Interview guide
Interview questions for landscapers.
The text screen covers the equipment they’ve run, working in the heat and whether they can tow a trailer. This interview is for the habits that keep a crew safe and a route on time: how they check a machine, read a yard they’ve never seen and handle a homeowner who walks out mid-mow.
“The crew leaves the shop at 7 AM. What time do you get there, and what do you do first?”
- Why ask
- Crews roll out together, and a late crew member holds up the whole truck and the route behind it.
- Listen for
- Early enough to load the trailer and check the equipment. If they’re going to be late, they call the lead before rollout, not after.
“Walk me through what you check on a mower before you start it.”
- Why ask
- A quick check each morning prevents breakdowns mid-route and catches the problems that hurt people.
- Listen for
- Fuel and oil, blade condition, tire pressure, guards and the discharge chute in place, and anything loose or missing. Bonus if they test that the safety switches work.
“What do you wear when you run a trimmer or a blower, and why?”
- Why ask
- Rocks and debris fly off a trimmer line, and hours of engine noise add up.
- Listen for
- Safety glasses, hearing protection, long pants and closed boots, said without prompting. Good crew members also check for people, cars and windows before they start.
“You pull up to a yard you’ve never seen. What do you look at before you start?”
- Why ask
- Reading a property first is how a crew avoids broken sprinkler heads, thrown rocks and a mower on a slope it shouldn’t be on.
- Listen for
- A walk of the yard for rocks, toys, hoses, sprinkler heads and dog waste, where to blow clippings (away from cars, windows and the pool), and slopes too steep or wet for the rider.
“It’s 95 degrees and there are 4 more yards before lunch. How do you and the crew get through it?”
- Why ask
- On hot days, water, shade and pacing decide whether the crew finishes the route safely.
- Listen for
- Drinking before they’re thirsty, shade breaks, the heavy work done early, and watching each other for signs of heat illness. They tell the lead when someone isn’t right.
“You hit a sprinkler head with the mower. What happens next?”
- Why ask
- Small damage happens on any route, and hiding it turns a quick fix into a lost customer.
- Listen for
- Stop, mark it and tell the lead right away so it can be fixed or noted for the customer. Keeping quiet and mowing on is the answer to watch for.
“A homeowner walks out and asks you to trim a tree or haul away a pile of branches. What do you say?”
- Why ask
- Extra work agreed to on the spot skips your pricing and your schedule.
- Listen for
- Friendly and helpful without promising anything: they pass it to the lead, who can quote it. Not a shrug, and not a quiet yes.
“How do you know a yard is finished?”
- Why ask
- The finish is what the customer sees when they get home.
- Listen for
- Clean edges and even lines, clippings blown off walks, drives and beds, gates latched and nothing left behind. A last look from the street is a great habit.
Then, a paid trial.
Bring them out for a full route day, starting at the shop at the crew’s usual time, with a lead who can show them your way. Start them on a trimmer or blower rather than a rider, and watch whether they put on eye and ear protection without being told, keep pace without cutting corners and take water breaks with the crew. Pay the day at your regular crew rate.
Your next great hire is already texting.
Early access is open for every trade.