The HVAC industry plays a vital role in ensuring comfortable indoor environments, making the recruitment of skilled service and installation technicians essential. Recruiting and retaining top-notch technicians is especially true for those firms that practice a system-performance approach to HVAC contracting.
However, recruiting top-tier talent and retaining them can be difficult. With that in mind, we spoke to several High-Performance HVAC™ contractors to determine how they address these challenges. Ultimately, they all agree that success requires HVAC contractors to develop and implement effective strategies to attract and retain skilled technicians.
They also say that recruiting is not a one-and-done project: it must be an active and ongoing process that starts with some basics, such as crafting clear job descriptions that outline the responsibilities, qualifications, and expectations for the role.
Jose Montes of Kennihan Plumbing and Heating in Valencia, PA, says they use a third-party recruiting firm to help.
“We use Hire Dimensions and have job postings running all year long. Even when we are not looking, we conduct interviews to establish rapport with potentially good candidates who we can go back to when the need arises,” he says.
Many such third-party firms can help you attract technician candidates and screen them.
Butch Mellot from, ComfortMaster Inc., Nicholasville, KY, concurs. He says, “Employee recruitment and retention is a continual part of business just as is pursuing customers. We must continually foster growth and direction to improve employee skills and maintain a sense of accomplishment and desire.”
With this in mind, here are some tips that Jose, Butch, and others say help them to win the recruitment game.
Develop a Strong Employer Brand
The contractors we spoke to say building a reputable employer brand is essential for attracting top talent in the HVAC industry. By showcasing your company’s commitment to employee development, safety standards, competitive compensation packages, and positive work culture, you may find top-level technicians approaching you.
“We ask all technician candidates what brought them to our company,” says Greg Wallace of Progressive Heating, Air, and Plumbing, Noonan, GA. “They almost always talk about how great our online reputation is. As a matter of fact, one of our technicians — who eventually became our service manager — came to us because of our online reviews. He was new to our area and thought it was best to research feedback on companies before choosing where to apply.”
Online reputation refers to customer reviews and stories about your company, people, and service. Wallace and Montes say they use social media, their company websites, and online job platforms to highlight customer AND employee testimonials, success stories, and career advancement opportunities.
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