Hiring scorecard

Score the next contractor hire before payroll makes the business heavier.

This scorecard helps trade service owners decide whether the next hire should be a field tech, crew lead, estimator, dispatcher, admin, or project coordinator — and what to test before making an offer. It keeps hiring tied to the full ProTradeHQ growth system: demand, margin, operations, training, reviews, and owner time.

Take the hiring readiness score Save the scorecard Download first-hire checklist

Pipeline rule

Hire for the constraint, not the job title you saw another contractor post.

A plumber drowning in estimate callbacks may need dispatch before another tech. A roofer with crews waiting on decisions may need a project coordinator. A cleaner with churn may need a route lead who protects quality.

  1. Name the revenue or capacity bottleneck.
  2. Pick the role that removes that bottleneck fastest.
  3. Score whether demand, margin, systems, and management can support the hire.
  4. Build the interview around real trade situations, not generic culture questions.

Contractor hiring readiness score

Score

0 / 6 ready signals

Check the signals you can prove with numbers or written process.

Trade-specific hiring screening map

Use this to tailor your job post, phone screen, working interview, and first-30-days checklist to the work your team actually sells.

Trade cluster

Plumbing / HVAC / electrical

Likely next role

Licensed techs, apprentices, dispatch support

Screen for

License status, callbacks, after-hours rotation, customer communication, truck readiness

Trade cluster

Roofing / remodeling / general contractor

Likely next role

Crew lead, project coordinator, estimator

Screen for

Sub reliability, safety habits, change-order discipline, photo documentation, schedule ownership

Trade cluster

Landscaping / cleaning / painting

Likely next role

Crew lead, route lead, quality checker

Screen for

Route density, checklist use, rework rate, equipment care, repeat-customer communication

Trade cluster

Pest control / pool service / handyman

Likely next role

Route tech, helper, office coordinator

Screen for

License or certification needs, recurring-service notes, upsell judgment, review request habits

Lower-path routing

Separate demand, margin, website, and profile gaps before payroll grows.

A hiring scorecard should not send every owner to the same next step. Route the weakest readiness signal first so the hire is supported by qualified demand, margin room, proof, and clean local actions.

Lead flow cannot keep the new role productive

Route hiring readers toward source quality, booked-job volume, close rate, and seasonality checks before payroll expands.

Validate demand before posting the job ->

Product fit: Neutral demand-readiness route

Margin or owner pay cannot carry payroll

Keep loaded labor cost, cash runway, owner pay, gross margin, and booked-job targets connected before the hire becomes fixed overhead.

Recheck break-even math ->

Product fit: Neutral finance route

Website leads are low-fit or underqualified

Use when the next hire needs better service-page proof, city proof, project photos, filtering copy, or quote-form clarity to stay productive.

Improve quote quality and proof ->

Product fit: Webzaz-fit website proof route

Local profile traffic needs clearer routing before staffing

Use when GBP, QR, review, referral, or social traffic should reach the right call, booking, review, or proof action before a new coordinator owns it.

Clean up profile destinations ->

Product fit: LocalKit-fit profile route

One-stop growth platform context

A hiring score is only useful when it protects the whole contractor growth engine.

Use the scorecard with owner-pay math, training checklists, local demand paths, and lead-response systems so a new hire removes a bottleneck instead of adding payroll chaos.

Check owner-pay and marginMake sure the next role can be funded before payroll grows. Plan the first 30 daysTurn the role into ride-alongs, skills signoff, and manager check-ins. Validate demandDo not hire into a weak lead flow or a discount-only schedule. Fix handoffsTighten dispatch, job notes, callbacks, and quality checks before adding people.

Build the pipeline

Use one scorecard per contractor role before posting the job.

Save the hiring scorecard → First employee guide → Calculate loaded labor cost →