For many HVAC businesses, the biggest barrier to growth isn’t a lack of customers but a shortage of skilled staff. If your company is turning away new jobs or scheduling weeks out because you don’t have enough service technicians, making an investment in recruitment could provide a substantial return. Hiring an additional service technician could instantly boost your revenue and help keep up with demand.
Yet, many HVAC businesses struggle with hiring. The common route is to post a job on Indeed or ZipRecruiter, which usually results in one of two outcomes: no candidates or an influx of unqualified applicants, often with general labor backgrounds who aren't suited for HVAC roles. Relying on referrals or word-of-mouth can work occasionally, but it's not a sustainable strategy for growing your business. The HVAC companies that are thriving are the ones that take a more proactive approach to recruitment.
Why Use a Professional Recruiter?
Partnering with a specialized recruiting service like Rockstar Recruiting, and specifically our Rockstar HVAC division, takes your search beyond the usual job boards. Our HVAC Recruitment Team specializes in finding passive candidates—those service technicians who are currently working and not actively searching but would be open to a better opportunity.
We actively pitch these roles to top-quality candidates, screen them to ensure they are the right fit, and only present the best matches to you. What’s even better is that there’s no upfront cost or obligation. We work on a contingency basis, meaning you only pay a fee if you hire a referred candidate who successfully starts with your business.
The ROI of Recruiting: Why It’s Worth the Investment
The biggest hesitation many HVAC businesses have with using a recruiter is cost. Yes, hiring through a recruiter isn’t cheap—fees generally range from 15% to 20% of the candidate’s projected first-year income. For example, if you hire a service technician at $30 per hour, your cost might be around $750 per month during their first year.
But let’s put that into perspective. If your business charges a service rate of $125 per hour, and your new technician is working at 75% efficiency, with a 20% burden rate (cost of employing someone), they can generate close to $10,000 in monthly profit just from service work. This doesn’t even account for the additional revenue technicians can generate through upselling services or selling new equipment such as air conditioners, furnaces, and boilers. When you consider that, the recruiting fee becomes a small price to pay for the potential returns.
Seasonal Demand and Lost Opportunities
In HVAC, the stakes are even higher because of the seasonal nature of the business. You don’t have the luxury of telling a customer that you'll get to their issue in a couple of weeks. If a customer’s furnace breaks down in the middle of winter, or their AC stops working during a summer heatwave, they won’t wait for two weeks—they’ll move on to a competitor who can address their issue immediately. Being short-staffed means turning away work, and those customers may never come back.
This calculator is specifically designed for service technicians, but it’s also applicable for installers. If you’re turning away installation work because you don’t have enough staff to complete jobs, you’re throwing away potential revenue. Hiring more technicians and installers not only helps you stay competitive, but it also allows your business to grow and maximize its seasonal opportunities.
Run the Numbers Yourself
Still unsure? Play with the calculator and input your business’s specific figures—your charge-out rate, efficiency, and burden rate—and see for yourself how hiring the right technician or installer can have a major impact on your bottom line.
Ready to Grow Your Team?
If you’re ready to expand your team and want to explore how Rockstar Recruiting can help, reach out to us. Whether you're ready to start a search or just want to ask some questions, we’re here to help. Email us at info@rockstarrecruitinggroup.com, call us at 1-833-762-5787, or click here to book a call.
Let’s work together to craft a tailored recruitment strategy that helps your HVAC business grow and thrive.
