At our company, as we start this new decade, we’re spending a lot of time analyzing what’s important. Ensuring that we have an ideal hiring process ranks toward the top of that list.
And, when it comes to creating job ads specifically, I think shop operators need to stay attuned with the age groups and the demographics that they’re, more or less, targeting.
While I wouldn’t say my company has job ads mastered per se, I do know a few proven tactics. Consider taking these steps the next time you’re in need of a new technician, CSR, or estimator:
Get staff feedback. Depending on the demographics I’m likely going to be dealing with for applicants of a certain position, I involve staff members that are in that age group.
We also have our employees put the job listing on their own social media pages like on Facebook. Because, if the job ad is simply posted on our company Facebook page, it doesn’t necessarily go to a bunch of people that are currently looking for jobs. But, by having employees put the job post on their personal social media pages, they can drum up interest to a relevant audience. And that makes the pre-screening process easy, because my employees think ‘Okay, I’ve known this person for 13 years, and I’d vouch for them.’
That familiarity can narrow things down for us quicker than the process of doing phone interviews and combing through countless resumes.
Consider your market. The platforms for posting a job ad are constantly evolving. So, which job site to choose to list an opening takes careful consideration. I ask our young employees which job sites they look at these days, for starters.
But you also need to consider the region your shop is in. I know, for us, posting job openings on Craigslist works well, but, from what I’ve heard from industry colleagues, that doesn’t work in many markets. I’ve found job sites like Indeed and Glassdoor to be helpful these days.
The job-posting platform that you should use depends on the position you’re hiring for, too; You wouldn’t necessarily want to use the same job site if you’re looking for an entry-level detailer as you would if you’re seeking an experienced technician.
Accentuate Your Uniqueness. When you sit down to write a job ad, you need to figure out what you do that differentiates your business from competitors. In our market, that could mean offering 401K and health insurance, for example. You need to figure out what you do differently so that, if job seekers are straight out of trade school and they’re shopping for a job, they’re very clear that this shop offers this type of compensation package, and the other shops I’m considering do not.
In order to discover your shop’s unique elements, you need to do a lot of soul-searching, and get creative. In a lot of small markets with body shops, if they’re a shop that offers benefits in general, that could be a selling point. Or, a creative schedule, like having employees work four 10-hour shifts per week, could also set your business apart from the crowd.
Writing a job ad can be about as fun as filling out your tax return. But, if you carefully utilize the aforementioned steps, the process can pay dividends down the line.
