27 Irrigation Technician Interview Questions For Better Hiring

General Irrigation Technician Interview Questions

1. What do you like the most about the irrigation industry?

2. Why did you decide to become an irrigation professional? 

3. What do you enjoy the most about being an irrigation technician?

4. What do you know about our irrigation company?

5. What previous experience and training make you qualified for this particular position?

6. Why did you leave your previous job?

7. Why are you interested in this specific position?

8. Do you have any additional certifications?

You want to hire an irrigation technician with the right qualifications and a personality that overlaps with your company's culture and core values.

That's what general questions are for.

Irrigation technician general questions reveal essential details about the candidate's irrigation background, qualifications, and personality traits.

Now, let's get to the questions.

1. What do you like the most about the irrigation industry?

The candidate's response to this question reveals their love and passion for the trade.

Candidates without passion for the trades will likely leave within a short time, causing you to spend large amounts on hiring and training new techs.

A candidate passionate about the trade proves they are willing to learn and grow over time.

Beyond listening to their response, pay close attention to their body language. Do they maintain eye contact? Are they slumped in their chair? Do they fumble through their reply?

These cues say a lot about their passion for the trade, whether sincere or fake.

2. Why did you decide to become an irrigation professional?

This question enables recruiters to learn why candidates decided to start a career as an irrigation technician. The candidates' responses reveal if they are committed to continuing to learn and grow in the irrigation industry.

“In asking this question, I'm trying to understand what's the spark to their flame, what that motivational facet is, and ultimately to get a better understanding of their why,” says Joshua Chakra, co-founder of YellowStone Local, a recruitment and branding company. 

“Why are you looking to take your career to the next level? Why would you leave your job and go to the competitor down the street? I’m just making more of that human connection.”

You could ask follow-up questions like:

• What are your plans for career advancement in the irrigation industry, and how do you plan to achieve them?

• What are your plans to grow in this role?

This helps you screen out candidates interested more in the wages than the work itself.

3. What do you enjoy the most about being an irrigation technician?

This is another opportunity to assess the candidate's motivation for applying for the job.

You could also follow up with this question: What have you done to improve your knowledge of irrigation systems in the last year?

4. What do you know about our irrigation company?

The hiring manager is trying to measure the candidate’s enthusiasm about working in their company by asking this question.

Give extra points to any candidate who goes beyond the information listed on your website or job description. It shows they are serious about the job and poised to fit into your company's culture.

5. What previous experience and training make you qualified for this particular position?

Installing, maintaining, and repairing irrigation systems is a very technical job. So, it’s advisable to enquire from job seekers about their trade licenses, previous job experience, and education.

Also, candidates can mention the seminars and apprenticeship training they've attended.

To ensure they have the theoretical and practical aspects of being an irrigation technician, urge them to share a detailed breakdown of a recent project they did that makes them the best fit for the position.

6. Why did you leave your previous job?

Irrigation technicians frequently fired after a few months may not be the best hire for your company.

They may have a poor work ethic, lack problem-solving skills, or don't know the job as well as they claim.

However, their frequent job hopping might be due to other factors, such as pay disputes or poor working conditions. So, allow them to explain. You can always ring their previous workplace or manager to verify their claims.

Pay close attention to their response, explaining why they were let go.

Do they show accountability for their mistakes or shift the blame to others? This says a lot about their work attitude.

“If they’re bad-mouthing a company, you can tell that they’re somebody who likes to blame and complain instead of taking ownership and accountability.” says Angie Snow of Western Heating and Air Snow. 

7. Why are you interested in this specific position?

This is another opportunity to assess the candidate's motivations for applying for the role.

You want to ensure the candidate knows what the job involves and is applying for this position because it aligns with their career goals.

Pro tip: Screen out candidates applying to force their employees to offer them higher salaries or benefits.

8. Do you have any additional certifications?

Holding additional certificates, such as water conservation and project management, demonstrates a candidate's commitment to lifetime learning. It can also open you up to jobs beyond the scope of your current offerings, helping to grow your company.

Candidates should list all their certifications and explain how they made them better irrigation technicians.

But don’t disqualify candidates without extra certifications, as long as they are willing to keep learning and growing.

Pro tip: The issuer of the certification matters tremendously.

Prioritize certifications from popular national associations, such as the Irrigation Association, and water conservation programs, such as WaterSense.

Behavioral/Situational Irrigation Technician Questions

1. Did you ever have to turn an unhappy customer into a satisfied one?

2. How do you handle a customer expressing frustration over a bill?

3. List some key irrigation safety hazards and how you handle them.

4. Here's a specific job scenario. Explain your process for handling the call.

5. Midway through an irrigation project, you discover the instructions are incomplete. How would you approach this situation?

