Keeping up with the Joneses has become a standard of living for most people in a neighborhood. There is this need to have the best looking yard in the neighborhood, or to at least look just as good as the best. Even being on par with the average neighbor is important. Why? The reason for this is because it keeps the value of the properly in the neighborhood up and gives it a sense of uniformity.

As a result, the lawn care industry seems to be growing. Try and spend a day looking outside without seeing some landscaping or lawn company driving down your street to work on someone’s lawn. You might even be a customer yourself. As this industry sees more customers, more openings will appear. This is great for a job seeker.

Most of these positions do not require any special level of education. There is room in this industry for people of all types of skills. Unfortunately, in most locations, this is a seasonal position if you work in the field. This means that when it is winter and snow on the ground, there is no work so you will be laid off during that time of year.

Job Opportunities

Here are some employment opportunities that you can find within this industry:

Lawn Care Technician: The technician must be able to diagnose a client’s problem and prepare a plan to remedy it and prevent it. They are the people who apply the treatments to the lawn. They are sometimes asked to help upsell certain products for their company. The technician applies fertilizer and pesticides. They must do so in accordance with the previously agreed upon schedule and in accordance with their company’s safety procedures. They should follow up all the labels to be sure that everything is being applied properly to maximize effectiveness. They should promptly return calls to customers if there are any questions about the services that they provided. They are also responsible for applying a variety of pesticides, and must do so properly to ensure everyone’s safety. While a high school diploma is not required, it is preferred. It is also preferred that a technician has customer service and sales skills. They might have to do heavy lifting on this job, around 50lbs. The technician needs to have a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record, and must be able to pass random drug tests. They could earn around $23,000 a year in this position.

Landscaper: A landscaper is responsible for making a person’s lawn look aesthetically pleasing. They perform maintenance and grounds keeping responsibilities, including mowing lawns and weeding. When doing so, they must be careful of any plants or flowers that are planted in the lawn to avoid mowing over them. A landscaper might also plant flowers, shrubs and trees according to their customer’s orders. They also perform duties like creating brick walling for flower beds or other usage of materials for landscaping needs. They will rake leaves during fall and sometimes shovel snow during winter. They apply mulch and other landscaping materials requested by the customer. They install things like landscaping ponds and fountains, as well as any lighting requested. They will water the lawn and flowers for their customer. Sometimes they are required to put down fertilizer. There is no level of education required to obtain this type of employment, aside from on the job training. A landscaper can earn around $11 per hour.

Sales Representative: A sales representative is primarily responsible for bringing in new clients to the company. A sales person must be familiar with the services and products that their company offers so that they can properly inform clients and sell services adequately. Sometimes they will go out to customer’s houses to help gives quotes. This might mean measuring lawns and diagnosing potential issues. This will also mean suggesting preventative measures to ensure that their client’s lawn is perfect so that their company keeps customers. They will also keep in contact with current clients to make sure that they are satisfied with all the services and products that they are receiving and to potentially upsell other services. A high school diploma or equivalent is necessary for this position. Some sales reps might be required to have a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record. Previous sales experience is not require but is definitely preferred, as well as previous experience in this industry. A sales representative can earn around $15 per hour, not including commission or bonuses for meeting or exceeding sales quotas.

Supervisor: The supervisor will be responsible for ensuring that their staff completes their jobs properly and in accordance with company policies. They often check in to ensure the landscaping looks like it was done properly and according to the invoice. They might often check in on their technicians to ensure that the right chemicals were applied as request. They check in while chemicals are being applied to ensure that the technician is applying them in accordance with company policies. If there are any issues with a completed job, the supervisor is responsible for handling the customer and finding a resolution that makes all parties involved happy. They train new staff on how to complete their job and any company procedures that are necessary to follow for their position. They must have all licenses and certification required by their state. A high school diploma is required, as well as a minimum of 2 years of college experience. A bachelor’s degree in business, horticulture or a related field is often preferred. They can earn around $36,000 a year.

Job Outlook

The job outlook is estimated to grow around 11%. This is the same as the national average across other industries. Even though often in some fields they get laid off after the season is over, there is always a position in this field. This is because there is a need to upkeep the curbside appeal for both residential and commercial areas.