Automotive Recruitment

​How can the industry recruit well for the future? With demand for skilled staff more important than ever there is a need in the automotive industry to bring more people into dealerships with a wider range of skills than may have been required previously. This presents a challenge however as these skills intersect with other industry’s demands for skilled staff.
A few questions’ is the industry doing enough to recruit and engage with the next generation of employees the gen Y’s and so on?
The skills required at dealership level are very different to what has been required in the past with increasing requirements in a digital world.
However some key values remain important regardless
1.   Providing great customer service
2.   Enthusiasm
3.   Passion
4.   Engagement
5.   Work ethic
While looking to employ staff I have seen various job listings
I believe the industry may in the future have a shortage of relevantly skilled staff and in particular how it relates to digital in the automotive environment.
Experience should be valued above everything. Whilst qualifications are important it is experience that drives innovation , improvement and the 5 key values above the most. Don’t be afraid to offer appropriate training to entry level staff or existing staff as well to up skill staff for the long term.
Are your company values as stated real or just lip service?
If a customer is to expect certain service and you fall short of that you risk your long term customer retention and vehicle sales and after sales profit down the track. You may think your dealership maybe at a certain level of customer service however are you blinding yourself to working towards real improvement?
The same goes for staff if you seek quality’s like talented , ambitious etc but when the new recruit enters the business and finds those qualities are looked down upon then they will ether adjust by not showing those quality’s at all or eventually leave and that doesn’t help business long term.
I believe 2017 is a good year for dealerships to look at the skills they require for the long term and have a serious look at how to attract those skills and also look to up – skill existing staff more in key areas.
If you are looking to recruit for the future and understand where the world is really going then feel free to contact me for any advice or ideas. If you keep with the generic job ads the free market will no doubt show what’s important in the future and you will have to rapidly adjust.
Anngow Marketing offer a range of options to help with recruitment.