What do you look for in hiring Tech skills first or Aptltude

[lankford]

My number one is honest.

Number two is hard working.

Then low voltage abilities.

I am pretty good at taking those 3 and turning them into a pretty good tech over a busy summer.

What are you looking for.

[mofotech]

Trade school graduate at minimal..

[lankford]

My latest hire was out of Tech school, one of the better ones in the area... pretty bright kid and really loves it... but he had almost no idea about the refrigeration cycle when he first started.

It's almost like they flip through the books and have them memorize a couple things here and there, but they have no idea about design temps etc.

Fortunately, I am pretty good at bringing them up to speed on that, but can't tell you how much it hurts to watch the fresh ones start to reach into a live cabinet with both hands like they are going for a fresh bag of M&Ms.

[pageyjim]

It depends on the immediate need but anyone bright who communicates well and with a drive to learn can do well.

I might take the person described above over a trade school graduate that is an OK tech with a couple years of work experience who has probably developed some bad habits already.

[shellkamp]

Honesty with a side of mechanical aptitude and desire to learn. Experience level can be irrelevant

But they need to be thrown in a truck with an experienced guy as a legitimate apprentice, not simply a tool gopher that doesn't get any real training, and definitely not just given a crash course and then thrown in their own truck to run maintenance calls.



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[lankford]

Our company is pretty small and one guy has been there over 30 years and all the customers love him... our lead tech has been there about 15 years, but he is having some serious health problems and has been out for over 2 months. I think he's pretty much done and I am trying to help him get disability but it's a major blow to his "manhood". I get it, but I don't want to find him dead under a customers house and he just won't quit. Hard to find a replacement for that kind of drive / love for the job.

I basically have 2 positions I look for.

1) an awesome tech that can sell, not a salesman that can fix things. It fits our style better. We have a motto, "Fix things that need to be fixed, and replace things that need to be replaced". We are in it for the long haul and our customers know that we will treat them right and not cheat them...

2) people who have been to school, have their unlimited EPA (shows a bit of initiative) and can fix electrical problems. I am very good at teaching them about the refrigeration / air side and prefer people who have not been taught bad habits like "Beer can cold" , "60 or 70" type things.

Number 1 is very hard to find. Number 2 is very hard on the bottom line initially but worth it in the end.

[Snapperhead]

Good friggin luck man

The saying "its hard to find good help" has never been more true with this lazy ass generation

[ehsx]

1. Attitude
2. Aptitude

If you don’t have either, can’t fix it.

[lankford]

I can see that, that is how it was for me. My dad was the absolute best. I went in the passenger seat at 12 because I was fighting with little brother and driving my mom crazy during the summer.

He tossed over his 1968 copy of Modern Refrigeration (still one of my 2 most prized possessions along with grandads physics book) and I would read it between service calls and pepper him with questions which he KNEW the answer to... he was a machinists mate on the Simon Bolivar a nuke missile sub. Then at 15, got my "learners license" and dad got a chauffeur... and started peppering ME with questions... and massive explanations when I got it wrong... the good ole days. Miss my dad.

My latest hire was supposed to be apprenticing with my lead, but he's better at fixing than explaining. Since my lead has been out, I have been training him and in 2 months, he has progressed more than a year with my lead. Mainly because of the example my dad set.

BTW, brother is coming in from over seas tonight and has spent the better part of his 20 years in the reserves on active duty... quite a bit of it over the pond. Makes for a pretty good Easter.

[lankford]

I remember 30 years ago, had a guy work with me that was SO gung ho... not a bit of experience... just knowledge from books... as soon as he learned not to kill himself with high voltage, they turned him loose and he was awesome... slow at first, but soon was the go to guy for even seasoned hands...


agree completely.

[Snapperhead]

you either GOT IT ... or you dont

you cannot "learn" how to be mechanical - and be the best -

you might be OK , but "natural talent" cannot be compared to

Luckily I got it

1 of my sons has it , the other struggles , he constantly turns the wrench the wrong way

[lankford]

Very true... BUT I would say this too... some of the best techs that have ever come down the pike are out there right now too...

