HVAC Interview Questions: What to Ask HVAC Foreman Hires

What is an HVAC foreman job description?

Employers seek an HVAC foreman who displays broad knowledge in the HVAC field, supervisory experience, problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and provides a high level of customer service. 

HVAC foreman jobs can include construction project managers, residential or commercial HVAC installers, or refrigeration installers. Foreman positions require strong leadership skills and excellent communication skills as they supervise employees and communicate with other contractors, engineers, local officials, and clients.

Technical skills vary depending on the position, but most online job postings require minimum previous work experience. Other requirements include degrees, proper HVAC licenses, and EPA certification.

General interview questions

1. Why do you work in HVAC?

2. Why do you want to work for our HVAC company?

3. What are your career goals?

4. What is your supervisory experience?

5. How would your references describe you?

HVAC job interview questions allow employers to discover applicants' backgrounds, including their goals, what drives them, and how they approach challenges. The right types of questions can lead to revealing answers, and more intuitive interview questions for your next candidate.

Companies should formulate a hiring process to find the best HVAC foreman candidates. Managers at McWilliams & Son Heating and Air Conditioning in Texas follow a layered hiring process to ensure new hires get placed in the right role.

“Interviews are always going to be with two different teams,” relates CFO Brad Pesek, who shared tips on a recent episode of ServiceTitan's “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast. “If they do well with the first team, they are passed on to a second round. Four people will have had a ‘touch’ on them before we consider hiring them.”

1. Why do you work in HVAC?

Hiring managers who ask HVAC professionals why they work in HVAC hit on the classic "Tell me about yourself” question. Asking this allows candidates to share why they have a passion for HVAC work, their skills and specialties, and how they want to continue their knowledge in the field. This is the time to ask about HVAC training, work history, licenses, and certifications.

2. Why do you want to work for our company?

Find out if HVAC foreman candidates demonstrate knowledge of your company and its core values. Candidates who perform research ahead of time show they know how to prepare and can express how their values align with your company’s mission.

Discover their expectations for their next job. What are their work schedule expectations? Are they willing to work long hours during peak season? How do they rate their sales skills? Communicating upfront puts their expectations, and yours, on the table for everyone to see.

3. What are your career goals?

Know what drives an employee and what they aim to accomplish to determine if your company can provide opportunities to meet their career goals. Do they simply want to earn more money than their last HVAC job, or are they interested in exploring a long-term career path? Either type may be a perfect fit for your company. 

4. What is your supervisory experience?

An HVAC foreman needs to excel technically and also exhibit top leadership skills. A foreman must possess the right management style as they oversee technicians to ensure jobs are completed safely and efficiently.

5. How would your references describe you?

HVAC foreman candidates should know their strengths, as well as areas where they need to grow. Get a list of references so you can learn how applicants performed at previous jobs, including information about their personality, interactions with co-workers, and how they tackled challenging HVAC projects. 

Behavioral interview questions

1. How does your oversight prevent mistakes on projects?

2. Have you ever mentored or provided on-the-job training?

3. How do you handle interactions with an unhappy customer?

4. Here's a specific HVAC service call scenario. How would you resolve this?

One key tenet you may want to keep in mind during an HVAC technician interview: "Hire for attitude, train for aptitude," says Chris Hunter, ServiceTitan’s Director of Customer Relations.

Even answers to generic questions can indicate the attitudes of your applicants, giving you insight into how they view their work, approach problems, and interact with others.

Angie Snow, Vice President of Western Heating & Air in Utah, always asks one question to ascertain attitudes of candidates: “How’s your day going so far?” 

She calls a simple question like that "experiential queries" to see how candidates answer questions. Their values shine through in their answers and the way they answer, says Snow, who also serves as Director of Customer & Product Training at ServiceTitan, and Success Coach at GoTime Success Group and Snow Business Coaching.

1. How does your oversight prevent mistakes on projects?

An HVAC foreman candidate can show how they proactively minimize mistakes with thorough oversight, communication, and a strong accountability process. Ask about what checks and balances they use to ensure safety on the job and how they detect mistakes, and what steps they take when mistakes do occur.

2. Have you ever mentored or provided on-the-job training?

Training is key for successful HVAC employees and, in turn, your company. Ask candidates if their experience includes mentoring or technician training, and ask about their training approach. While technicians typically possess a certain set of basic skills, they may need to learn additional ones or get up to speed on company processes and regulations. Josh Campbell, President of Rescue Air in Texas, found that ride-alongs are the best way to train, outside of leadership groups and online training.

3. How do you handle interactions with an unhappy customer?

Asking about a difficult customer service experience shows the candidate's overall attitude about customers, as well as what steps they take to provide a positive customer experience. Whether it's a miscommunication over pricing or compounding issues to an HVAC system problem, clear communication and the right attitude are key.

