Trying to recruit diesel mechanics?
It’s tough out there. Nearly every shop is looking for qualified diesel technicians and standing out on job boards is not easy. But it’s not impossible to attract and hire diesel technicians, and we’re here to give you some helpful tips.
Understanding Diesel Technicians
First thing’s first, you need to understand who you’re trying to hire. According to Zippia, the average age of diesel technicians is 41 years old. The vast majority (96%) of diesel technicians are male. The most common ethnicity is white (65%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18%) and African-American (8%).
According to the 2023 Voice of Technician survey, diesel technicians want an employer who:
- Offers paid training
- Gives paid vacation time
- Conducts thorough, consistent performance reviews
- Has a well-documented career path
By understanding who diesel technicians are and what is important to them, shops can tailor their benefits package and adjust their employer marketing to start attracting more diesel technicians to apply to their open positions.
8 Tips for Attracting Diesel Technicians
1. Solidify your employee value proposition.
An employee value proposition (EVP) is a statement that summarizes the benefits and experience of working at your shop. This is different from your shop’s mission because it speaks directly to candidates/employees. Your EVP should be the foundation for what you look for, who you hire, and how you treat your people.
Example: Caterpillar Inc.
It’s Your Career. Make It Matter.
At Caterpillar, you build what matters—whether it’s the career you want, crucial work skills, strong relationships or new digital technologies. There are big jobs to be done worldwide—building critical infrastructure, bolstering local economies, meeting the demand for energy—and that work is powered by our people.
Every single Caterpillar employee moves our company forward. Piece by piece, part by part, person by person. Together we create sustainable, world-changing solutions that impact lives around the globe. Join our winning team and help build a better world.
2. Evaluate your benefits packages.
Competitive pay and benefits are non-negotiable for today’s diesel technicians. If your pay and benefits aren’t at least competitive with the local market, technicians will look elsewhere because every shop is hiring. Compare diesel technician pay by location and experience level and adjust your rates accordingly. Then, take time to research different benefits packages. This research should be done every year to make sure you stay up-to-date.
3. Create an attractive job ad.
To attract the right diesel technicians to your shop, you need to have a solid job ad. A good job ad will get right to the point—putting your most important information in the top paragraph to catch the attention of “skimmers.” Then, make sure to include all the important details around job responsibilities and requirements to help weed out some of the people who aren’t a good fit. Finally, don’t forget to highlight the benefits and perks of working at your shop, keeping in mind what is important to diesel technicians: paid training, paid vacation time, performance reviews, and a clear career path.
4. Attract active candidates on job boards.
Most diesel technicians are already employed and not looking at job boards. However, for the small percentage that are, you need to make sure your job ad is in front of them. When listing diesel technician job openings, don’t just focus on the major job boards like Indeed. Those are important, but also look into listing on industry-related job boards like WrenchWay’s job board for automotive and diesel technicians.
5. Attract passive candidates on social media.
While the majority of diesel technicians aren’t actively looking for a job, most are open to new opportunities. Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn are great places to get in front of these candidates. The key here is to go beyond the, “We’re hiring” posts. You need to show these diesel techs why your shop is a great place to work—enticing them to research you more as a potential employer.
6. Utilize your website.
It’s not just customers that visit your website—potential candidates do, too! Give diesel candidates a clear place to go when they visit your homepage to learn more about you as an employer. Ideally, include a “Technician Careers” link in your main navigation. This can link out to a Careers page specifically created for technicians, or many of our clients link out to their Top Shop page, like Truckstar Collision Center, Inc.
7. Partner with local high schools and post-secondary institutions.
Working with local schools is a great way to create a steady pipeline of young talent coming to your shop. Simple things, such as offering shop tours, donating old parts or tools, or speaking to class about careers in the industry can go a long way in getting future diesel technicians familiar with you and your shop. The important thing to remember here is to actually offer support to the school to further the education of their students. Don’t just call an instructor around graduation time and ask for people to hire— invest in them.
8. Communication is key.
Once a qualified diesel technician applies to your shop, communication is EXTREMELY important. Diesel technicians are in high demand, and they aren’t going to sit around and wait for you to respond for long. If you’re interested in a candidate, reach out to them within 1-2 days to set up an interview. Make sure to clearly explain the hiring process, so the technician knows when they can expect to hear from you. Finally, don’t just limit yourself to calling or emailing—texting can be a valuable tool to help you stay connected to the candidate throughout the whole hiring process.
Recruiting Diesel Technicians in Today’s Job Market
The job market for diesel technicians is fierce. Recruiting diesel technicians today requires more than posting a quick ad on a job board. However, by understanding what diesel technicians are looking for in an employer and what your shop has to offer, you can find diesel technicians that are a good fit for your shop environment. The trick is not to see hiring as a fire drill. If you take a strategic approach to recruiting, not only will it become easier to recruit new diesel techs, but you’ll need to hire less often because your retention will skyrocket.
