The Full Story
One of my best techs used to cook in a hospital kitchen. He’d never fixed a phone in his life.
The experienced tech I hired from a competitor? Didn’t make it six months.
After thirteen years of hiring repair technicians, I’ve learned something most business owners get wrong: experience doesn’t predict success. Character does.
The Experience Trap
When I started iDropped in 2012, I made the same mistake everyone makes. I looked for experience first. Someone who already knew how to do the job seemed like the obvious choice – less training time, faster productivity, immediate value.
I’ve hired experienced techs from competitors. I’ve interviewed dozens more. Almost none worked out long-term.
There’s usually a reason they didn’t work at the previous employer either.
The problems weren’t always obvious in the interview. They had the technical knowledge. They could talk through repair processes. Their resumes looked impressive.
But experience without character is just polished incompetence.
What I Learned to Hire For Instead
I’ve hired people with zero repair experience who became exceptional technicians. The difference wasn’t aptitude or intelligence or even interest in technology.
The difference was character.
Our values at iDropped: Integrity, Service, Growth, Creativity.
I hire for alignment with these values first, skills second. You can teach someone to solder. You can teach them to do basic repairs and diagnose a faulty device. You can teach them micro-soldering and data recovery.
You cannot teach them to care about doing it right.
You cannot teach integrity. Either they have it or they don’t.
Why Creativity Matters More Than You Think
Most people understand why integrity and service matter. Growth mindset makes sense – you want someone who can learn and improve.
But creativity? In a repair technician?
Absolutely.
When you’re troubleshooting something you’ve never seen before – a failure mode that doesn’t match any pattern, a device with unusual damage, a problem that shouldn’t be happening according to theory – creativity is what separates a great tech from a mediocre one.
Creativity is the ability to think laterally. To see connections others miss. To try approaches that aren’t in the manual.
The best techs I have are the ones who look at a problem and think “what if we tried…” instead of “the manual doesn’t cover this.”
The Strange Correlation: Cooks Make Excellent Techs
Some of my best technicians came from cooking – hospital kitchens, grocery store cafes, restaurant line cooks. They had an interest in tech but no formal experience with electronics repair.
At first, this seemed random. But the pattern kept repeating, and I started to understand why.
Cooking is high-stress work. You’re managing multiple orders with different timing requirements. You’re dealing with demanding customers and tight deadlines. You’re working in hot, chaotic environments where mistakes are visible and immediate.
Those skills transfer perfectly to repair work.
A good line cook can manage multiple repairs at different stages of completion. They can handle pressure when a customer needs their device back today. They can work methodically even when the shop is busy and phones are ringing.
And here’s the key difference: they genuinely appreciate the opportunity.
A hospital cook who learns electronics repair isn’t just getting a new job. They’re getting a cleaner, calmer work environment. They’re learning a skilled trade with growth potential. They’re building a career, not just working a job.
That appreciation translates to loyalty, effort, and care about quality.
What I Actually Look For In Interviews
Over thirteen years, I’ve developed specific things I watch for in interviews. Some are standard. Some I’ve learned the hard way.
Stability
I look for 3-5 years at a previous employer, or someone new to the workforce entirely.
Job hoppers are red flags. If someone’s had five jobs in three years, there’s a pattern. Either they have unrealistic expectations, they don’t handle normal workplace friction well, or they’re the common denominator in their own problems.
New to the workforce is different. Someone’s first real job out of school doesn’t have a track record to judge. That’s fine. I’m looking at other indicators for them.
Detail Orientation
If someone claims technical knowledge, I make them walk me through a repair process step by step.
“You say you know how to replace an iPhone screen. Walk me through it.”
The level of detail they provide tells me everything.
Do they mention removing screws in a specific order? Do they talk about disconnecting the battery first for safety? Do they know about the ambient light sensor cable and how easy it is to damage? Do they mention testing functionality before closing it up?
Or do they give vague generalities? “You open it up, take out the old screen, put in the new one.”
This is precision work. We need precision thinkers. The interview tells me if they have that or if they’re faking knowledge they don’t actually have.
Accountability
I ask about mistakes they’ve made and why.
“Tell me about a time you made a significant mistake at work. What happened, and what did you learn from it?”
Do they take responsibility? Or do they blame circumstances, other people, bad luck, unreasonable expectations?
Everyone makes mistakes. The question is what they do with them.
The best answer I ever got: “I rushed a repair because we were busy and didn’t test it properly before giving it back to the customer. The charging port I replaced wasn’t seated correctly. Customer came back the next day, and I had to redo the work. I learned to slow down on the final checks no matter how busy we are. Rushing at the end costs more time than doing it right the first time.”
That’s accountability. That’s learning. That’s someone I want on my team.
My Favorite Interview Question
Here’s the question that reveals more about character than anything else:
“Name 3 great decisions you’ve made in your life.”
I didn’t come up with this on my own. I learned it from an HR consultant years ago. But I’ve used it in every interview since, and the answers are incredibly revealing.
What people consider “great decisions” tells you what they value.
Some people list accomplishments: “I decided to go to college. I decided to get certified in X. I decided to buy a house.”
Some people focus on relationships: “I decided to marry my wife. I decided to move closer to family. I decided to repair a friendship I’d damaged.”
