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 hands-on range: balancing free chlorine, pH, alkalinity and cyanuric acid with a Taylor K-2006 kit, backwashing sand or DE filters, replacing pump seals and salt cells.
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
Names specific target ranges, LSI balancing, and repairs done solo on Pentair or Hayward pumps, heaters and chlorinators.
02
Evaluation factor
Safety discipline
30% weight
Probe muriatic acid and chlorine handling, separate chemical storage, PPE use, VGB compliant drain covers, and bonding or GFCI checks before touching wet electrical equipment.
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 never mixing acid with chlorine, cites SDS practice, and recalls refusing a job over a missing anti-entrapment cover.
03
Evaluation factor
Fault finding
20% weight
Test diagnosis of cloudy water, persistent algae, chloramine odour, low flow, and heater lockout codes; ask how they isolate suction leaks versus a failing impeller.
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 sequence from test results to filter, flow and equipment checks, then names the actual root cause found.
04
Evaluation factor
Reliability and conduct
15% weight
Assess route reliability: pools serviced per day, clean driving record, customer gate and pet protocols, service logs, and handling an HOA complaint about a green pool.
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 consistent route volume, documented service tickets, low callback rate, and calm handling of a demanding homeowner or property manager.
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