HVAC Job Interview Tips to Land Your Ideal Job

Today we’re sharing some job interview tips to help you get your dream HVAC job with an employer you’ll want to stay with for years. 

The trick is to treat your job interview like a fact-finding mission. Don’t just prepare to answer the employer’s questions, but figure out what questions you should be asking them. Here are 8 questions to help you uncover important information about the job and the company.

Jobs interview tips: 8 questions to ask the employer

You probably know that it’s good form to have questions prepared to ask the interviewer when you get to the end of the interview and they ask: “Do you have any questions for me?”

Let’s start with a couple of job interview tips about asking questions:

• There’s no need to wait until the end of the interview to ask your questions. If the topic comes up sooner, go right ahead and ask what you want to know. 
• Don’t ask questions you can easily find the answers to on the company’s website, such as the company’s services and specialties. That just makes you look unprepared.  

Here are some questions you can ask instead, assuming the answers don’t come up earlier in the interview. Not only will you look smart and proactive, but you’ll learn helpful facts that will help you decide if you want to work there.

1. Are you a union shop?

Asking about pay and benefits in the first interview is generally frowned upon. But you want to know, right? 

There is one way you may be able to find out. Ask if the company is a union shop. If they are, there is a set schedule of negotiated wage rates that go up with length of service (and generally go up when contracts are renegotiated each year or half-year). 

You can find that information here for NYC union HVAC service providers.

You’ll also know that, once you’re a union member (within a month or so of starting with the company), you’ll have great medical benefits that are fully paid for. Plus a pension.

Learn more>

HVAC & Refrigeration Technician Salary in NYC

Get to Know Your NYC Refrigeration & HVAC Union: UA Local 638

2. What is a typical day like for an entry-level technician? 

In general, entry-level techs do a lot of fetching, carrying, watching, and learning. But not every HVAC apprentice or “helper” job is the same. A lot depends on the size of the company and the type of work they do. 

Ask what entry-level technicians do to get a good idea of what the job is like at this company. 

3. How will that change with a year of experience?

Union service providers are generally on the same page about getting you to a certain skill level within a year of service. You’ll be getting a negotiated pay raise, and of course they want to get their money’s worth. 

But for your own sake (and especially if you’re interviewing with a company that’s not a union shop) find out how quickly you can expect to get up to speed and take on more challenging work. 

4. What type of training do you provide for technicians? 

Related to what you’ll be doing on the job is how you will be trained. It’s also smart to ask about training because it will be a big part of your career for years to come.  Technology changes fast in this industry and you’ll need to keep up.

So ask about how technicians are trained (ideally on an ongoing basis for techs at all levels). You may hear some combination of the following:

• Informal learning based on mentorship and shadowing experienced technicians 
• Classroom training combined with on-the-job training
• Virtual learning platforms with 3D simulations
• The union training school

Learn more> HVAC & Refrigeration Training in NYC: Get Started Now

5. What’s your policy (or expectations) for overtime work?

This is an important question. In this business, overtime is a necessity. People can’t always wait for business hours to get their heating, cooling and refrigeration fixed. 

How willing are you to work overtime hours? If you are, you can make A LOT of extra money. But it can be challenging if you have family or other obligations on evenings and weekends. 

Not every employer handles it the same way. In some, you will be required to be available for overtime on a set schedule. Some companies try to give the overtime primarily to those who want it. Find out now before you take a job. 

6. How will my job performance be evaluated?

Especially if you are joining a new industry and a brand new career, you want and need regular feedback about your progress. Will you have check-ins with your manager or supervisor? Will you get written evaluations? What skills and qualities will be evaluated? 

With that information, you’ll know where to prioritize your efforts and be able to make sure you’re meeting expectations.

7. What do your long-term employees like most about working here?

Everyone wants to work for a company that treats employees well and offers a positive work atmosphere. This question helps you find out if people are generally happy working there.

If the company values its employees and actively works to create a positive work experience, the hiring manager will be able to talk about that. They might mention what they’re doing to improve job satisfaction and why employees stick with the company.

If they can’t answer, chances are they don’t have many long term employees, or they don’t ask people about their job satisfaction.

8. What’s your favorite company tradition?

This is another question that helps you learn about the values of the company and how well everyone gets along. 

Do they have regular team building activities? Do they get together just for fun? Do they do charity work? Look for signs that it’s a healthy and positive work atmosphere.

More information to support your job search

These job interview tips are just the beginning of what you can learn here at HVACR Career Connect NY. Join our mailing list (below) to get a monthly newsletter with content to help you build a successful career.

HVACR Career Connect NY was created to promote the exceptional quality-of-life benefits of a career in HVAC and Refrigeration service, and also to provide a clear path for getting started in the profession. In doing so, we serve as a resource for employers in the New York City metro area to find and hire smart and capable new technicians. We also serve as an educational resource to support business growth and to help service technicians succeed in their chosen profession.