The Home Service Hiring System: How to Attract, Qualify, and Hire Better People
The Home Service Hiring System: How to Attract, Qualify, and Hire Better People
Hiring has become one of the biggest challenges for home service businesses.
Ask any HVAC, plumbing, electrical, or restoration company owner what’s keeping them up at night, and you’ll likely hear the same answer:
“We just can’t find good people.”
But according to Ryan Englin, CEO of Core Matters and author of Hire Better People Faster, the problem isn’t a labor shortage.
The problem is how most companies approach hiring.
In a recent conversation, Ryan shared the hiring systems, recruiting strategies, and retention principles that help home service companies consistently attract better talent and build stronger teams.
Here’s what every owner should know.
The Biggest Hiring Myth in the Trades
Most business owners believe there simply aren’t any good people available.
Ryan disagrees.
“The biggest misconception owners have is that there are no good people out there.
They think everyone is scraping from the bottom of the barrel, so they settle.”
The result?
Owners hire the first person who shows up.
They prioritize filling a seat instead of finding the right fit.
That decision often leads to poor performance, turnover, and the endless cycle of hiring and rehiring.
Why Indeed Isn’t Solving Your Hiring Problem
Many contractors rely heavily on job boards like Indeed.
The challenge is that only a small percentage of the workforce is actively looking for a job.
According to Ryan, only about 3% to 5% of the labor market is actively searching.
The remaining 75% are passive job seekers.
These are people who:
- Already have jobs
- Aren’t actively applying
- Are open to better opportunities
- Research companies long before making a move
These are often the exact people business owners want.
The experienced technician.
The dependable service manager.
The employee who shows up, takes care of customers, and stays for years.
But they aren’t scrolling Indeed every night.
They’re paying attention to companies that look like great places to work.
Recruiting Is Marketing
One of Ryan’s core beliefs is simple:
Recruiting is a marketing activity.
Most companies would never turn off their marketing when business is good.
Yet many stop recruiting the moment they fill a position.
That’s a mistake.
Instead, recruiting should be an ongoing process designed to attract talent continuously.
The same principles that drive customer acquisition also drive employee acquisition:
- Strong messaging
- Consistent visibility
- Trust-building content
- A compelling website
- A clear value proposition
The goal isn’t to chase candidates.
It’s to attract them.
Create a Career Page That Sells
Most career pages are little more than job listings.
That’s not enough.
Your career page should answer one question:
“Why should someone want to work here?”
Include:
- Employee testimonials
- Photos of your team
- Company values
- Growth opportunities
- Benefits and perks
- Career paths
- A simple application process
Remember, passive candidates are evaluating your company long before they ever apply.
Build a Hiring Funnel, Not a Hiring Event
Many owners only recruit when they’re desperate.
A technician quits.
A truck sits empty.
Now it’s time to hire.
By then, it’s already too late.
Instead, Ryan recommends building a recruiting funnel that operates year-round.
This includes:
Employee Content
Interview team members about:
- Why they joined
- What they enjoy most
- Why they stay
These stories resonate with both potential customers and future employees.
Social Media
Show:
- Technicians in the field
- Team events
- Training opportunities
- Community involvement
- Customer success stories
Community Presence
One contractor Ryan worked with regularly volunteered through Habitat for Humanity.
Over time, other tradespeople noticed.
Eventually they began reaching out about employment opportunities.
Recruiting often starts long before someone applies.
Define Your Ideal Employee Before You Hire
Ryan teaches a concept called the Core Fit Profile.
Most companies focus almost entirely on skills:
- Years of experience
- Certifications
- Technical ability
Those things matter.
But they aren’t enough.
The Core Fit Profile evaluates three areas:
Culture
How do they align with your values?
Person
What motivates them?
How do they think?
How do they behave?
Work
Do they have the skills and experience required?
Most owners start with skills.
Ryan recommends starting with culture.
Why?
Because skills can be trained.
Character is much harder to teach.
Interview for Culture Before Skills
One of Ryan’s favorite questions is:
“What are you obsessed with?”
The actual topic doesn’t matter.
What matters is whether someone demonstrates passion and commitment.
If your company values excellence, ownership, or continuous improvement, you want people who naturally become invested in what they do.
The goal is to identify behavior patterns that align with your culture.
Not just qualifications on a résumé.
The Best Interview Questions Focus on Behavior
Instead of asking:
“Are you reliable?”
Ask:
“Tell me about a time you were late. What happened?”
Instead of asking whether someone is punctual, create a process that reveals punctuality.
For example:
Tell candidates the interview starts at 7:00 AM and explain that your company believes early is on time.
Then observe when they arrive.
Their actions tell you far more than their answers.
Employee Referral Programs Usually Fail
Many companies offer a referral bonus and wonder why nobody participates.
Ryan says most programs fail for three reasons:
- The reward is too small.
- Employees don’t know what to say.
- The risk falls on the employee.
Most referral programs only pay if the new hire stays for 90 days.
That makes the referring employee feel responsible for someone else’s success.
A better approach is to reward the referral itself.
And think beyond cash.
Some examples include:
- Paid time off
- Family experiences
- Travel packages
- Fishing trips
- Premium equipment or gear
The incentive should be meaningful enough to motivate action.
Why Retention Is the Real Problem
Ryan believes the trades don’t have a hiring problem.
They have a retention problem.
The evidence is simple.
Look at how many W-2s you issued last year.
Then compare that number to your current employee count.
Most businesses have far more turnover than they realize.
The solution starts with better hiring, but it doesn’t end there.
The First Day Matters More Than You Think
Many employees decide whether they made the right choice during their first week.
Sometimes during their first day.
Ryan shared a story about a director-level employee who quit after six months.
Why?
Because nobody showed her around the office on day one.
She wasn’t introduced to the team.
She didn’t know where basic resources were located.
From that moment, she felt like she didn’t belong.
The lesson:
Onboarding isn’t administrative.
It’s emotional.
Employees need to feel welcomed, prepared, and supported from the start.
Three Things Every Great Company Needs
If you want to attract and retain top talent, Ryan says you need three foundational elements.
1. Vision
Where is the company going?
Employees want to know they’re joining something that has a future.
2. Purpose
Why does the company exist?
People want to contribute to something bigger than a paycheck.
3. Values
How do people behave inside the organization?
Values should be observable behaviors, not generic words like integrity or teamwork.
When these three elements are clearly defined and consistently communicated, recruiting becomes significantly easier.
Competing Against Higher-Paying Companies
Many small businesses worry about competing against larger organizations or private equity-backed firms.
Ryan’s advice is simple:
Stop competing on pay.
People rarely leave solely for money.
They leave because:
- Leadership is poor
- Growth opportunities are limited
- Culture is weak
- They don’t feel valued
Smaller businesses often have advantages that larger companies can’t replicate:
- Personal relationships
- Direct access to leadership
- Family-oriented cultures
- Greater flexibility
- Stronger community ties
Those factors matter more than many owners realize.
The Bottom Line
The companies that win the hiring game aren’t necessarily the ones with the highest pay.
They’re the ones that build systems.
They recruit continuously.
They market themselves effectively.
They hire for culture.
They onboard intentionally.
And they create workplaces where people want to stay.
If you’re waiting until someone quits to start recruiting, you’re already behind.
Start building your hiring pipeline today.
Because the best employees aren’t looking for jobs.
They’re looking for a better opportunity.