What Does It Take to Become a Residential Locksmith in Houston, TX?

Not everyone knows what they want to be when they grow up, and that’s okay. At some point, you may take an interest in locks—how they work, how to install them, how to fix them. If you want to become a residential locksmith in Houston, TX, read on. Here are some tips to help you reach your career goals:

• Do your research: No matter what locksmith specialty you’re interested in—residential, commercial, automotive or safes—you should first conduct some of your own research into the industry. In a nutshell, locksmiths install, replace and repair locks for homes, buildings, vehicles and safes. Some know how to make duplicate keys for all types of locks. Before deciding that locksmithing is the career for you, you should also check out the average amount of hours you are likely to work and how much money you can expect to make working as a locksmith in your area.
• Take classes: You don’t need formal education to become a locksmith, but the job does require extensive training, apprenticeships and on-the-job experience to get officially certified as a locksmith. You need to learn code cutting and how to rekey locks, pick locks and change safe combinations, as well as take courses on business management.
• Land an apprenticeship: Depending on where you live in the United States, apprenticeships may be as long as four years, and many are unpaid positions. This option can be in place of classroom training or in conjunction with coursework. Doing both can improve your chances of being hired. While unpaid, apprenticeships provide hands-on training in every aspect of the locksmith business, including the administrative side. Do your best to choose a mentor who’s licensed and/or certified, even if neither are required by state law.
• Get your license: Some states require locksmiths to obtain a state-issued license before they can begin providing services. The purpose of a license is to protect customers and maintain standards in the locksmith profession. Typically, your state will want you to submit a written application, pass a background check and enter your fingerprints into state and federal databases.
• Get certified: Unlike some states requiring locksmiths to hold a license, obtaining certification is not a legal requirement in the locksmith industry. Certifications do, however, give you more credibility and can increase your earning potential.
• Consider a focus: In many areas, locksmith services are highly competitive. If you want to stand out in your field, consider learning a specialty rather than sticking to general skills. You can pursue this during or after your formal training. For example, you can become a residential or commercial locksmith, or focus on providing automotive locksmith services.
• Improve various skills: To become a successful and highly sought-after locksmith, you must possess more than just locksmithing skills. You also need mechanical knowledge and good hand-eye coordination to perform your job well. The best locksmiths are also personable, with excellent customer service skills.

Express Locksmith is your go-to residential locksmith in Houston, TX for general lock services and emergencies. Call us today for assistance!

Categorised in: Residential Locksmith