Interview guide
Interview questions for construction helpers.
The text screen covers the work they’ve done, their boots and tools, and whether they have an OSHA 10 card. This interview is for how they act on a site: whether they take direction, speak up when something’s unsafe and leave the job cleaner than they found it.
“Tell me about the last site you worked on. What was your part, and who did you answer to?”
- Why ask
- It gets past “I’ve done construction” to what they actually did and how that site ran.
- Listen for
- Specific tasks (demo, carrying drywall, prep for the painters) and a lead they can describe. “A bit of everything” is worth a follow-up question.
“Your lead tells you to do something a way you think is wrong. What do you do?”
- Why ask
- Helpers who argue or freelance slow the crew and cause rework.
- Listen for
- Do it the lead’s way and ask about it at a good moment, unless it’s unsafe, in which case they stop and say so right away.
“What do you look for when you first walk onto a site in the morning?”
- Why ask
- A site changes every day, and the hazards change with it.
- Listen for
- Open holes and edges, cords and debris to trip on, work going on overhead, and where the lead wants material staged. Their own glasses and gloves on before they start.
“When would you refuse to climb a ladder or get on a scaffold?”
- Why ask
- Ladders and scaffolds are where a small shortcut turns serious, and a helper who speaks up protects the whole crew.
- Listen for
- A damaged ladder, one on soft or uneven ground or not tied off, missing guardrails, or wet or windy conditions. They tell the lead instead of climbing anyway.
“Someone hands you a saw you’ve never used and asks you to make a cut. What do you do?”
- Why ask
- Honesty about what they don’t know is worth more than confidence with a power tool.
- Listen for
- They say they haven’t used it and ask to be shown. Checking the guard and blade and putting on eye and ear protection before the first cut is a good sign.
“If you’re painting inside someone’s home, what do you do before you open a can?”
- Why ask
- In a home people live in, protecting the floors and furniture is half the job.
- Listen for
- Move or cover the furniture, put drop cloths down, take off switch and outlet covers, and tape the edges. Bonus if they’d ask the homeowner about anything fragile.
“The homeowner asks when the job will be done, or whether you could add a closet while you’re here. What do you say?”
- Why ask
- Promises made by a helper become the owner’s problem.
- Listen for
- Friendly, no dates or prices, and a handoff to the lead or the owner. “Let me get my lead” is the right answer.
“It’s the end of the day. What does the site look like when you leave?”
- Why ask
- Cleanup is part of the work: a clean site is safer, and it’s what the customer sees that evening.
- Listen for
- Tools put away or locked up, cords rolled, debris in the dumpster, nails and screws swept up and walkways clear, done without being asked.
Then, a paid trial.
Bring them on for a paid day on an active site with a lead who will give them real work: carrying material, prep, setup and cleanup. Keep them on the ground for the trial, with no roof work or tall scaffolds, and watch whether they show up on time in their boots, ask before they guess and start cleaning up without being told. Pay the day at your helper rate.
Your next great hire is already texting.
Early access is open for every trade.