Behavioral questions help hiring managers assess the candidate's personality and ensure they align with the company's culture.

This is crucial since irrigation technicians are the face of your company, a bridge between your business and customers.

Eric Falconer, general manager of Dutton Plumbing, considers a tech's ability to provide friendly and professional service before anything else.

"I just look for someone that I can send to my mom, and she's not going to call me afterward and give me a lecture on how creepy this guy was," Falconer says.

That's why Dutton Plumbing uses job interviews to discover the applicant's technical and teamwork skills, personality, and experience and to inform the applicant about the company's values and vision.

"We try to be very clear and transparent about who we are, how we operate," Falconer says. 

"That either pushes people away or draws them to us. We talk a lot about how we continuously try to improve the company and take it to the next level.”

"The person doing the interview is generally just trying to get to know the person because the technical skill sets of the trade are absolutely important. But what's more important, will this person fit with our company?"

Pro tip: Sometimes, the best behavioral interview questions don't directly relate to irrigation or landscaping.

For example, Angie Snow, vice president of Western Heating & Air in Utah, asks candidates a simple question: "How's your day going so far?"

"Their values shine through in their answers and the way they answer," she adds.

Another way to hire candidates with the right values is to avoid misrepresenting your company’s culture, which can reduce employee retention rates. 

Core Matters CEO Ryan Englin, who has helped several companies reduce their turnover rates, says, “The key is to get people to show up authentically.” 

“How? The best way to do that as an employer is to be authentic yourself.”

Below are some conventional and innovative questions to assess an applicant's personality and ability to deliver top-tier customer service.

1. Have you ever had an incident where you had to turn an unhappy customer into a satisfied one?

The candidate's response to this question reveals their problem-solving skills and commitment to delivering quality customer service.

Candidates willing to empathize with customers and go above and beyond to exceed their expectations, help drive referrals and repeat business.

To identify such candidates, evaluate their responses to this question using three criteria:

• Willingness to listen to the customer

• Readiness to explain the irrigation process clearly and concisely

• Ability to leverage technology to satisfy customers

The third point—leveraging technology to satisfy customers—is crucial, as customers' increased demand for personalized services, speed, and convenience is achievable only with technology.

That’s why we built the Customer Experience platform, to help irrigation companies meet and exceed customer expectations.

For example, since implementing ServiceTitan in 2019, Naiad Irrigation Systems has doubled its profits, and its winterizing orders have increased.

“I feel I actually have a partner in ServiceTitan,” says CEO, Myles Sidorak. “I’m really happy to be a part of it.”

ServiceTitan's Customer Experience platform lets you send appointment reminders and technician bios to customers through text. This reduces no-shows and helps customers know what and who to expect when the truck reaches their location.

Using integrated GPS tracking, the platform also lets customers track the location of your tech's truck in real-time. This ensures that techs arrive on time, keeping customers happy.

2. A customer expresses frustration over a bill. How do you handle it?

How a candidate answers this question says a lot about their personality, work attitude, and customer service philosophy.

Also, you can use their response to gauge the candidate’s ability to sell to customers. Darius Lyvers, Chief Operating Officer at F.H. Furr Plumbing, 

Heating, Air Conditioning & Electrical says this is crucial because techs who know how to sell can boost your company’s growth.

“You’re not just assessing them for technical aptitude and personal abilities; the other side is even more important,” Lyvers says. 

“You can train a lot of the technical [stuff]. Training sales is definitely harder.” 

Candidates who give a response that transfers the blame to the company are probably a bad fit for your company.

The ideal candidate will take time to communicate the costs for the different materials, such as emitters, controllers, and the water supply line, to the customer. 

3. Name some key irrigation safety hazards and how you handle them

The law mandates you pay for the insurance liabilities for any work-related injury technicians suffer.

So, ask candidates about the different irrigation safety protocols they obey to prevent work injuries. Examples include adjusting their approach to the weather conditions, avoiding electrical lines, and work-alone procedures.

You could use their answers to modify your in-house safety training program, adding new rules or removing antiquated ones.

4. Here's a specific job scenario. Explain your process for handling the call

Give potential hires an example of a repair job, and urge them to explain the approach they'll use to resolve the problem, from inspection, diagnosis, and eventual repair. This experiential query can reveal the candidate's expertise and ability to create a step-by-step process for executing a job unassisted.

