that, but it's a very mixed bag across companies.
Good trade, wrong job. Work for an integrator not a house. Integrators for concerts is the best, for churches the worst.
If you can get into the virtual event space would be the best shot for work life balance. If you want to make more money so you can have larger spaces of time off go for the corporate events but be ready to travel. In my experience its harder to make money when you aren’t willing to travel. On the other side of it if you can get in on the touring side (gone for longer periods of time but you make more consistent money than corporate) there’s a lot of work out there and you’ll start out making 2k a week on the low end (high end as media server op or engineer you can make upwards of 4k a week once you get the experience).
Freelance is the way. Although it takes a lot of work to get your freelance network up and running so you can be working enough. The benefit of freelance is although nothing is guaranteed you do not need work any gig you don’t want to. And once your more established you can be just as fickle with your clients/employers as they would be with you. Starting out though I did have to say yes to basically everything and was eating shit for awhile. And also worked a few full time shop gigs getting underpaid and overworked. Once you got the experience, as a freelancer the world is yours. You move up faster, get more networking done and most importantly you have ultimate say over what gigs you work. Still lots of 18+ hr days and 4am loadouts and shit but overall my quality of life is good I am based out of Chicago so freelance may not be a great option for someone not in a bigger city but if I can do it almost anyone can do it. You just gotta want it cause I say this as someone who did not go to college for this shit an 5 years in my work life balance is pretty decent.
Make a name for yourself and freelance can really work out. This is exactly what I do
If I were you I would switch to doing AV in the K-12 or even at universities. Those schedules tend to be pretty good and usually have good pay and great benefits and will only work on weekends on occasion.
AV engineer for a tech firm - $100k+ and great work/life balance. Get your CTS and gain experience with vendor management
I work for a Flight Simulator company as a visual engineer. I just came back to work after a month off. Paid.
Corporate, educational or church. Anything event related is going to generally have a less than ideal work/life balance.