4. Here's a specific HVAC scenario. How would you resolve this?

Asking a question about an unknown job scenario gives applicants the opportunity to demonstrate quick thinking and problem-solving skills. Their answers will indicate their thought processes and breadth of knowledge.

A proper and efficient HVAC operation is essential to the safety and efficiency of buildings. Understanding building code requirements and solving complex problems requires knowledge, problem-solving skills, excellent communication, and teamwork. 

Technical knowledge interview questions

1. What was your most challenging project, and what did you learn from it?

2. What safety precautions do you take during HVAC projects?

3. How do you calculate heating and cooling loads?

4. What's your experience with sustainable HVAC solutions?

HVAC companies seek candidates with a high level of technical knowledge, whether it's installing heating and air conditioning systems, understanding components of air handling units, or installing refrigeration equipment and recovering refrigerants.

They need to possess skills to solve issues, from minor to wide-scale, safely and efficiently. Asking questions with this in mind narrows your list of eligible candidates. 

1. What was your most challenging project, and what did you learn from it?

Understanding and troubleshooting common HVAC problems comes as second nature to a seasoned HVAC technician, but the level of critical thinking remains important. In a field where mechanical aptitude and attention to detail reign supreme, the ability to understand complex processes and learn from challenges is vital and determines the success of a project.

2. What safety precautions do you take during HVAC projects?

HVAC companies should prioritize HVAC safety among employees, so asking about often-used procedures ensures safety for themselves and those around them. An HVAC foreman should be familiar with personal protective equipment and make sure the HVAC team follows key protocols. Your company should demonstrate the importance of safety by offering training in key areas, even after hiring.

3. How do you calculate heating and cooling loads?

Sizing HVAC units by heating and cooling loads involves complicated calculations, but it also requires following the proper methods. Asking whether the candidate understands the Manual J residential calculation shows what they know about the procedure, designed by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America.

4. What's your experience with sustainable HVAC solutions?

If your company provides sustainable services, such as geothermal, solar power, or hydronics, ask about the candidate's knowledge of those systems, so you can continue to provide top-notch service to your customers.

Technology interview questions

1. How do you view mobile software in the HVAC industry?

2. What is your experience with using mobile technology on the job?

3. What tools do you use to explain problems and solutions to a customer?

Ask technology-related questions to see how much the candidate knows about HVAC trends and cloud-based software, such as ServiceTitan HVAC Software—used to streamline operations, enhance communication, and expand ticket sizes. A candidate's answer can help you determine if they see the value technology offers the HVAC industry.

1. How do you view mobile software in the HVAC industry?

If a candidate has experience with field reporting software, they can explain how it streamlines HVAC projects and increases communication between the office, field, and customers.

HVAC job costing software also enables a foreman to accurately track project costs, integrating financial data from sold estimates, job invoices, purchase orders, payroll, and accounts receivable. If your business provides plumbing or electrical services, you can better coordinate large-scale projects so they remain on-time and on-budget.

2. What is your experience with using mobile technology on the job?

Mobile technology allows an HVAC foreman to see real-time schedules, materials and labor costs, and other critical job information from anywhere. ServiceTitan Mobile streamlines communication from the field to the office, so no detail gets overlooked.

3. What tools do you use to explain problems and solutions to a customer?

An HVAC foreman may be the one explaining problems and solutions to customers, so it's important they're comfortable using HVAC software to present good-better-and-best proposals. Once customers clearly see the options and benefits of each one, they can make the right decision—and may decide the "best" proposal saves them more money in the long run.

Payroll interview questions

1. What are your HVAC foreman salary expectations?

2. Have you ever worked for a company that used performance-based pay?

3. What do you expect in terms of bonuses or sales performance incentive funds (SPIFs)?

Online job postings show a demand for HVAC supervisors and project managers, from about 4,300 to 126,000 jobs, depending on the job search website and specific job title. Nationally, heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanic and installer jobs are forecast to rise by 15,000, or 4%, by 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

The job skills gap continues to widen due to retiring workers and other factors, according to an organization seeking to close the skills gap. Put your company at the forefront by offering competitive wages and benefits, as well as a positive company culture, to attract new hires.

1. What are your salary expectations?

An HVAC foreman earns anywhere from $36,500 to $80,500 annually, with a median salary of $59,998, according to ZipRecruiter. Find out the salary range for your state and offer appealing benefits to attract the best job candidates, and reduce turnover rates.

2. Have you ever worked for a company that used performance-based pay?

If your HVAC company offers performance pay versus hourly rates, candidates should understand how your commission and bonus structure affects the position. Using contractor timesheet software provides real-time timesheet tracking and customizable performance pay, so you can tailor your pay structures to obtain the best results.

3. What do you expect in terms of bonuses or sales performance incentive funds (SPIFs)?

Asking about expectations for bonuses or other incentives allows you to communicate how your company values employee performance, and can make the job more attractive to potential hires. These and other questions enable you to discover which candidates best fit with your company, so everyone can grow and succeed.