Like the other guys say, the best thing is experience. To get experience, you have to break stuff....and learn from it. If you can ride with an experienced guy, find out what he broke and save yourself doing the same thing.
Even if you're short on technical knowledge, just do a good job, don't take shortcuts, and ask yourself, "What if it was my house? What would I like?" Don't leave a customer unhappy....they will screw you.
Get organized. Find out how other guys do things and why....organize your truck, your toolpouch...this will save you going back to your truck for a connector or tool every five minutes. And set up your route in the morning.....one less thing to think about when you're driving between calls.
Count your money. When I did installs full time, I knew after every call, every day, every week, how much money I made. That way you can figure out what makes you the most money in the shortest time (find out what pays best and sell the crap out of it!), you won't be surprised on payday, and you won't get stiffed without knowing it.
Finally, keep learning! Learn new tricks and trades. Doing installs is hard.....most guys burn out between 5-10 years. If you can learn how to do phone, fiber, wireless, or home networking skills, you can pick up side jobs and be ready for the ever-changing future. 10 years ago, cable modems barely existed. Some people got in early and made tons of money. Now cable modem installs are a dime a dozen.....I think home networking will be the next big thing (integrating voice, video, data, security, entertainment, comfort into one system). Who knows?
If you have more questions, email me at (-REDACTED-)
Cheers!
