Pretty much every auto repair shop I know of is trying to hire technicians.
I guess because Facebook knows I’m in this space, they like to show me the recruitment ads y’all are running.
Most of them suck 🤣🤣
The ads I see look like some version of this.
Body Copy: ABC Automotive is looking for great technicians to join our team. Starting pay $15 to $35 per hour, DOE. Apply now!
Ten years ago, this MIGHT have worked. Today….. not a chance.
The good techs these days are working. They have a job. In this climate, if a tech doesn’t have a job, they either don’t want to work or is a serious hack with a bad reputation that has followed them.
Again, the good techs are working, and they are probably satisfied with their current job. So you have to convince them the grass is greener at your shop.
How do you do that? You hone in on their pain points and show them why your shop is a better option for them.
What are the pain points a technician might have?
- There’s not enough work for them to turn the hours they need to turn
- The shop has a high car count and low average R.O., so the tech is running around with their hair on fire, trying to keep up
- They get no training
- The shop is dirty and unorganized
- The shop equipment is old and outdated
- There is no A/C or heat in the shop
- The shop doesn’t charge for diagnostic time
- The tech is asked to work late and on weekends
These are just a handful of the pain points a technician may have.
So when you hire, you write your ad to showcase how their life is going to be better when they come to work for your shop.
The things that attract technicians today are:
- We have as much work as you want, and we’ve built a base of clients who trust us and keep their vehicles in great condition
- Our service advisors are the best in the business
- We require and pay for 40 hours (minimum) of continuing education annually
- We keep a clean, organized facility that you’ll be proud to work in
- Our equipment is the latest and greatest with OE or better capabilities
- We have a climate-controlled shop
- No nights or weekends
Better yet, reword it so that you make it all about the technician.
- You’ll stay busy working on cars owned by people who value a well-maintained vehicle
- Be part of a team of true professionals
- Stay on top of your game through company provided continuing education
- Work in a clean, organized facility
- Make maximum use of your time with the best equipment available
- Enjoy a comfortable work environment in our heated and cooled shop
- Spend more time with your family
You actually use the pain points together with the benefits of working at your shop.
Are you tired of not turning enough hours? Are you sweating all day in a dirty shop while working with outdated equipment that leads to improper repairs and misdiagnosis? Is the shop’s demanding schedule making you miss out on time with your family?
Next time you write a hiring ad, use this framework.
- Talk about the tech you want to hire and the pain points they currently face
- Introduce your shop
- Tell them how your shop is better
- Call them to action (apply now, stop in for a visit, come meet our team, etc.)
- Tell them what their life will be like once they are working at your shop
A word of warning. Only make the grass look greener if it’s actually greener. Don’t misrepresent your company or make false promises.
If you can’t paint a pretty picture of your shop, start by making the changes in your shop to make it a place where great techs would want to work.
If you do these things, I promise you’ll start attracting the techs you’re looking for.
