Questions Automotive Technicians Should Ask During a Job Interview

A technician interview should go both ways. The best shops expect you to ask hard questions. Use the list below. Bring it printed if that is easier. If the answers are vague, that is your data.

Questions about compensation

• Can I have the pay plan in writing before I decide?
• Is this position hourly, flat-rate, salary, or hybrid, and how are hours calculated?
• What are the pay tiers here, and how does someone move up?
• How is diagnostic time paid when a repair does not sell?
• How is training time compensated?

Questions about flagged-hour expectations

• What is the average weekly flag count for a main-line tech here?
• What was it during the last slow month?
• Is there a minimum expectation, and what happens if I do not hit it?

Questions about workload

• How many repair orders per day per tech, on average?
• How does workload change seasonally?
• What is the customer-pay to warranty ratio?

Questions about dispatch

• Who dispatches work? Foreman, service manager, service advisor?
• How is work assigned to new hires during ramp-up?
• How do you handle repeat comebacks?

Questions about warranty work

• How is warranty labor time handled if it is unrealistically short for the actual job?
• How much of my typical week will be warranty vs customer-pay?
• How is warranty documentation supported?

Questions about tools and equipment

• What tools does the shop provide, and what am I expected to own?
• Is there a tool allowance? For what tier?
• How old are the lifts, alignment rack, and scan tools?
• For EV work — what PPE does the shop supply?

Questions about training

• Which manufacturer courses have your techs completed in the last 12 months?
• Are travel and lodging covered for out-of-store schools?
• Is ASE testing reimbursed?

Questions about mentorship

• Do new hires get a formal mentor?
• How are mentors compensated for teaching time?

Questions about schedule

• What is the actual weekly schedule?
• How are Saturdays and overtime handled?
• What flexibility exists for personal appointments and family needs?

Questions about benefits

• What health insurance is offered, and what does my share of the premium cost?
• Is there a 401(k), and is there a match?
• What is the paid-time-off policy? When does it start accruing?
• Are uniforms provided?

Questions about management communication

• How often do techs and management meet as a group?
• How are disputes about flag time or dispatch resolved?

Questions about performance reviews

• How often are formal reviews?
• What metrics are used?
• How do reviews connect to pay changes?

Questions about turnover

• How long has your average main-line tech been here?
• How many technicians have left in the last 12 months, and why?

Questions about advancement

• What does the path from B tech to A tech look like here?
• Can you give me an example of a technician promoted in the last two years?

Questions about the first 90 days

• What does onboarding look like week by week?
• Is there a pay guarantee during ramp-up?
• What does success at 30, 60, and 90 days look like?

What answers should raise concerns

• Refusal to put the pay plan in writing
• Inability to name a technician promoted in the last two years
• Vague or evasive answers about turnover
• "We are a family" used as a substitute for a specific answer
• You are told you cannot see the shop during business hours

Interview checklist