best candidates. “Some of the best people in the collision industry are likely working for someone else and they may not even be considering a new position elsewhere,” Amato said. “So, here are several simple steps that can help you put more qualified names in your pool of job candidates. By assembling your own inventory of possible candidates, you won’t have to restart the hiring process from scratch every time. The key is to assemble your candidate pool before you need it.” • Invest time in developing relationships with tech school placement offices, recruiters and other organizations that help people find viable careers.
• Enable your current employees to actively participate in industry professional associations and conferences where they are likely to meet candidates you may successfully woo. • Check job boards for potential candidates who may have resumes
online, even if they’re not currently looking.
• Use professional association websites and magazines to advertise for professional staff.
• Look for potential employees on LinkedIn and other social media outlets. Bring in your best prospects to meet them before you need them. “I do not encourage poaching employees from the shop down the street for obvious reasons,” Amato said. “Instead, the goal is for you to be in the right place at the right time when someone starts looking around to make a move.” Stay connected to your local schools Engage with the tech schools in your area and play a role as a mentor. If you can get young people to work at your shop, they will likely attract some of their classmates and/or graduates. “Some shop owners work with local schools through mentoring programs,” Amato said. “If you want to hire fairly inexperienced people and then train them to do the job your
way, this is an ideal strategy.” Establish an employee referral program Human Resources departments at large corporations have strong employee referral systems that have become their bread and butter for attracting and hiring top people. One shop owner told me that one of his technicians had brought him three top estimators and one highly experienced painter through his company’s employee referral program, earning more than $5,000 in bonuses as a result. Some of these programs offer generous bonuses, including things like all-expense paid vacations, tickets to concerts and sporting events, etc. for employees who refer their friends and associates. Instead of conducting “cattle calls” and interviewing semi-qualified people, why not find top candidates through the connections your existing employees already have established? You will quickly find out that good body techs hang out with other good body techs, as do painters, estimators, etc. Build from within and reward
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top work Providing promotional and lateral opportunities for current employees positively boosts morale and makes your current staff members feel their talents, capabilities and accomplishments are appreciated. Always post positions internally first. “I always tell shop owners to give potential candidates an interview, even if they are not currently looking for new people,” Amato said. “It’s a chance for you to know them better. They learn more about the goals and needs of the organization.” Be known as a great employer Amato makes a strong case for not just being a great employer, but also letting people know that you are a great employer. “This is how you build your reputation and your company brand,” Amato said. “You’ll want the best prospects seeking you out because they respect and want to work for your brand. Google, which frequently tops Fortune’s Best Companies list, for example, receives around 3,000,000 applications a year.”
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