YES! You CAN Recruit GREAT, Long-Term Service Employees
Struggling to recruit top techs? Stop waiting for them to apply—go get them! Learn how to recruit the right way and build a service team that drives your business forward.
KickStart: The Very Best Employees may already be working but that shouldn’t halt your recruiting efforts. Change your perspective to find the “right” staff.
If I had a nickel for every time a residential service provider has told me, “I keep posting job ads and no one decent ever applies!” I’d be driving a service van made of solid gold! But let’s stop blaming the workforce for a second and…
Get real about what’s going on:
The people who want to work? As in…
Your “Very Best” career candidates are already working!
That tech you dream of — experienced, reliable, great with customers, takes pride in their work — yeah, he or she isn’t browsing “help wanted” boards. They’re already out there, sweating in someone’s crawlspace.
So if your entire recruiting strategy is “post and pray”?🙏🏼🙏🏼 Then SORRY — you’re fishing in the wrong pond! Time to focus on a…
New strategy- ROAR: Reach Out And Recruit.
This means you have to go get the talent you want — not wait around hoping they magically land in your inbox!
BUT HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS: Things Have Shifted — And You Have an Opportunity
You and everyone in the residential trades are all in the same boat. Just for kicks, let’s use the enormous HVAC industry as an example.
Thanks to the ever-changing job market chaos, at any given moment there are actually a lot of solid folks who are being forced out of stable jobs. People who showed up, worked hard, did things right… and got laid off anyway! 😥
They’re not lazy.
They’re not “job-hoppers.”
They’re just looking for a real opportunity — not another insecure, dead-end gig.
So here you are, running a good HVAC company with a stable client base and plenty of work. You’ve got the trucks, the leads, a few decent techs — but you need the right people to help you grow.
Guess what? You and your stable, family-oriented HVAC business might be the answer they’ve been hoping for.
But — and it’s a big but...
A Great Tech Will ONLY Stick Around for a Great Company
Here’s the thing. The kind of person you want to hire — I call them Very Best People or VBP’s — they’ve got options. The VBP can sniff out a lousy company culture from a mile away.
If your shop’s a mess…
If you’ve got drama in your team…
If your tools are junk and your trucks are falling apart…
They’re out. Top performers won’t stay in a place that doesn’t feel right. And more importantly, they won’t even start unless they believe in what you're building.
So before you start chasing VBPs, you have to ask yourself honestly:
“Are we a Very Best Company?”
If not yet, no shame in that — but don’t expect A-players to line up for a C-level opportunity. (And yes, I’ve got a 9-step framework to help you become a VBC. Heck, this sounds like a whole ‘nother KickStart!) 🤔
Okay, You THINK You’ve Found a Keeper!
You’ve Got Your Act Together. (Thanks to my Hiring the Very Best training?) 😁 You Bring a Great Candidate In... Now what?
Here’s the part most shops screw up: They get a solid resume, do a quick phone screen, maybe a 30-minute chat, and then toss out a job offer like a free T-shirt.
Wrong approach.
Hiring a top technician isn’t a transaction — it’s a courtship. Both parties here (you as the employer and a great job candidate) need to romance the other side. (Not in a weird way. In a respect-driven way.)
Here’s how to do it right:
✅ Step 1: Move Fast
If someone seems like a strong fit, don’t let wait on you. Call them right away. Text them. Get the ball rolling. Say something like:
“Hey Charlie, I saw your resume and I’m impressed. I’d like to schedule a meeting to talk shop and see if we’re a good fit for each other. I can fit you in at exactly 10:15 tomorrow? Will this time work for you?”
Notice the wording: exactly 10:15. Not “around 10ish.”
Why? Because this exact phrasing sets a clear expectation right away. Think about it- if a job applicant is late for a job interview for a new job, what will their future performance be like? 😡
Remember too, part of being a Very Best employer is you are precise on appointments too! After all, if you’re not casual about customer appointments, don’t be casual about hiring commitments either.
✅ Step 2: Set the Tone and Start Strong
Right from that first call, start treating the candidate like a pro. Say something like:
“Charlie, I’ve dug into your background, and I like what I see! This isn’t just a quick chat — it’s a serious step in our hiring process. I always set aside about 2 hours for a candidate with potential, but we might not need all of it.”
And here’s a pro move... If it’s going well during the interview, around 11:30 you say:
“You know what, I’m enjoying this conversation — how about we grab lunch? There’s a good spot nearby. My treat.”
Why lunch? Because how a Career Candidate acts in public says a lot about how they’ll act in front of your customers. Pay attention to how they treat the host, the server, other diners. And yeah, check out their personal vehicle in the parking lot. Is it clean? Organized? Or a rolling junkyard?
ProTIP: How they treat their own stuff is how they’ll treat your stuff.
✅ Step 3: Encourage Them Check You Out, Too
Don’t assume your company sells itself — even if it should. Say:
“Charlie, I’m sending you a link to our careers page and our Google reviews. Take a look. Talk to your friends, ask around. I want you to feel great about where you’re potentially headed.”
If they’re a VBP, they’ve already looked you up. But telling them to do so displays your confidence, transparency and pride in your VBC!
✅ Step 4: Make It Personal and Keep the Door Open
Give them a real point of contact — you. Say:
“Charlie, I’m calling from my personal cell. Go ahead and save the number. If anything comes up or you’ve got questions, reach out anytime. I’m looking forward to seeing you at 10:15 tomorrow. Don’t be late now!” (Laugh a little.)
This tiny moment of shared humor can build real trust and (forgive me) “KickStart” a friendship!
The KickStart Bottom Line:
🛑STOP Engaging In “Desperation Hiring”!
Look — I get it. You’ve got calls stacking up. You’re buried in installs. You need a body in that truck yesterday. But if you go back to your old hiring habits — warm body, quick offer, fingers crossed — you’ll pay for it later. Remember…
You don’t want a tech who shows up for the paycheck and checks out mentally by lunchtime. You want a VBP who fits your culture, treats customers right, and sticks with you through thick and thin.
Hiring the “right person” will impact for good OR bad:
Your profits
Your team dynamic
Your stress level
Your sanity
So, take your time. Be intentional. Set the bar higher. And start treating your hiring process like it’s just as important as your biggest install — because honestly, it is!
Need help becoming a “Very Best Company”?
Subscribe and follow me here. Together, let’s build a team that makes you proud to put your name on the van. 💪
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