technician recruitment

[topdog]

We are looking for different ideas on hiring technicians. We have tried the standard newspaper ads and local vocational colleges with little success. We are in a town of about 175,000 with several smaller towns nearby. Our dealership has a great reputation and a large customer base. Does anyone have a unique way of recruiting that has has success in the past?

[spacielacie]

We've done everything, including running radio ads in larger metro areas (we're a small town). We've had the best luck with giving fellow employees "bird dog" money for referrals (if we hire them and they stay for 1 year or longer). We've picked up 2 really good techs this way.

[Lhansen]

Depending on your franchise, your District Managers might know of someone. With a lot of dealership consolidations going on, they might know of something that's not "official" yet. There's also a good site. www.needtechs.com
I know a lot of dealerships that have had success with this.
Some local body shops might also know of someone at a dealership who's not 100% happy.
Good luck, the good ones are tough to find!

Linda

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Linda Graham Hansen
Auto Dealer Focus
www.autodealerfocus.com

[pjpeery]

are there any community colleges in your area

or can you get your hands on an asep student to grow your own tech(s) i like this the best ..

advertise a bonus of 500.00 to 1000.00 hire on and would be paid after 1 year on the job . just remember to keep any promises that are made


paul

[TheOne]

how about go to where you know technicians work and talk to them???

[Lhansen]

There has always been an unwritten code about soliciting employees. If you wouldn't want it done in your shop, you shouldn't do it in other shops. It is getting tougher and tougher to find good people, not just techs. I did like the idea of a "finders fee" for someone who currently works at your facility assisting in finding someone who wants to defect from where they are.
Good luck!

Linda

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Linda Graham Hansen
Auto Dealer Focus
www.autodealerfocus.com

[Mike Vogel]

I agree with most of the posts above.
We just signed some great techs by offering up to $2000 sign on bonus depending on experience and by offering to current employees $250 for any tech they refer that is paid after 60 days and $500 extra paid after that tech has been with us one year.
Prior to these offers it had been very difficult to find any "quality" technicians.
A great tech will make that sign up bonus back for you very quickly!

[KLINK]

I have started advertising for technician trainees and lube techs on craigs list. It is free and I get an average of 3 or 4 applications every day for about a week. They are almost all local people, and the kind of people on craigs list tend to be younger and more willing to under go change, and to be trained the way we do business. I may do alot of interviews but I have made a few very good hires so far. i also scout the local Quick lubes and look for their best tech and give him one of my business cards. They dont buy parts from me anyway and can't afford to pay enough to any of my employees I want to keep. Same goes for the Goodyears and Tire centers around town. I get to watch them work before making an offer to hire them. what ore could you ask for?