Some people talk about character moments: “I decided to quit a job that was paying well but compromising my values. I decided to help my brother even though it cost me money. I decided to own up to a mistake instead of covering it up.”
Do they take credit for their wins? Or do they deflect? “I was lucky to get into that program. My parents pushed me to make that choice.”
Do they mention other people? “That decision worked out because my wife supported me through it.”
Do they show self-awareness? “I made that decision for the wrong reasons at the time, but it turned out to be the right choice anyway.”
The answers tell you everything about how they think, what they value, and whether they take ownership of their life.
This one question reveals more about character than an entire resume.
Red Flags I’ve Learned to Watch For
Know-it-all attitude
They’ve done everything. They know everyone. They’re familiar with every repair technique. They’ve worked on every device model.
That’s ego, not competence.
The best techs I have are the ones who say “I haven’t worked on that specific model, but here’s how I’d approach it based on what I know about similar devices.”
Confidence with humility. That’s what I want.
Vague answers to technical questions
If they can’t explain details, they don’t actually know it. They’ve watched YouTube videos or they’re repeating things they’ve heard, but they haven’t done the work.
I’d rather have someone say “I don’t know” than fake expertise.
Victim narratives
Listen for patterns of blaming others – at work AND in personal life.
“My last boss was impossible to work with.” “My coworkers were lazy and I had to do everything.” “My girlfriend is always causing drama.” “My family doesn’t understand me.”
If every past employer was terrible, every coworker was the problem, every relationship was someone else’s fault – that’s a pattern.
The common denominator in all their problems is them.
People who take zero responsibility in their personal life won’t suddenly become accountable at work.
Listen for FOG: Fear, Obligation, Guilt
This is manipulation language, and once you learn to hear it, you can’t unhear it.
FOG stands for Fear, Obligation, Guilt – and it’s how manipulators operate.
Someone who uses FOG to talk about past experiences will use it on you as their employer.
Listen for these patterns in interviews:
Obligation manipulation: “After everything I did for them, they wronged me.” “I went above and beyond for that company, and this is how they repaid me.” “I was always there when they needed me, but when I needed something…”
They’re positioning themselves as owed something. They kept score. And they expect you to feel obligated to them for their effort.
Fear manipulation: “Oh you don’t want to call my previous employer – they’re crazy, they’ll start a fight with you.” “If you talk to them, they’ll lie about me because they’re still mad I quit.” “I wouldn’t trust anything they say – they hold grudges.”
They’re trying to make you afraid to verify their story. That’s a massive red flag. If someone doesn’t want you calling references, there’s a reason.
Guilt manipulation: “I know I made mistakes there, but I had a lot going on at home and they weren’t understanding.” “They expected too much – I was doing the work of three people and they didn’t appreciate it.” “I gave them everything and they still let me go.”
They want you to feel sorry for them. They want you to see them as the victim. They want your guilt to override your judgment.
Here’s what FOG tells you: this person will use these same tactics on you.
When you need to hold them accountable, they’ll remind you of everything they’ve done for you (Obligation).
When you try to verify something or check their work, they’ll make you afraid of conflict or consequences (Fear).
When there’s a performance issue, they’ll give you reasons why you should feel bad for them instead of addressing the problem (Guilt).
I need team members who:
- Take accountability without keeping score
- Welcome reference checks because they have nothing to hide
- Own their mistakes without making excuses
FOG language in an interview tells me they can’t do any of that.
The Step You Cannot Skip
Call previous employers. Always.
I don’t care how good the interview was. I don’t care how impressive their resume looks. I don’t care if I have a good feeling about them.
References matter.
And I don’t just call the references they provide – those are curated. I call the main number associated with the business and work my way to the relevant department and person.
Most previous employers won’t say much due to legal concerns. That’s fine. What they don’t say is often more revealing than what they do say.
“Would you rehire this person if you had an opening?”
The pause before they answer tells you everything.
The Transformation Is The Reward
My favorite part of this job isn’t finding great techs. It’s watching their transformation.
I’ve seen someone walk in with zero repair experience, nervous and unsure, not even certain they can do this work.
Three years later, they’re diagnosing complex logic board failures, training newer technicians, handling our most difficult customers with professionalism and competence.
That transformation – being part of someone’s journey from entry-level to mastery – is what makes this work meaningful.
I know where they started. I remember their first successful repair, their first difficult customer interaction they handled well, the first time they solved a problem I couldn’t solve.
That’s not something you get when you hire experienced techs from competitors. They arrive with skills, sure. But you miss the journey. You miss watching them become someone new.
What This Means For You
If you’re hiring – for any position, not just technicians – here’s what I want you to take away:
Experience matters. I still look for it when I can get it. But it’s not the most important thing.
Character matters more. Alignment with your values matters more. Accountability matters more. The ability to learn matters more. Creativity and problem-solving matter more.
The best team members aren’t always the ones who already know everything. They’re the ones with the character to learn, the creativity to solve problems, and the integrity to do it right.
Stop filtering resumes by experience first. Start filtering by character first.
Ask the interview questions that reveal who they actually are, not just what they know.
Call references. Always.
Look for patterns in how they talk about past employers, coworkers, relationships. Victim narratives and FOG language are red flags.
And consider looking in unexpected places. The hospital cook with an interest in your field might be your next exceptional hire.
Character over experience. Every time.
Breaking and Building 
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