Why TCG Recruits for Aptitude Over Experience
How The Cincinnatus Group Stopped Chasing Unicorns and Started Training Racehorses
Every contractor and HVAC duct fabricator has entered the same fantasy forest at one time or another and chased the same unicorn: the experienced duct estimator with a perfect resume. Someone who knows the software, reads complex drawings effortlessly, and hits the ground running. These candidates exist. They’re just nearly impossible to find.
At The Cincinnatus Group, we left the fantasy and stopped chasing unicorns years ago. Instead, we started training racehorses in the real world.
“We realized that if we kept searching for the best people in duct estimating, we’d be stuck in a loop of frustration,” says Drew McCaffrey, founder of The Cincinnatus Group. “So, we built a system that creates the talent we need.”
The results speak for themselves. In 2024, TCG completed over 2,200 takeoffs. Through 2025, we’ve delivered projects totaling more than 1.1 million line items with zero corrective action reports. That precision comes in part from people who, only months earlier, had never performed a duct takeoff in their lives.
How? By recruiting for aptitude over experience. Here’s why that approach works better than chasing industry veterans.
The Experience Paradox
It sounds counterintuitive. Why would you hire someone without experience over someone who’s been doing the job for years? The answer lies in understanding what experience actually brings to the table, along with the unwanted baggage that sometimes comes with it.
Experienced estimators arrive with established habits. Some of those habits are excellent. Others create problems that are hard to unlearn. They may have developed shortcuts that worked at their previous company but don’t translate to TCG’s systematic approach. They might resist new processes because “that’s not how we did it before.”
The takeoff services TCG delivers every day depend on consistency. Every estimate follows proven workflows refined over 21 years. Every calculation uses standardized methods. Every deliverable meets the same quality standards. This systematic approach powered our zero-error record in 2025.
Training someone with deeply ingrained habits to follow a different system takes longer than training someone from scratch. The experienced estimator has to unlearn before they can learn. The fresh candidate starts with a clean slate.
There’s another factor at play. Experienced estimators are expensive. They command premium salaries because demand far exceeds supply. When you do find one, you’re competing against every other contractor who’s also chasing that same unicorn. Bidding wars drive costs higher while providing no guarantee of cultural fit.
Meanwhile, candidates with aptitude but limited experience are more available. They’re eager to learn. They appreciate the opportunity. And with the right training system, they become just as capable as industry veterans—often faster than you’d expect.
The Right Wiring
“I’m not looking for the best résumé,” explains Molly Huth, TCG’s Human Resources and Operations Coordinator. “I’m looking for the right wiring. If someone has worked with their hands, installed ductwork, done electrical work, or shows technical aptitude, that’s a good start.”
What does “right wiring” actually mean? It’s a combination of traits that predict success in precision estimating work.
Mechanical aptitude sits at the top of the list. Duct estimating requires understanding how physical components fit together. Someone who’s assembled machinery, worked on construction sites, or built things with their hands already thinks spatially. They visualize how two-dimensional drawings translate into three-dimensional installations.
Technical thinking matters equally. Estimators work with numbers constantly. They calculate quantities, verify measurements, and catch discrepancies that would cause problems downstream. People who enjoy solving math puzzles or working through logical problems often excel at this work.
Attention to detail separates good estimators from great ones. A single missed fitting or incorrect gauge specification can cascade into expensive field problems. The right candidates notice small things. They double-check their work naturally. They’re uncomfortable with “close enough.”
Pattern recognition helps estimators work efficiently. After reviewing hundreds of drawings, experienced estimators spot common configurations quickly. They recognize when something looks wrong before they can articulate why. This skill develops with practice, but some people have stronger natural pattern recognition than others.
Ed Boote, TCG’s senior estimator trainer, puts it like this: “If you’re obsessively good at putting puzzles together, this could be the right place for you. In doing takeoffs, we take designs that architects and engineers create, pull them apart, and put them back together using specific fabrication requirements and our expertise.”
These traits matter more than years of experience. A candidate with strong spatial reasoning, natural precision, and genuine curiosity about how things work can deliver takeoffs second to none. A candidate without these traits may struggle regardless of their background.
The Assessment Stack
How do you identify the right wiring before making a hiring decision? TCG built a multi-stage assessment process. It works like this:
Video interviews come first. These initial conversations reveal communication skills, professionalism, and genuine interest. Candidates who can articulate their thinking clearly often perform well in roles that require explaining complex information to clients and colleagues.
CliftonStrengths Assessments provide data-driven insights into how candidates naturally operate. These validated assessments identify thinking patterns, working styles, and potential strengths. TCG looks for specific strength profiles that correlate with estimating success.
In-person interviews go deeper. Technical questions explore problem-solving approaches and spatial reasoning. Department tours let candidates see the actual work environment. This stage reveals whether someone has what it takes to succeed in TCG’s systematic, precision-focused culture.
