Anyone who does a lot of hiring will run into the occasional rejected job offer. This is never a good feeling but it happens. When a mechanic decides to start looking for a new job they will typically apply for several different opportunities. If you thought they were good enough to offer a job, you probably were not alone. The good ones typically get several offers and will go with whichever one is the best fit for them.
“Best Fit” is a bit of a tricky thing and means something different to everyone. Sometimes it is about money but not always it is usually a combination of total compensation, career growth potential, stability, reputation and the hiring process. Do what you can to address all of these to maximize the chances that your job offers are accepted. Below are a few tips on each.
If you are having a hard time finding mechanics to interview, we can help. Rockstar Mechanics is your focused recruiter, dedicated to finding you the very best Mechanics and Technicians. We specialize in hard to fill Diesel Mechanic, Heavy Equipment Technician and Automotive Service Technician openings. Visit us at www.rockstarmechanics.com or give us a call at 1-833- 937-3546 to learn more.
Hiring Process
This is the easiest one to fix and one that most companies do not even consider. Most mechanics, or people in general, do not like looking for a job. This can be a stressful time and they just want to get it over with. Many technicians will accept the first good offer that they receive. The more hoops you make them jump through and the longer your hiring process is the better chance you will lose them.
Speed your process up by dealing with applications as they come in. Many companies will wait until they have a stack of applications before they deal with them, by the time you get that stack the good ones may be gone. Call candidates as soon as you receive their application, show them they are interested.
Consolidate your hiring process, if it is imperative that they meet 3 different people in your organization then have them all meet at the same time or at the very least on the same day, don’t make them come back for 3 separate interviews. Also if you have a lengthy onboarding process (drug screens, criminal background checks etc.) consider giving a conditional offer prior to the checks. This way you have them committed instead of having to wait for all the checks to come back.
Anything you can do to make the process easier and faster will help.
Reputation
Your company’s reputation can play a major role in recruiting top notch mechanics. Mechanics talk and in most cities, even larger ones the industry can be smaller than it seems. Most Diesel Mechanics know other techs, these can be people they went to school with or previously worked with. They will call them and ask about a shop before applying. Make sure you treat your technicians well, this helps with retention (for more tips on retention read our previous post “5 Ways to Increase Employee Retention in Your Mechanic Shop”) but also helps with your recruiting efforts.
Also make sure your online presence is on point particularly with Glassdoor and Indeed good, online reviews can be very damaging when hiring.
Stability/Hours
Number of hours is just as important as dollars per hour. Most mechanics make their money on the overtime and they want to know it is available. Don’t lie about it, be honest with how much you can offer. While you do not have to guarantee 60 hours a week you can tell them what your other technicians are currently working to give them an idea of what they can expect.
You will also want to highlight stability, if you have never had to lay people off before, let them know. This is a huge selling feature. Talk about how long your have been in business and plans for the future. Make sure they know this is a long term job and that they will not have to be back on the job hunt in the near future.
Opportunity
What opportunities exist within your shop. No one wants to think they are going to be stuck doing the same job day in and day out forever. In an interview talk about career growth potential. This may be opportunities for training, promotion etc. Sell the opportunity, make sure they know why they should come to work for you instead of elsewhere. If you do not sell the opportunity, you can count on a rejected offer and watch as they take on a role with one of your competitors.
Total Compensation
This is the big one, most Mechanic jobs are pretty similar so if another company can offer more money the technician is likely going to go for it. Make sure you are paying at least the market average and if you can afford it, pay above market.
Also, make sure that you explain what they are getting into. While most techs only look at dollars per hour, explain the whole package so that when they are comparing offers they are comparing apples to apples. Talk about benefits, efficiency bonuses, tool allowance etc. Many companies only mention these in passing which is a waste. Make sure it is explained and sold.
I hope these tips help so you do not lose mechanics at the offer stage. If you are having a hard time finding technicians to interview we can help. Rockstar Mechanics is your dedicated recruiting company specialized in finding Diesel, Automotive and Heavy Equipment Mechanics. We have had great success even with hard to fill roles and we work very quickly. Give us a call 1-833-937-3546 or check out our website at www.rockstarmechanics.com for more details.
