Countless articles and news stories focus on the lack of workers for many businesses today. Some blame the economy, some blame government assistance, or that people have decided to change careers. Regardless of the reason, a lack of quality talent for sales, service, or management can be a struggle for many companies, especially automotive dealerships.
So this poses the question: What could a dealership do to attract the right talent for their business?
Before creating a job posting or a help wanted ad, business leaders must first look internally to answer a few questions:
- What is the position you are looking to fill? Many job ads focus on the title of the position and give very general qualifications needed for the job. What are the actual duties or tasks of the job?
- List the qualities needed for an individual to be successful at the position. Too often we focus on qualifications or skills but don’t focus on qualities you would like in your employees. Focusing only on skills could result in hiring an individual who could negatively affect your company culture.
- What is the salary range for the position? Is it attractive to a candidate in your industry? One of the reasons for individuals changing jobs during the past 18 months is the pay inequity for their previous positions. People found other employment opportunities, possibly a remote position, paying similar or better and with better hours.
The answers to these questions will impact the marketing you will do to attract talent.
Before you place your ad, understand the applicant will do research on your company by visiting your website. What experience will they receive when they look through certain pages on your site?
Do you have a dedicated career page on your website sharing the positions you are looking to fill? Does this page also include an explanation of a career path for individuals looking to join your company? Multiple articles share that Generation Y and Z are looking for career paths when selecting companies to interview with. They are looking for how they will be trained and developed along with a growth plan for the next two years.
How are you explaining the culture of your company? Place written or video testimonials from current employees sharing their experience working at the company and highlighting their career path.
Every dealership focuses on obtaining testimonials from happy customers to reinforce the quality of their experience purchasing or servicing their vehicle. The goal is to attract future customers with these positive reviews. The same strategy should be used to attract future employees.
Once these steps are completed, create your job listing, and be sure to put a clear description of qualities needed and what the employee’s day-to-day experience at your company will look like. This will weed out anyone who is not willing to comply as well as help clarify the expectations of serious applicants.
Allocate a consistent budget to market your company to new employees. Focusing on placing ads or hiring only when there is an apparent gap to fill is too late. When a company is always looking for talent it allows the company to take the proper time when interviewing. It allows the company to find great talent it may have missed if they are only looking when they are desperate to fill a position.
Finally, most companies have a sales process or “Road to the Sale”. Do you have a “Road to the Hire”? Make sure to document your process for advertising, interviewing, and hiring individuals. People are looking for a great company to work for. Are you communicating that your dealership is a great place to work?
Follow these steps to put your dealership front and center for rising talent.
