Interviewing pool techs that stick

Pool tech turnover industry-wide is 40–60% annually. Owners with great hiring run under 20%. Most of the difference is the interview.

Filter for the right thing. You're not hiring chemistry knowledge, you can teach that in 6 weeks. You're hiring (1) reliability, (2) physical capability for the job long-term, (3) basic mechanical aptitude, (4) someone who can talk to customers without being weird.

Interview structure (45 minutes, in person).

1. Quick warm-up (5 min). Name, prior work, what brings you to this kind of job.
2. Reliability dig (10 min). Walk through their last 3 jobs in detail. Why did each end? Specific dates. Cross-check against the resume, discrepancies signal honesty issues.
3. Physical reality check (10 min). Walk them through what the job actually is: 35–45 stops a day, summer heat, lifting 30–50 lbs of chemicals, climbing in trucks. Watch for hesitation. "I love being outside" answers nothing.
4. Customer scenario (10 min). "A customer is upset that you missed last week, they say it was your fault, but it was rained out. What do you do?" Listen for: empathy, not defensiveness; clarity; a desire to fix it.
5. Logistics (10 min). Driver's license? Reliable transportation? Could you start Monday at 6:30 AM? Are you authorized to work? Do you have any commitments (school, second job) that limit hours?

Red flags that predict turnover. Vague employment dates. "Bad bosses" at every prior job. No questions for you. Can't articulate why they want *this* job vs. any job.

Green flags. Specific examples in answers. Asks about training, schedule, growth path. Has thought about what they'd do well at and what they'd struggle with.