HVAC Service Technician / Lead Technician Pre-Hire Assessment
The short answer: First Move Assessment reads what an HVAC service technician reaches for first on a call: readings before an opinion, or a part swapped because it usually is that part, and whether they stay with the customer when the number is more than the customer wanted to hear. It takes the candidate 10 to 20 minutes and starts at $149.
Your first report is covered by a 30-day refund.
How it works
- 1. Pick the seat and send the link.Enter their name and email. About a minute of your day.
- 2. They answer on any phone or computer.10 to 20 minutes. No account, no login, no download.
- 3. The report lands in your inbox.As soon as they finish, ready before the interview.
A seat is the job you are filling, from Service Technician and Dispatcher to General Manager and Chief Financial Officer.
What the Service Technician / Lead Technician seat carries in an HVAC company
The service technician is the company in somebody's house. A full board of calls, a no-cool in July with the attic at 130 degrees, a heat call in January with the family standing in the hallway, and on every one of them a diagnosis, a price and a conversation about options and the service agreement.
The two numbers the seat lives on are first-time fix and average ticket. A technician who checks first gets the gauges and the meter on the problem before naming a part, and has the readings to back the repair. A technician who is comfortable in the room presents the repair and the replacement without flinching and offers the agreement on every call, because offering it is part of the job.
The pressure runs against both. The board is full, the next customer is waiting and the shortcut is right there. That is the moment the hire either holds or costs you a second truck roll.
Every seat in the trade is listed on the HVAC page.
What the standard for this seat measures
Every situation the candidate reads is written from inside this seat, in the trade's own words, and each one asks for the move they would make first. The report gives a seat match from 0 to 100 against the written standard for the Service Technician / Lead Technician seat, with its margin of error printed beside it. It shows where the candidate's instincts line up with the seat and where they pull away, with the interview questions to ask about the gaps and what to listen for in the answers. It does not tell you whom to hire. You make the decision.
For this seat the standard leans hardest on checking before acting and on staying with the customer through the price. A technician who checks first can run slower on a full July board. The report's notes on how to build around the candidate help you plan for that.
Where the wrong instinct shows up
- The capacitor that was a contactor. The technician swaps the usual part without a reading, the unit runs, and it is down again by Thursday. Your callback rate is a list of these.
- The price that drops on its own. The customer says $900 is crazy, and the technician talks refrigerant and never asks what matters tonight, or knocks the price down without asking anyone.
- The agreement nobody offered. The call goes well, the customer is happy, and nobody mentions the maintenance plan because selling feels like a different job.
- The turnover that never lands. The technician tells the homeowner somebody will call about the replacement, and the lead dies in the truck because the hand-off was a spoken promise and nobody wrote it on the ticket.
For the rest of the hiring process, see our guide to hiring an HVAC service technician.
For the interview itself, see the HVAC technician interview questions.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Service Technician / Lead Technician assessment cost?
One assessment is $149. A 5 Pack is $595, a 10 Pack is $995 ($99.50 a candidate) and a 25 Pack is $1,995 ($79.80 a candidate). The Practice License is $4,950 a year and includes 100 assessments ($49.50 each). Every seat costs the same, and assessments never expire. Your first report is covered by a 30-day refund. Full details are on the pricing page.
How long does it take the candidate?
About 10 to 20 minutes on a phone or a computer, with no app and no account. The candidate link expires 30 days after you send it.
How do I get the report?
You pick the seat and enter the candidate's name and email, and the link goes out. The report lands in your inbox the moment the candidate finishes, and it stays in your account for four years, unless you delete it or close the account.
Does it measure HVAC knowledge?
No. It does not measure refrigeration theory, wiring or EPA 608 material. Pair it with a ride-along or a bench test for the hands-on skill, and use the report to aim the interview at the instinct the skills check cannot see.
Can I use it for a lead technician?
Yes. Service Technician / Lead Technician is one seat in the product, read against one written standard. If the lead role is really a step toward running the department, send the Service Manager assessment as well and compare the two reports.