The New Rules of HVAC Hiring

One of the most frequent topics that comes up during my conversations with HVAC contractors is how hard it is to find good people.

Earlier this year, Bring Back the Trades and F.W. Webb released a report revealing the projected skilled trades gap is 1.4 million unfilled jobs by 2030. According to the study, based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, there were 406,078 people employed in the HVAC industry in 2024, with 192,365 job openings projected by 2030.

I kept this in mind when I attended Westie Magnuson’s breakout session at ACCA 2026 this past March. As Chief Culture Officer at HireAligned, he brought a different perspective on what recruiting should look like for modern-day contracting businesses.

“The pivot I made that was really helpful is to look at recruiting as sales,” he said. “We can’t treat it like HR paperwork.”

Speed to Lead

First of all, Magnuson emphasized that sales-driven recruiting starts with speed and meeting candidates where they are. He challenged the industry’s reliance on slow, passive communication, noting that most contractors still default to email, even though most technicians do not check their email.

Instead, he urged teams to adopt a “speed to lead” mindset for hiring, just as they would for a hot sales opportunity, with frequent checks on applicants and rapid follow-up.

Texting is the most effective communication channel, according to Magnuson, who called it “the speediest, the quickest, the least invasive,” especially for in-demand technicians who are already working and unlikely to answer unknown calls or sift through voicemails. He encouraged authenticity by using personalized text communications to capture candidate interest.

Put One Person in Charge

Recruiting must have clear ownership, Manguson noted. Too often, contractors assign hiring to whoever has an opening, even though those managers were hired to run operations, improve revenue, and lead teams—not to become recruiters. As Magnuson put it, “If it’s not one single person’s responsibility and priority, it will never be done as well as it could be.”

He explained that a dedicated hiring owner creates accountability, consistency, and a better candidate experience. Instead of applicants receiving delayed or uneven communication from overloaded managers already “wearing two and a half hats,” one point person can track progress across departments and keep momentum moving. Magnuson also noted that phone screening stacks of applicants is draining, time-consuming work that distracts leaders from their core responsibilities. Because hiring can be the difference between stagnant growth and doubling revenue, he urged contractors to treat the recruiting role like any other revenue-driving position—with proper compensation, incentives, and measurable expectations.

Know Your Market

Equally important is knowing what your competitors are offering in terms of pay and benefits. Magnuson stressed that contractors should understand how competitors structure pay, commissions, benefits, schedules, and incentives so they can speak confidently with candidates and address concerns immediately. Knowing a rival company’s recent pay-plan changes or workplace frustrations can instantly build trust and help uncover why a technician is exploring new opportunities.

Magnuson emphasized that compensation is only one part of the decision. Candidates often care just as much about health insurance, retirement matching, take-home vehicles, newer trucks, uniforms, tools, on-call schedules, weekend policies, and overall quality of life. “I've literally had someone come for an interview, want to see the truck, saw how nice it was, and asked when they could start. They didn't even ask what we were going to pay them. They literally picked it just because of a truck. You need to know all of their pain points and how to speak to them.”

Protect Culture, Hire Smart

Contractors also need to balance urgency with discipline when filling open roles. While labor shortages often pressure companies to hire quickly, Magnuson said, too often, companies bring on someone they know may be a poor culture match simply because “the truck’s been empty too long” or revenue is being affected.

He also warned against overpaying new hires outside established compensation tiers or making special exceptions (like not joining the on-call rotation) to lure talent in the door. Those moves can damage morale, create resentment, and drive away reliable existing employees who feel undervalued.

Build a Bench

Magnuson encouraged contractors to “build a bench” by treating recruiting as an ongoing relationship strategy rather than something that starts only when an opening appears. Strong candidates who are not ready to move today may become future hires, so companies should stay in touch, follow up consistently, and maintain genuine relationships built on trust and transparency.

Magnuson shared that many of his best hires were “boomerangs”—candidates he had previously interviewed who later reached back out when they were ready for a change. “The last time I counted, I had 187 plumbers’ phone numbers saved in my phone. And I stay in touch with them.”

He also urged leaders to “ABR: always be recruiting,” promoting their company in everyday interactions and building a positive reputation in the community. With open roles taking roughly 30 days to fill on average, every vacancy creates lost revenue and added costs. By maintaining an active pipeline of relationships, contractors can shorten hiring timelines, reduce downtime, and gain a significant competitive advantage in a tight labor market.

“One of our funniest success story hires was from a service call we ran — our plumber had such an interesting conversation with the homeowner that he applied, got into the apprenticeship, and then he became an apprentice at the shop. “

The overall lesson here is that the workforce shortage will not be solved overnight, but contractors who approach recruiting with the same discipline, urgency, and consistency they bring to sales and service will be far better positioned to grow.