hey everyone!

i'm wondering how someone can get their foot in the door in the Home Theater Installation industry? I love Home Theater stuff & would love to get into the field. I have mostly been in Customer Support/Tech Support positions in my career - but am looking for a change. I would appreciate any insight or advice on how to get into the business. Thanks so much!!!!

Find a company and apply for a job...

This is really a very interesting question that I wish could get some good insight. I have been working in computer/healthcare consulting for 4 years now but my passion is in movies and home theater systems. I, too, would love to get into this profession but feel that I am way behind the curve since I didn't take "acoustical engineering" in college, etc. I've checked with a couple of home theater stores and they require a minimum of several years "experience" to even be hired as a sales rep. If I were to simply find a company and apply, how could I possibly justify that simply loving movies and really wanting to get into home theater design, home automation installation, etc. warrants hiring me? Please provide insight folks, not all of us have been doing this for years....and need some help getting started! Thanks!!!!!

I agree with the other post "find a company and apply". I started four years ago in a entry level position (pre wire) since then I have increased my pay 4X . the key is to learn all you can and not be afraid to move to new companies. The industry is kinda like the web development companies a few years ago. Good techs are hard to find and if you know your stuff you can demand top dollar. I started with a Large California integration company Security, structured wiring , whole house audio. But they did track homes and that work sucks.. You want to be in customs the budget is huge (I do $150,000 to $200,000 jobs often)and the work is alot better. Besides with a large budget you get to play with all the cool new toys...
I love this industry

I'm a high school dropout, And am now a Systems Programmer For a large Home theatre company....

I did the same thing. I started with a company that didn't do a lot of custom work just so I could learn and get some experience and now I work for a company that does all custom and pays me a lot better. For starters, try to get on with a corporate company that will pay for your training, then move on to the custom places.

Will every installer/programmer that went to college for this please raise their hands??? Ummm I don't see many hands...I think most of the people in this industry are blue collar people that have enough interest and pride in what they do to climb up the ladder in this field. When I was a kid I pulled apart my dads VCR to see why it made funny noises and how it worked. I built my first transmission line subwoofer (Powered with an old tube amp and a 14" Woofer....yes it was 14") when I was 14 years old with a buddy of mine just to see if it would sound nice. The point I'm trying to make is the fact that you love home theaters and movies doesn't mean you'd like this line of work. You have to LOVE figuring out how it all works together and it it always nice to have an imagination on how to make stuff work. I have met people in the industry that only like the final product and none of the stuff involved in making it work the way it should. But if you are a gadjet geek like most of us are, and looking at a wall that looks like it just puked out 500 wires doesn't overwhelm you (too much)then apply for a job somewhere. I was a heavy equipment mechanic in the Air Force for 7 years before a friend of mine got me a job doing this and I love what I do.

Do you like crawling through the dirt in crawl spaces, or do you like being in an attic on a hot summer day, covered in insulation? This is the reality of a custom installer. Sure there are the days when you're working with some cool stuff, but they can be few and far between. After being in the industry for over 14 years now, I have seen many people come and go. It takes a special kind of person to work in the custom world. This is not a nine to five job. In order to overcome the everchanging technology you need to be one step ahead. Read, Read, Read. Remember it's the work behind all that fancy equipment that makes a true custom person.

True that CW! Funny how well that insulation works ain't it. I'd would never have guessed it could get so COLD in the attic before my custom install days.

I have been in the business for a number of years. Find a reputable company to get your foot in the door, stay with it, listen and learn. Get involved with CEDIA. It is a fun business to be in and you can make a decent living, while having fun....

CW hit the nail right on the head. I see alot of guys who walk in the door and think that custom installation is playing with gadgets and working in large and expensive homes. There are years of "dues" to pay before you can be a well rounded and skilled professional installer. Like CW said, READ everything, subscribe to trade mags, make a science project out of your own home system...ABSORB knowledge like a sponge.

what trade magazines do you guys subscribe to out of curiosity?

I also agree with cw, this kind of work will put you to the test.. from the very tops of 4 story houses to the muddy clay build up, you need to want to get dirty, yah the perks are playing with all the high end toys, but that is usualy only 10 percent of the job. I used to supervise remodels of Rite Aids, so good luck!

the problem with high end stores is that they don't want to pay,,they sell systems for 100 grand each and they want a guy to install it ,program it and everything for less than $20 an hour!

the best way to go is to get into doing commercial systems, thats where the money is at and you don't usually work weekends and they break it down,,they have installers, project managers and programmers, they are not the same person.

some a/v companies will hire you if you can carry a toolbox,,the best way to learn is judt work at one of these places,,plus the pay is so much better and you'll learn alot more than puting a dvd player in some guys house

Are you familiar with CEDIA (Custom Electronics Installers and Designers Association)? www.cedia.com. go to their shows and educational forums and network with others in the biz. Read..Think..DO..have integrity.