skilled trades technical operationsase certificationbrake and suspensionengine driveabilityobd ii diagnostics
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Hands-on competence
35% weight
Check which ASE certifications they hold (A1 to A8, L1 advanced engine performance) and what repairs they perform daily: timing chains, transmission R and R, alignments, EVAP repairs.
Evidence to listen for
Names the equipment, materials, and tolerances they work to
Can describe a job start to finish without hand-waving the hard parts
Holds the tickets, licences, or certifications the work requires, and they are current
Knows what they are not qualified to touch
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Cannot describe the work concretely; lacks required tickets or licences.
2
Needs Improvement
Basic familiarity; needs supervision on routine tasks.
3
Satisfactory
Competent on standard work; slower or unsure on unfamiliar jobs.
4
Very Good
Skilled and independent across the normal range of the role.
5
Excellent
Holds current ASE Master or L1 status and names specific jobs recently completed, including flat-rate hours and torque specs used.
02
Evaluation factor
Safety discipline
30% weight
Probe lift and jack stand discipline, hybrid or EV high voltage lockout practice, respirator and glove use with brake dust, refrigerant handling, and Section 609 certification.
Evidence to listen for
Treats procedure as protection rather than paperwork
Can describe a time they stopped work and why
Knows the specific hazards of this trade and the controls for each
Reports near misses instead of hiding them
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Casual about safety; describes shortcuts with pride.
2
Needs Improvement
Follows procedure when watched; cannot name the hazards that matter.
3
Satisfactory
Sound safety habits; less certain on unfamiliar hazards.
4
Very Good
Safety is instinctive; can describe stopping work over a real concern.
5
Excellent
Describes de-energizing an EV pack before service, verifies with a meter, and refuses shortcuts on lift points or wheel torque.
03
Evaluation factor
Fault finding
20% weight
Test how they diagnose an intermittent misfire or parasitic draw: scan tool used (Snap-on Zeus, Autel, OEM scan), live data, freeze frame, wiring diagram tracing.
Evidence to listen for
Has a method for narrowing a fault rather than swapping parts
Reads schematics, manuals, or error codes and acts on them
Knows when to escalate rather than guess
Can describe a fault that took real work to find
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Parts-swapper; no diagnostic method.
2
Needs Improvement
Fixes symptoms; cannot explain how they found the cause.
3
Satisfactory
Solid on familiar faults; less structured on new ones.
4
Very Good
Clear systematic method with a real hard-fault story.
5
Excellent
Walks a logical path from symptom to confirmed root cause using pressure or scope data, avoiding parts-swapping guesswork.
04
Evaluation factor
Reliability and conduct
15% weight
Assess comeback rate, flat-rate efficiency numbers, how they document findings on repair orders, and how they explain declined work to service advisers and customers.
Evidence to listen for
Turns up, on time, prepared
Handles shift work, callouts, or travel as the role requires
Documents work so the next person can pick it up
Deals with customers or site staff professionally
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unreliable attendance; unprofessional on site.
2
Needs Improvement
Inconsistent; documentation is an afterthought.
3
Satisfactory
Dependable; paperwork is adequate.
4
Very Good
Consistently reliable, documents well, professional with customers.
5
Excellent
Cites low comeback history, consistent efficiency above one hundred percent, and clean documented ROs with photos or video evidence.
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