My biggest tip is to take a deep breath and relax, focus on one thing at a time and always trust your gut. Always be sure of what your doing, if the inspector says hey just jump here to here or do it this way, make sure you know exactly what your about to do and its right. An inspection is essentially nothing more than a collection of smaller individual tests on certain parts of the elevator. How I work with inspectors I've known for years is a little different (faster) than a new inspector. New inspectors ill just say, ok where do you want to start? Then, ok what would you like to see next? And let him tell me what tests he wants to see.
And of course, never offer anything. If the inspector doesn't ask, don't make your life more difficult by offering. Over time you'll learn what each inspector wants to see and what they dont really care about.
Having a construction background helps tremendously in your depth of understanding.
One other thing I tell all my helpers about inspections, I think it's one of the most critical things, is to always be completely honest. The trust and reputation you build with the inspectors is critical and anything not good spreads like wildfire. We are a small trade and everyone talks. If you try to lie or cheat something and get caught it can cost you in trust and hard inspections for a long time.
Even if I check something small like a restrictor and It doesn't work, and I know my inspector didn't see it and would never know, I turn around and say hey that didn't work. Sometimes I have a minute to fix it real quick, sometimes it just gets written up. Always remember (for the most part) it's not your fault if something is written up on an annual, your jobs to perform the test for the inspector to witness. Don't ruin your reputation just to try to get one elevator to pass for a company that would replace you tomorrow if it needed to. You may end up wearing many shirts throughout your career but your reputation follows you everywhere.
I started in the trade in 1981. My first 12 years were in construction and I enjoyed every day of it. I was given the opportunity to take a service route out near LAX in 1993. I was enjoying construction whether hydro install or traction. I hated Beverly Hills no start till 8am law. Anyway, twelve years in construction and the last twenty two in service. Nerve racking at first, call duty petrified me early on, but you’ve made the right move. I was fortunate to have two great seasoned mechanics nearby. While my old construction buddy’s were off due to rain, or equipment delays or whatever, I never missed a beat, and slowly learned the “ropes” of service. Best career move in the best trade anywhere. Today, my knees and back thank me for making that switch. Congrats on your new job, and a true statement from EElevator- your reputation will not only follow you, it might well proceed you in your career.
Again, best to you.