Pest Control Job Interview Questions
By My Service Depot on Tuesday, April 28, 2020Prepping for a pest control job interview? Review this list of commonly asked questions.
If you’ve got a pest control job interview in your near future, it pays to prepare ahead of time. Ideally, you should rehearse your answers to common pest control interview questions. Do so, and you’ll feel less nervous during the interview and come off as poised and professional—increasing the likelihood you’ll land the job.
Pest control professionals deal with a range of challenges in the field. The best pest control job interview questions highlight a candidate’s experience. Whether you’re a job seeker or an employer, prepare for your next pest control job interview with these 6 common questions.
How would you choose a treatment in this situation?
Pest control is about a lot more than killing bugs. Treatment scenarios are complex and even dangerous for untrained workers. This question helps interviewers evaluate a pest control pro’s level of knowledge.
Interviewers might ask, “Tell me how you would remove a squirrel’s nest from an attic.” This scenario-based question shows the interviewee’s expertise, easily separating experienced techs from green beginners. As an interviewee, you should run through some common pest scenarios to prepare for the interview. The interviewer wants proof that you have the specialized knowledge the field demands.
Tell me about your most challenging pest control job.
This question really asks two things. First, do you have enough field experience for the position? Second, can you walk through how you solve problems?
If the challenge concerns people (like a difficult boss, coworker, or customer), take the high road. Resist the urge to bash people; focus on showing your experience and problem-solving skills instead.
The best answers to this question give a brief context for the situation, the problem itself, and how you came up with a solution. It should sound something like this; “My most challenging situation happened at a home with a fly infestation. This infestation just wouldn’t stop. The owner kept the home’s temperature over 80 degrees, which made the infestation harder to combat. I educated the customer about the fly lifecycle, and why it was necessary to monitor the home’s temperature. The next treatment was successful.”
Tell me about yourself.
This is a common interview question in every industry, and pest control makes no exception. “Tell me about yourself” is a tricky question, though. At first, it sounds like the employer wants your personal story, but that’s not the case.
Employers ask this question to tap into an interviewee’s experience. It’s also a veiled way of asking, “Why are you here?”
Delve into your professional experience for this question. Here’s a quick formula for a brief, professional answer:
- One sentence about why you chose pest control.
- A few sentences about your education and certifications, if any.
- A few sentences about your past experience.
- A sentence about why you applied for the job, and why this pest control company looked like a good fit for your skills.
What are your salary expectations?
You probably have an idea of the hourly rate for the pest control job you applied for, but employers will often ask about your compensation requirements, too. If you don’t know the pay and an employer asks for your expectations, it puts you at a disadvantage. If your number is too high or too low, it could cost you the job (or a lot of pay).
Employers should always put their target pay scale on the job listing. As an interviewee, you can ask for salary expectations before scheduling the interview. This ensures you’re on the same page as the employer.
If you’re in an interview where you’re asked for salary expectations and don’t know the pay yet, keep your answer vague. “My salary expectations depend on the level of experience and work required for the job. Can you tell me more about the responsibilities of the position and the pay range you’re looking at?”
Why did you choose pest control?
Pest control is a great career field, but it’s far from glamorous. Employers ask pest control techs this question so they can understand your values and motivation.
While answers like, “it pays well,” or, “I need work,” might be honest, employers need to hear more. Why do you crawl under houses and fight pests every day? Is it the satisfaction of making customers’ homes safer? Knowing that your work helps families?
Pest control isn’t an easy job, so go to the interview understanding what motivates you. Employers want enthusiastic employees representing their company, and having a solid “why” makes you a standout candidate.
Soft skills matter, too.
Remember that no matter how great you answer these interview questions, soft skills matter, too. The most successful pest control workers act friendly and personable. You work in the field all day speaking with clients, so you need to demonstrate your communication skills during this interview.
An employer might ask you about challenges, difficulties, or stressful scenarios. Focus on the solution or the outcome instead of negativity. Businesses need solution-oriented techs who solve problems instead of dwelling on them.
