Dear Motor Age,
I wanted to comment on Mr. Brandeberry's letter in the April 2008 issue of Motor Age. He complains of an inability to find a type 'A' technician in his area, but his fixation is on how much money he has to offer.
Most technicians I know of the caliber he is looking for are interested in far more than money. Does he offer medical, dental and vision insurance? How about disability or retirement? How well is their shop equipped? Do they have the latest manufacturer specific scan tools with current software, or is the shop scan tool a generic unit that hasn't been updated in five years? What is the shop's reputation to people in the industry? I know of a couple very busy shops that I would never go to work for due to their bad reputation. How about training?
Think a little about employee retention. If your average employee stays less than two years, then you should probably look internally. If the shop cannot keep current employees happy, how do you intend to attract top talent? How are you seeking this technician? Advertising in places like iATN and in your area's trade publications (local ASA newsletter, etc.) may be more useful than an ad in the classifieds.
The statement that the technicians out there that are in Mr. Brandeberry's desired skill level are being taken care of is generally true. There are plenty of stories on iATN about very good techs working in places below their abilities due to being well taken care of. Don't get me wrong: it is important to pay a good tech well, but there is a lot more to consider when searching one out.
—Jay Kuykendall J.M. Mechanical Inc. Canby, Ore.
