Today’s automotive technician recruiting world can be challenging for even the most reputable repair shops and dealerships. After all, according to the TechForce Foundation Technician Supply and Demand Report released in December 2023, the industry will require about 495,000 new auto techs by 2028.
If that number is a bit hard to grasp, consider that there are currently 2.6 auto technician jobs per graduate and 6.7 collision repair jobs per new graduate. So if you’re having trouble hiring good techs, you’re certainly not alone!
There is some light at the end of the tunnel — TechForce reports that tech schools had an increase in total graduates in 2023 for the first time in a decade. That said, the industry is still facing a major shortage of techs and you need to make sure you’re attracting the best candidates for every job opening. Read below for 24 tips that can help you improve your auto technician recruiting today and into the future.
1.) Retain The Auto Technicians You Already Have
Often, the best recruiting tool for your dealership or repair shop is making sure your current technicians are happy with their careers. If your business is a great place for automotive technicians to work, they’ll spread the word within their professional networks. Then, whenever you need to hire new technicians, you can rely on your existing technicians to help you find an ideal fit.
2.) Condense Your Interview Process
After you receive an application, try your best to contact applicants within 24 hours (ideally the same day) of receiving their job application. If you talk on the phone, keep the number of questions simple and straightforward--this isn't the time to get into details about specific skills or experience. Due to the extremely competitive current job market, we've also seen many clients experience a high level of success hiring by even scheduling same-day interviews.
3.) Include What Sets Your Shop or Dealership Apart In Job Descriptions
“Why should technicians work here?” If you don’t have a clear-cut answer to this question, employment candidates probably don’t have one either! Auto technician recruiting is just as much about selling your shop or dealership to candidates as it is about them selling their skills to you. Determine what makes your dealership or repair shop unique and make sure candidates know about it.
4.) Be Honest In Job Descriptions
Transparency is the name of the game when it comes to writing auto technician job descriptions. Spare no details regarding salary, benefits, growth opportunities, and short/long-term roles, but be sure not to mislead or exaggerate.
Need help writing a job description? Schedule a quick call with an AutoMarket representative today and learn more about how we can help you quickly place pre-screened candidates in roles with your company!
5.) Simplify Your Application And Onboarding Processes
Providing online applications and digital onboarding materials can also help streamline your hiring processes and overall hiring success. Don’t waste new hires’ time with outdated procedures that make them wonder if they made the right decision to join your team!
6.) Offer Flexible Schedules And Roles
Technicians often have rigid schedules and requirements. Providing flexibility regarding both scheduling and responsibilities indicates that you prioritize work-life balance as an employer, which every modern-day job-hunter wants.
7.) Develop A Strong Social Media Presence
Young technicians will notice you more if you have a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Instead of (or in addition to) traditional advertising methods, social media ads often have a greater impact on youthful candidates.
8.) Give Your Technicians Autonomy
When appropriate, empower your auto technicians to use their expertise and make decisions without asking your permission. Technicians don’t always have the liberty to do their jobs as they see fit, so giving them the freedom and power to perform their duties without restrictions can make a real difference. In other words, the more you trust your technicians, the more they’ll take pride in what they do — and the more they’ll recommend your shop as a great place to work.
9.) Consider Purchasing Tools For Your Technicians
The expectation that entry-level technicians will buy their own tools is one of the industry’s greatest barriers to entry. Buying tools for your new technicians or offering some type of incentive (based on production) can be a significant investment, but it’s also one that will make your shop or dealership stand out as an exceptional place to work.
10.) Build Up Your Shop's Company Culture
Compensation and benefits are obviously valued by every technician (and we’ll discuss these aspects more in a moment), but they’re not everything. Fostering a workplace culture where your technicians feel appreciated is a must. Make your shop or dealership a place where technicians want to spend their time — it will make it far easier to recruit new ones when the time comes.
11.) Be Sure To Make Hiring Decisions Quickly
Good technicians aren’t between jobs for long and often have multiple offers. Don’t spend too much time debating the merits of one candidate compared to another, or you might find that they’ve both already taken other jobs by the time you make up your mind.
12.) Focus On Clear, Concise and Timely Communication
Be responsive when communicating with potential new hires. Be transparent regarding your expectations for the position, and don’t waste their time with unnecessary back-and-forth messaging. Also, some candidates might work during the day at their existing jobs, so being willing to take calls in the evening or on weekends can make a difference.
13.) Provide Promotion Opportunities, Clear Career Paths, And Ongoing Training
Offer careers, not just “jobs.” Today’s highly skilled auto technicians don’t want dead-end jobs — they want opportunities for growth and advancement. If you provide clearly defined career paths with the ability for upward mobility within your company, you’re more likely to attract interest from top talent.
There’s always something new to learn in this industry, and technicians will always appreciate the opportunity for more training. Whether you’re offering initial training sessions for entry-level techs or EV training for experienced technicians, providing paid training is a great way to set your shop apart from the competition when it comes to recruiting.