How do they predict the amount of water required? Which irrigation equipment will they use to resolve the customer's complaint? How do they determine the water pressure and flow rate (if the issue requires it)?

Here's a good example of a fictional job scenario:

A client calls frantically to report a leaking sprinkler head in their front yard. As an irrigation technician, how do you diagnose and repair the problem, considering the tight deadline?

This is structured to assess the potential hire's ability to work independently under pressure.

You can always reword it to capture the job expertise you want to test for.

5. What would you do if you were given incomplete instructions for an irrigation job?

Sometimes, irrigation jobs come with complications. The customer service representative (CSR) may fail to give the tech the complete information, or the job can be more complex than expected.

This question tests the tech's ability to problem-solve creatively and troubleshoot irrigation systems until they arrive at a solution.

Technical Irrigation Technician Interview Questions

1. What types of irrigation systems do you have experience with?

2. Briefly describe the process of installing an irrigation system.

3. What are some key difficulties of installing a new irrigation system?

4. How would you winterize an irrigation system?

5. Are you familiar with drip irrigation?

6. What is your experience working with sprinkler systems?

7. Do you know the different types of irrigation heads?

8. Do you have experience with irrigation controllers?

Hiring managers can get an idea of an applicant's technical skills from the job experience, certifications, and irrigation training captured on their resume.

But to get an accurate depiction of the candidate's expertise, consider asking the following questions:

1. What types of irrigation systems do you have experience with?

Irrigation techs are exposed to different irrigation systems, from the more traditional sprinkler systems to complex drip irrigation systems and the more recent smart irrigation networks.

The applicant's answer should demonstrate their work experience with different irrigation systems. You could also ask follow-up questions that test their knowledge of the most suitable irrigation system for different soil types.

2. Briefly describe the process of installing an irrigation system

Irrigation systems must be properly installed to meet the plant's water needs and keep them alive.

Ask candidates about the step-by-step process for installing irrigation systems, the tools required, and the safety precautions they would take. 

3. What are some common irrigation system problems?

Knowing the common irrigation system problems is important. 

The ideal candidate should mention the different irrigation system problems they've helped customers resolve, such as uneven watering, faulty sprinkler heads, Inadequate design, low water pressure, broken pipes or leaks, overwatering, or sprinklers hitting unintended areas.

4. How would you winterize an irrigation system?

Prepping irrigation systems for winter—winterizing—is a fundamental aspect of an irrigation tech’s job, particularly in cold regions.

Winterization safeguards irrigation systems from pipe cracks and bursts, preventing irreparable damage and ensuring the system is fully functional come springtime.

Ideal applicants will explain how to blow out water from the pipes manually or with an air compressor and insulate them from the cold.

5. Are you familiar with drip irrigation?

Competency with drip irrigation systems is essential for irrigation technicians, especially because of rising concerns about water conservation.

Hiring techs with knowledge of drip irrigation systems also allows you to cater to a wider range of clients and projects, maximizing your earning potential.

Ask candidates about the importance of drip irrigation systems and their experience installing, maintaining, and repairing them.

6. What is your experience working with sprinkler systems?

Sprinkler systems are a very common irrigation system, typically used to water lawns.

Ensure techs understand how these systems work and how to design, maintain, repair, and troubleshoot them.

7. Do you know the different types of irrigation heads?

An essential aspect of installing irrigation systems is selecting the appropriate head type to minimize water waste and ensure optimal water distribution. 

The flow rate, amount of water consumed, and spray pattern differ for each irrigation head. Some even come with timers that trigger the release of water at the appropriate time.

By asking this question, you can confirm the candidate's ability to pick the right irrigation head and repair and maintain it.

8. Do you have experience with irrigation controllers?

Irrigation controllers are the brains of every irrigation system. They are programmed to control water flow and create a unique watering schedule based on weather conditions and the plant's water needs.

Ensure applicants are familiar with the different types of irrigation controllers, from simple timers to smart controllers that react to weather forecasts. Applicants should also know how to operate and program the controllers.

Technology and Tools Interview Questions

1. What do you think about the role of technology in the irrigation industry?

2. Do you have experience using mobile technology on the job?

3. Have you used any tech to recommend options to a customer?

These days, technology plays a significant role in irrigation systems. This includes smart systems that adjust watering based on weather conditions and sensors that monitor soil moisture levels.

Also, today's irrigation companies use technology to track employee performance and marketing campaigns and grow their business.

So, irrigation technicians should be comfortable with and know how to use technology.

Use these questions to discover candidates' experience with technology and their views on its use in the workplace.

