How to Hire Technicians for Your Plumbing or HVAC Company

Ryan Redding • January 18, 2021
how to hire plumbers, how to hire hvac service techs
When you decided to start your own home services company, I bet you were looking forward to being your own boss. What you might not have considered is how much of a pain in the ass it can be to be someone else’s boss. 

I’m not talking about the HR paperwork and the scheduling and the payroll taxes—although none of that is particularly fun. I’m talking about how tricky it is to find the right people to begin with. The kind who’ll actually show up and do the work. Correctly. The first time. And stick around to do it again tomorrow.

If you’re having trouble finding those kinds of techs, you’re not alone. In fact, 8 in 10 contractors are having trouble finding skilled workers right now. Know what that means? It means the shop across town isn’t just competing against you for jobs; they’re competing against you for the best employees, too. 

Here are 11 tips to help you win that game.

#1 Define your ideal service tech.

Yes, I know you want someone who’s good with a wrench. But what else? 

The truth is, just because someone has plumbing or HVAC expertise doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be a great tech for you. They also need to be good to your customers, get along with the rest of your crew, have some initiative, and, you know, shower on a regular basis.

So grab a piece of paper, and start writing a description of your ideal tech. Think about attitude, work ethic, personality, leadership skills, experience, and certifications.

Then, decide which of those characteristics are non-negotiable, and make that clear in your job description. And here’s a pro-tip: Don’t go crazy with the non-negotiables. You’re looking for the right person first, and the right tech second. Competency can be taught; character and chemistry can’t.

#2: Start your search for home services techs now.

Don’t wait until you’re already having trouble meeting customer demand to start looking for new techs. Start hiring people before you actually need them.

I know that seems risky, but the hiring process always, always takes longer than you think it will, and you don’t want to be caught with your phones ringing off the hook and no way to meet your customers’ needs.

Plus, if you’re slammed, that means your competitors are, too, which means they’re also trying to find the best people. Don’t you want to beat them to the punch? And if you’re desperately searching for help, you’ll be tempted to shrug off red flags and end up with a dud tech—or worse.

Honestly, the best policy is to always be hiring. Never, ever pass on a good tech just because you “don’t need another one right now.”

So what if you’re already slammed? We’ll get there in #5.

#3: Post your HVAC or plumbing job listing everywhere, not just in the newspaper.

Newspaper ads are expensive and don’t have the reach they once did. So, get creative and think about where else your ideal techs may be looking and with whom they may be talking:
  • Craigslist
  • Social media
  • Tech schools and community/junior colleges
  • Job fairs
  • Current employees
  • Former employees (with whom you have a good relationship)
  • Job posting sites such as Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and SimplyHired
  • Job Corps
  • Military career assistance services, like Transition To Trades
Notice that list does not include your competitors’ employees. Although some shops try to “steal” techs from one another, we don’t recommend that approach. Not only is it arguably unprofessional, but it’s also likely to end badly. After all, if a tech’s willing to be wooed away from one shop, they’ll likely be snatched away from yours at some point.

#4 Make your job posting enticing.

Your potential technicians are human beings who are hoping to find a great place to work. So, without going overboard, sell yourself.  

The truth is, candidates are interviewing you, just as much as you’re interviewing them. As you’re writing your job post, don’t just think about the type of tech you’re hoping to hire. Instead, think about the type of work environment your ideal tech is hoping to find. 

If you’re not sure where to start, ask your current team what they love most about working for you. (See #9 for some specific ideas.) If you’re feeling especially snazzy, create a 45-60-second highlight video that gives people a sense of your work culture.

#5 Be a Google reviews rockstar.

Now, you're probably wondering: why on earth do Google reviews matter for job hiring?

Fair question.

Let me ask you this:

Would you rather work for a 5-star company, or a 3.2-star company?

I rest my case.

#6: Simplify your application process to get the best home services hires.

The job market for plumbing and HVAC techs right now is nuts. Basically, if someone’s even remotely employable and they want a job, they’re going to have multiple options. So make it easy for them to choose you.

One way to do that is to way, way simplify your application process. For example, there’s a clear negative correlation between the length of a job application and the likelihood of an applicant completing it. So make sure your application is:
  • Short. You don’t need to ask for nitty-gritty details on an initial application. Start with the basics, and then collect things like references and social security numbers when you know you’re interested. 
  • Easy to navigate. Most people, regardless of age, are looking for jobs using their mobile devices. So make sure your app is online and mobile-friendly.
The bottom line is, if your process is too lengthy or complex, you risk losing the best candidates before you even get their contact information. 

