Hiring the right people is as important as having a solid business plan, buying the right equipment and treating customers right. You can’t succeed if you don’t have good people, but hiring them is easier said than done.

Jamey Mullin attributes much of his business success to his ability to recruit the right people to the staff at Hi-Tech Plumbing & Leak Detect in Edmond, Oklahoma.

“I believe that I am blessed in that I have discernment with people, and that is as much a part as being a good plumber, marketer and manager,” says Mullin. “It all starts with the right people. I want someone who is honest, energetic and has a great attitude. This is part of the building block of a company. I believe I have the best people in the state — in the nation. I’d put them up against anyone. I hire people ­— technicians and office personnel — who are trained for our system and who believe in our company.

“We want our people to specialize in specific disciplines, but to be knowledgeable about every system,” he says, adding that it’s typical to interview 20 candidates before finding the right individual.

Prior to an interview, Mullin even has his general manager, Charlotte Meyer, evaluate candidates on a few key points such as courtesy, grooming, and cigarette or body odor. “This person will be representing us in the home or business of a customer. I make my own judgment based on the time I spend with the applicant, and we find great people.”

Duke Gutierrez, owner of Duke’s Plumbing, Heating & Air in Gardnerville, Nevada, says hiring the right people isn’t necessarily about finding the most technically proficient candidate. He expects his technicians to take pride in the company and realize their own individual responsibilities. 

“There is a lot more to plumbing than changing out a toilet,” he says. “This is what separates our company from most others.” 

Gutierrez says finding technicians is a challenge because he requires proficiency in three areas of service: plumbing, heating and air. This typically requires a significant amount of training so the service technician can follow company policies. 

“I have taken the initiative to hire laymen, people who want a career, to learn a trade, and I take the time to train and teach the right way to do things. 

“A good example is a young man who has come in several times over the last two years wanting to join the firm,” he says. “I have suggested he needed to mature before I would hire him. But he has persevered and completed some further education. I just hired him. I appreciated that he was so determined to be a part of our company.” 

Kurt Bohmer, owner of Kurt Bohmer’s Professional Plumbing & Drain Service in Santa Clarita, California, is also willing to step outside the pool of trained plumbers for the right person. As with many companies, new hires must pass a drug and background check. But after that, Bohmer — an Eagle Scout as a teen — parts ways with conventional wisdom and focuses more on personalities and manners than prior experience. 

“We can teach anybody to do the job,” he says. “But it’s the personalities that resonate with the customers. So we look for good personalities before we look for qualifications — what they know about the trade. We’re looking for someone who’s friendly, has a neat appearance, speaks well and is confident and ready to take care of customers, day or night. 

“I like to pose different questions, but my favorite is to ask (prospective employees) what is the worst plumbing or septic problem they ever ran into,” he notes. “I like to see how emotional they are when they answer. … It gives you an idea of how much they care."

A caring personality is critical to helping customers, who typically call when they’re facing a crisis. Bohmer wants customers to know his workers have a passion for helping people out of difficult situations. Then the customer feels “that much more confident that their problem will be fixed correctly,” he says. 

The company’s ongoing training practices also help retain good people. Bohmer says it’s a morale booster. Employees feel better about their jobs and are more apt to remain loyal to the job when they know their employer is investing in their future.