My Typical Day

A typical day for a technician or pest controller is dictated by the season. In the busy season, one could easily see 12-16 services a day. Whether the services are scheduled or not, we need to understand that no service is the same and without fail, 20% never go according to plan. You could have an easy day of nothing but our regular recurring services, which include general inspections and foundation treatments. We run the gambit of calls on a day, with ant treatments, bees, and wasps, trying to find where mice and rats are nesting all while picking the correct placement of traps. We are given 4 hour bed bug treatments, wild life exclusions, and time consuming termite work. While every tech has their respective skill sets, each route is tailored for the individuals skills. Your typical day in pest control is never actually very typical. Insects, rodents, and wildlife do not think the same, so every service requires some thought and technique.

Pros

The pros certainly outweigh the negatives for me. Pros are apparent right from the start. You are on your own all day long and if you do your work accordingly to plan and per protocol, you are left alone. Your desire and skill set dictate the flow of your day. Aside from getting to satisfaction of working hard and solving problems, you are also helping people rid themselves of pest on a daily basis. Fears of insects and rodents can be crippling and knowing that I can help alleviate some stress for a person, makes the tough days worth it.

Cons

The only cons that I can think of, are some customers that can be difficult, but we deal with that wherever we go. Everything else is relative to how you look at things. The days can be long, but again, one can make their day move more fluid with proper planning.

Advice to aspiring Pest Controllers

The pest control industry is easier to get into than one would imagine. Most of the companies who hire prospective employees, do not require experience. While experience is always welcomed, sometimes having a clean slate is nice as our protocols and methods tend to be different from other companies. This usually lends to the experienced person falling back to what they know and not acknowledging our processes. Regarding what is needed for one to take on a route and begin their career in pest control, you need to have an open mind and need to be willing to learn. Pest controllers need to follow state and federal regulations, comply with label instructions, and maintain licensing in multiple categories. There are many methods of treatment, protocols, and countless pests that an individual needs to be trained on. We provide said training as well as educational tools to prepare one for state exams for licensing.

I just ask that any prospective pest controller consider that while this business is interesting, educational, and rewarding, it can be challenging at times. Consider how much driving can occur in a day. Understand that this industry is as much about people skills and customer service, as it is exterminating pests. The business is driven by word of mouth, customer reviews, and customer experience. We also ask people to understand, that they will get dirty, we are in all-weather elements and the seasons and pests dictate our routes. Pest control is not like what it is usually depicted on television; making us out to be lower educated people who just spray bugs. There is science and strategy behind our work.

Pest Control Technician – Avery Addison

Addison Pest Contol

My Typical Day My typical workday as a pest control technician starts between 8am and 9am. I clock in on our time tracking app and I look at my list o … Read More