I have played guitar for over 45 years and am pretty damned good. I'm not great, but am good enough to know the difference. I COULD have been great if I did not have to earn a living and could have dedicated more time to it.

But people with initiative can get on youtube and find out almost ANYTHING they want to know... and when you get someone who really wants to know stuff and then they go thru everything on the hvacschool channel and more, they are amazing...

But finding people like that is like digging for gold... the kind of gold that is going to get there license in 5 years and start competing against you... and you are happy for them... but then you are digging for gold again.

If we grow enough, I would like to find them early and get them on a real apprenticeship program.... if they have enough Midi-chlorians...

[lankford]

I will say this, my dad felt the same way, I was the one who "got it"... little brother did not... he has his master in electrical engineering. He always wanted to be able to do what came natural to me. Our grandad ran a machine shop, and we both loved playing with making stuff. He bought an old mill & lathe (30s and 40s but auto fed) and learned to REALLY use them... and can do things that just amaze me.

He buys the 3D printer and learns to use it to its fullest... I try to do HVAC with the least amount of tools absolutely required... I am trying to perfect the "art" of the HVAC mechanic... he is trying to push the boundaries of what you can do with tech.

Different mindsets... he gets it... but in a VERY different way than I do.

On a different topic, I think anyone who designs an AC unit should have to work in the field for a year first.

[Snapperhead]

I LOVE the drums

F@#&ng Love them

Im jealous watching You Tube people jamming away

But I could never keep a beat to save my life

Hell I couldnt even play the Snare

I tried in Band Class .... failed terribly

[Snapperhead]

On a different topic, I think anyone who designs an AC unit should have to work in the field for a year first.

Same goes for Vehicles !

[pageyjim]

Aptitude really means there is a natural ability. The trade can be taught to those who have the want and ability to learn.

[pageyjim]

On a different topic, I think anyone who designs an AC unit should have to work in the field for a year first.

I don't see that happening or see the need for it frankly. I assume you are talking about the servicability of certain units. Furnaces come to mind before AC's frankly.

[ehsx]

I don't see that happening or see the need for it frankly. I assume you are talking about the servicability of certain units. Furnaces come to mind before AC's frankly.

Definite need for for product reliability and service knowledge. Working for 5 manufacturers in various positions; service tech, area service manager, national service manager, tech support manager, warranty manager, training manager and positions in between, found lots of opportunities for improvements. Lots of times issues would not be addressed due to deadlines, cost, and egos.

[pageyjim]

Definite need for for product reliability and service knowledge. Working for 5 manufacturers in various positions; service tech, area service manager, national service manager, tech support manager, warranty manager, training manager and positions in between, found lots of opportunities for improvements. Lots of times issues would not be addressed due to deadlines, cost, and egos.

That doesn't change anything that I posted.

To make a product servicable or reliable there is no need to have engineers work as service techs. If engineers were made to work as service techs for a year who would hire them and pay them? The industry would have a shortfall of quality engineers.

Manufacturers are trying to make a product to last app 10-12+ years for the cheapest price possible. Reliability and cost are related more than anything. I think it is the end cost of systems that has more to do with the issue and that is due mainly from us and not equipment manufacturers.

[ehsx]

That doesn't change anything that I posted.

To make a product servicable or reliable there is no need to have engineers work as service techs. If engineers were made to work as service techs for a year who would hire them and pay them? The industry would have a shortfall of quality engineers.

Manufacturers are trying to make a product to last app 10-12+ years for the cheapest price possible. Reliability and cost are related more than anything. I think it is the end cost of systems that has more to do with the issue and that is due mainly from us and not equipment manufacturers.

Any experience helps. Seen new engineers with no ac experience assigned as product managers, 20+ year ac engineers who did not know basic refrigeration, products released without design reviews, and units tested strictly at design conditions.... over sized txv’s, oversized hgbp, critical control set points incorrect, inadequate or improper piping designs, improper component selections, only to name a few.