1. What do you think about the role of technology in the irrigation industry?

The best hires stay abreast of the recent trends in the irrigation industry, especially concerning the use of technology. They embrace technology and use it to invoice customers, confirm job details, and collect payments.

By asking this question, you can evaluate an applicant's industry knowledge, commitment to lifelong learning, and openness to trying mobile technology on the job.

2. Do you have experience using mobile technology on the job?

If you're already using mobile technology, the applicant's response tells you the training they'll require and their comfort level using technology in the field.

Mobile field technologies empower techs to do their jobs more efficiently. Take ServiceTitan’s Field Service App, for example.

Naiad Irrigation Systems uses it to empower in-field techs to update project information on the spot, which increases efficiency and office productivity.

“We wanted something where the guys in the field were able to do their jobs much more efficiently in addition to having the office being able to run a little more smoothly as well,” says Jeff Soch, Naiad’s general manager.

"That was kind of the really big factor for us was just seeing all the information that we can put kind of in the palm of the technician's hands was just amazing: being able to take photos, take videos, upload documents. It was mind-blowing how much we could put in the technician's hands.”

Given the seamless nature of ServiceTitan’s software, home service companies such as Wield Power include it in their job descriptions.

“It was line item number one for the recruiters,” Tim Geary, president of Weld, says of the company’s recent hiring round.

Here are ServiceTitan’s Field Service App key features:

• Customer information confirmation: Techs can view the customer’s complete information—previous invoices, photos, and job history—and intake call recording.

• Form automation: Forms automatically pop up at key stages of the job cycle, ensuring technicians capture all necessary information without the risk of forgetting anything.

• Property detail review: In-depth details of the customer’s property so techs can spot potential upsells.

• Estimate building: Techs can build good-better-best options that customers can browse and choose from, just like shopping online. This puts the customer in control and eliminates sales pitches.

Mobile payments: Techs can collect cash, check, and credit card payments from the job site.

Empowering irrigation techs with mobile technology helps them close sales in the field, which grows your revenue.

3. Have you used any tools to recommend options to a customer?

After discovering a problem, techs have to explain it clearly to customers and recommend a solution.

Modern irrigation techs use irrigation software to present tiered options at varying service levels and price points. This way, customers can easily understand the options available and pick one that matches their budget.

Pro tip: Don't disqualify candidates who lack experience with these tools. Instead, create a brief training period or pair them with more experienced techs when hired.

Remember, you could always use ServiceTitan's Proposal feature to help in-field techs build tiered options.

The platform has several fully customizable proposal templates techs can use to quickly build professional service options while in the field.

Payroll-Related Interview Questions

1. What is your salary expectation?

2. What are your thoughts on performance-based pay?

3. What are your expectations regarding bonuses?

Payroll is a very sensitive topic. Some hiring managers prefer to keep quiet about it until the person is hired.

But you must discuss it to prove transparency and ensure you offer a competitive salary and pay structure agreeable to both parties.

Here are some payroll-related interview questions to ask during interviews:

1. What is your salary expectation?

By asking this question, you discover the amount the applicant wants and decide if it's achievable per your budget.

Offer a salary package that matches or exceeds the market rate. You could also sweeten the offer with extra perks like healthcare benefits, career development funds, etc.

2. What are your thoughts on performance-based pay?

Although it benefits you and the potential hire, only some people want a performance-based salary structure. So, ask candidates about their thoughts on performance-based pay.

Consider suggesting a hybrid pay structure, which is just as beneficial as performance-based pay.

3. What are your expectations regarding bonuses?

Bonuses are just as important as salaries.

Tell candidates the bonuses you offer and ask them what they expect to receive. You could include bonuses for overtime, exceeding work quotas, and selling memberships.

Download this ebook to find out more tips for hiring the right tech.

Now Over to You

Asking the right interview questions can help you pick the right techs.

Important note, however. Be inventive with the questions you ask. Engage in active listening so you can develop unique questions for each candidate based on their responses.

You should also remember that candidates may be considering offers from competitors. So, use your company culture and opportunities for career advancement to convince candidates.

Pay close attention to the values the applicant possesses over their experience. 

Tasha Roberts, president of ASAP Commercial Doors, says, “You don't hire people based on their experience,” she says. “Yes, it’s good, but you can build experience. It’s really: What type of person are you hiring? What are their values? Do they align with our company values?”

Also, since recruits prefer working for companies with seamless processes, consider investing in irrigation software like ServiceTitan. Then, sell it in your job interviews to convince top talents to pick you over other irrigation companies.

ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software built specifically to help home service companies automate and streamline their operations, boosting revenue. Over 100,000 contractors across the country use it.