Paid trial days provide the ultimate test. Promising candidates spend a day working alongside the estimating team. They experience the actual job, not just a description of it. TCG sees how candidates handle real tasks under real conditions. Candidates see whether the work genuinely interests them.
This assessment stack takes time. It requires investment before any hiring decision. But the payoff comes in reduced turnover, faster training, and better cultural fit. Every stage filters for the traits that predict success while giving candidates multiple opportunities to demonstrate their potential.
Drew McCaffrey often conducts final interviews over a meal where the candidate’s spouse may be present too. “We’ve built this company on trust, accountability, and excellence,” Drew says. “If I can picture this person as part of that, it’s an exciting moment.”
The Values Filter
Skills can be taught. Values can’t.
That statement guides every hiring decision at TCG. Technical aptitude matters, but character matters more. Someone who lacks the right values will struggle regardless of their capabilities.
TCG’s core values aren’t corporate buzzwords hanging on a wall. They’re operating principles that shape daily decisions: Work Ethic, Sacrifice, Accountability, Humility, and Pursuit of Excellence.
Work Ethic means showing up ready to contribute. Estimating requires sustained focus. It demands consistent effort even when the work feels repetitive. Candidates who expect easy wins or shortcuts won’t last.
Sacrifice means putting the team and client ahead of personal convenience. Sometimes deadlines require extra hours. Sometimes projects require starting over when new information arrives. The right people accept these realities without complaint.
Accountability means owning results, both good and bad. When mistakes happen—and they do happen—accountable people acknowledge them, learn from them, and improve. They don’t make excuses or shift blame.
Humility means staying teachable. Even experienced estimators encounter unfamiliar situations. Humble people ask questions rather than pretending to know. They accept feedback as a gift rather than a criticism.
Pursuit of Excellence means never settling for “good enough.” TCG’s zero-error record in 2025 didn’t happen by accident. It happened because everyone on the team cares deeply about getting things right.
“If someone doesn’t respect hard work, accountability, or excellence, it won’t work,” Drew explains. “But when they do, they thrive here.”
The values filter operates throughout the hiring process. How candidates treat administrative staff reveals character. How they respond to challenging interview questions shows resilience. How they handle the trial day demonstrates work ethic. By the time someone receives an offer, TCG has multiple data points confirming values alignment.
The Results That Matter
TCG’s approach produces measurable outcomes. The Beehive Training Program, developed by Ed Boote, takes new hires from zero experience to 90% competency in just three to four months.
“No one else in the industry is doing what we’re doing with Beehive,” Ed says. “Unfortunately, there’s no real school for excelling at takeoffs and duct estimating. So, we built our own.”
The program works because it starts with candidates who have the right aptitude and values. Training fills the knowledge gaps. Systematic processes ensure consistency. Quality control catches errors before they reach clients.
“It’s incredibly satisfying to see someone come in with zero background,” Ed adds, “and a few months later, they’re knocking out takeoffs like they’ve been doing it for years.”
Clients notice the difference. Satisfaction surveys consistently return top ratings. One fabricator called TCG’s team “very professional” across every interaction. Another confirmed that TCG “provides a far superior product” compared to three other companies they evaluated.
Drew summarizes the competitive advantage: “Our talent strategy has created an unfair advantage. With a dedicated team focused on delivering accurate duct takeoffs and the industry’s only comprehensive multi-year training program, TCG’s takeoff deliverables leapfrog the results of any in-house department we’ve come across.”
Your Takeoffs, Done Right, Done Now
The construction industry keeps asking where to find good estimators. TCG decided to stop searching and start building. Our investment in aptitude-based hiring and systematic training created something powerful: a team ready to handle your takeoffs today.
Maybe your in-house estimators are solid, but you have more projects to bid than they can handle. Maybe your most experienced person just gave notice, and you’re staring at a stack of drawings with looming deadlines. Either way, opportunities won’t wait while you figure out staffing.
That’s where TCG’s bolt-on services deliver immediate value. Our team becomes your team: accurate, reliable, and ready to scale. We can flex to meet your demand. Your clients see professional results under your brand. You maintain relationships while we handle the detailed work.
The same training system that transforms raw aptitude into expert skill also ensures consistency across every project we touch. Zero corrective action reports in 2025. Over 2,200 takeoffs completed in 2024. More than 1.1 million line items delivered with precision that protects your reputation.
The Cincinnatus Group is “Called to Solve, Where Others Struggle.” Whether you’re overwhelmed with opportunity or recovering from turnover, we’re ready to deliver the takeoffs you need, at the level you expect, when you need them.
Stop waiting. Start winning more work. Contact The Cincinnatus Group at 878-295-8009 or visit www.tcgduct.com/contact.
Let’s start planning your next success.
To learn more about any of the services provided by The Cincinnatus Group, including Contracted Estimating and Take Offs, CAD/BIM/Coordination Drawings, and Contracted Sales Services, please call us at 878-295-8009, or visit our Contact Us page today.