14.) Offer Great Benefits And Retention Bonuses
It’s always important to provide top-notch financial compensation, and you should also offer outstanding benefits. Especially considering that experienced technicians often have multiple job offers, providing excellent retirement plans, plenty of vacation time, and great health insurance can tip the scales in your favor.
We often say that the best way to improve your recruiting methods is to improve the retention of your current staff. Providing retention bonuses when employees hit certain milestones with your company can help retain them and make them more likely to spread the word positively about your dealership or repair shop.
15.) Improve Your Employee Referral Program
Employee referrals are one of your most important recruiting tools. This industry is rather tightly knit, and you can bet that your existing techs know plenty of fellow technicians who work elsewhere. How do you reward your employees for referring new hires? Increasing your payout or offering additional benefits can encourage your techs to do your recruiting for you.
16.) Think Outside The Box When Hiring Candidates
If you can’t find an experienced tech to fill every open position, try to attract skilled people who aren’t currently in the industry. If you’re willing to provide training for new hires, you can significantly expand the depth and breadth of your potential talent pool.
17.) Teach Employees Your Process In Other Departments
In some dealerships and auto repair shops, it’s far too easy for employees to get tunnel vision and focus only on the tasks and responsibilities in their immediate purview. By taking the time to explain what happens in every other department, you help your employees see themselves as an important piece of the overall puzzle rather than being isolated in their own roles.
18.) Make Sure Your Employees Value And Respect Each Other
Another way to retain your current technicians — and, in turn, develop them into your most valuable recruiters — is to provide them with a work environment where they’re respected by everyone around them. Your other employees need to understand that your technicians are valuable experts in their field who provide immense value to the business. If not, you might find yourself struggling with both retention and recruiting.
19.) Find A Niche or Specialized Service Offering
Recruiting technicians who can work on a very specific type of vehicle can be both an advantage and a disadvantage. On one hand, the volume of potential candidates is smaller is any given market. On the other, if you specialize in the same niche that a technician specializes in, it can definitely make you stand out in comparison to other options they might be considering.
For example: working with electric vehicles. Electric vehicle ownership is on the rise, and many technicians don’t have the expertise to work on these cars. While EV's only represent around 1% of all vehicles currently registered in the U.S., 6.5% of new vehicles sold are electric. So spending the time to specialize in these increasingly popular vehicles could be a worthy investment. Furthermore, EV's are tremendously popular in certain markets, as they already make up 25% of all registered vehicles in California and 18% of registered vehicles in Washington.
20.) Hire Candidates Who Already Have Soft Skills
Sometimes, the “perfect candidate” for any job simply just doesn't exist in your market. So focusing on candidates with strong soft skills (communication, collaboration, time management, work ethic, etc.) could give you an advantage. The industry details are trainable, but soft skills often aren’t — people either have them or they don’t. If you can’t find any experienced auto technicians, finding someone with great soft skills and a willingness to learn could be a solid option.
21.) Partner With Technical Schools And High Schools
Keeping an eye on your shop or dealerships recruiting future is always advisable. Talk to students and instructors at local tech schools and high schools regularly, as this will help develop a deeper pool of candidates whenever you have an opening.
Making phone calls and in-person visits is a great way to set yourself apart from competing dealerships and repair shops, as technician instructors may not take the time to respond to impersonal emails or Facebook messages.
22.) Attend Career Fairs
Having booths at local career fairs can be an excellent recruiting tool, as you can get to know a wide variety of candidates in a relatively short amount of time. If your existing technicians are willing to help out, it can be valuable to have them participate in these career fairs, helping illustrate what it’s really like to work for your business. If there aren’t any suitable job fairs in your area, you can even host your own!
23.) Start A Paid Internship Program
Offering paid internships can give you a leg up on recruiting, as you can integrate new technicians into your operations even before they graduate from tech school. Once they finish their program, they’ll already be comfortable with your operations and more inclined to accept a full-time offer from you instead of a competitor.
24.) Never Stop Recruiting
Even when you’re fully staffed, nonstop recruiting will prevent you from making frantic, rushed hires whenever a technician quits or retires. If you always keep an eye on the future, you lessen the potential for being caught by surprise and hastily filling open positions. Finding the best person for each role is much easier if you never stop recruiting.
If recruiting isn’t your strong suit, reach out to learn more about AutoMarket’s recruiting program today! To get started, provide us with your business name and email address to discuss pricing and other details.
Conclusion
Recruiting new automotive technicians can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be! AutoMarket’s team of experts has extensive experience helping dealerships and repair shops recruit top talent.
With our guaranteed results, pre-screened candidates, and streamlined sign up process - you can quickly get back to focusing on running the day-to-day operations of your company rather than pounding the pavement to find new hires. Schedule a quick call with the AutoMarket team today to learn more about how we can help!
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