#7: When you interview plumbing or HVAC techs, ask meaningful questions.

It can be tricky to assess someone’s character and work ethic in an interview. I mean, if you ask someone if they’re a hard worker, what’re they gonna say, “Nah. I’m actually kind of lazy”? Of course not. 

So try to get an accurate read on your applicant by asking them more creative questions than, “What’s your biggest fault?” Here are a few to get you started:
  • How do you like to be managed?
  • What motivates you?
  • What do you least like about your current job? 
  • What does it mean to go “above and beyond” for customers?
  • If a customer is unhappy with something you’ve done, how do you respond?
  • Describe your ideal working environment, including coworkers.
  • Talk about a time when you made a mistake on a job.
  • What would your best friends say is their least favorite thing about you?

#8: Don't rush the hiring process.

Make this your mantra: Hire slow, fire fast. 

If your phone’s ringing off the hook and you need help now, you should nevertheless take your time and engage in some conversations. Do not rely on a paper application to tell you the whole story about a potential employee. The only way to assess the soft skills I mentioned earlier—personality, attitude, character—is to have a face-to-face conversation. 

Of course, people can snow you in an interview, too. So take the time to check references. By talking with previous employers, you’ll be able to fact-check when you’ve heard from the applicant and get a read on the person’s skills and abilities. To make your conversations with references as helpful as possible, consider asking them to rank your applicant on specific skills and traits. That will help you get more meaningful information than, “They were great to work with.”

And again, you can teach skills far easier than you can teach things like honesty and initiative. So if you have an applicant with an impressive skill-set but something just doesn’t seem quite right, trust your gut and keep looking. 

#9: Be transparent about what it’ll be like to work for you.

Don’t promise more than you can actually give, but don’t hide the good stuff, either. For example, don’t hint around about overtime if your current techs aren’t getting it. But if you offer opportunities for advancement, say so. If your work culture is a bit wonky, be up front about that.

Above all, don’t dance around when it comes to compensation. Tell people early in the process what they can expect for pay and benefits. Applicants who know what they’re getting into are more likely to stick around.

#10: When hiring home services techs, make a competitive offer.

“You get what you pay for” applies to all sorts of things—including service technicians. So yes, offer highly competitive wages. 

But don’t stop there. Highlight the other perks of working for your shop: family environment, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, competent management, recognition opportunities, and so on. In other words, be the kind of shop you’d want to work for. (And guess what? These things do more than attract new talent to your team; they also help you keep your existing techs.)

#11: Don't ignore under-performing employees.

Nothing irks high-caliber employees more than slackers. If you have under-performing employees, develop performance improvement plans. If those plans aren’t successful, find new help. 

You can usually pretty quickly determine if you’ve hired a dud. So implement a 30- or 60-day “trial” period on all new employees so you have an easy (and potentially less emotionally charged) “out” if you need it.

#12: Have excellent "employee service."

If you want to grow your client base, you’ll need to offer outstanding customer service. And if you want to retain good techs, you’ll need to be the kind of boss people want to work for. 

Care about your techs as people not just as employees. Celebrate birthdays. Be generous with your atta-boy and atta-girl speeches. Avoid the temptation to micro-manage. Invest in your techs by providing education and advancement opportunities. Surprise and delight them, and they’ll stick around for the long haul. Develop your people. 

Some employers push back at these ideas with this: “What if I invest all that money and time in people and they decide to leave?” My answer? “What if you don’t develop your people, and they decide to stay?”

It’s never, ever a mistake to care for your employees and help them become better versions of themselves. It always pays off in the long run. And if you can earn a reputation as THE plumbing or HVAC shop to work for, you’ll be unstoppable. 

How to Know If You’re Ready to Hire Another Tech

Even if you’re drowning in work, you may be feeling uneasy about adding to your team. What if you hire too soon and you end up having to lay someone off right away? You can actually pretty quickly determine if now is the right time to hire by looking at some key performance indicators. I’ve helped tons of shops make these critical decisions, and I’d be honored to help you, too. 

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Ryan Redding

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