Looking for a new job is overwhelming. Even though nearly every shop and dealership is hiring for technicians, it’s still time-consuming and difficult to find a good job at the right shop.
From updating your resume to negotiating pay and everything in between, this article walks you through how technicians can prepare for their job search.
5 Ways Technician Can Prepare for Their Next Career Move
Prepare your resume.
No one enjoys putting together a resume, but it’s a very important part of the job search process. A resume is a direct reflection on a technician’s professionalism and attention to detail, so you want to make sure it’s solid.
Here are some basic tips for preparing a technician resume:
- Customize the resume based on the job description and qualifications
- Don’t forget to add technician certifications and training
- Summarize work experience in a list, starting with the most recent
- Check spelling and grammar
Create a Reverse Job Post.
Reverse Job Posts are an easy, free way for technicians to start their job search without a lot of work or pressure.
On WrenchWay, technicians who are interested in exploring different job opportunities can fill out a quick questionnaire (with their contact information remaining anonymous), select the shops they want to see their profile, and those shops will receive a notification. Shops reach out to get the conversation started, and technicians can share their contact information when they feel comfortable.
Research shops.
Finding a technician job isn’t difficult—finding the right technician job is another story. It’s important to research everything you can about a shop before applying. This will save time and effort by not applying and interviewing with a shop that doesn’t meet your needs.
Here are a few places technicians can research shops they are considering applying to:
- WrenchWay Top Shop Job Board – All shops are required to share compensation, detailed benefits information, photos (some have videos), and answer FAQs around work environment, career development, and hiring process.
- Shop Website – Many shops will have a Careers page that will share basic information about employment opportunities.
- Shop Social Media Pages – Social media pages can be a good place to get a feel for shop culture and employee appreciation. Shops don’t always post these sorts of employer branding posts, so it’s not a huge red flag if you don’t see any.
Prepare for interviews.
Interviews aren’t just for assessing the skills of the technician, they’re also for technicians to assess if a shop is a good fit for them. In addition to preparing answers to the interviewer’s questions, technicians should also spend a fair amount of time preparing questions they want to ask the shop.
Some examples of questions technicians can ask a shop in an interview include:
- Why should I come to work for you?
- What’s your technician turnover rate?
- How much training do you provide technicians and with what companies?
Research pay and be prepared to negotiate.
When it comes to pay, be sure to do research! Technicians should go into their interviews having a solid idea of what compensation they need and feel they deserve. Use online technician salary comparison tools to search technician pay by location and experience level. There are also several posts on Reddit and Quora about technician pay.
It is equally important to be prepared to negotiate technician pay. This is where your research will come in handy because if you’ve done your due diligence, you will have the data and confidence to back up your number.
Wrapping Up: Your Path to a Successful Technician Job Search
The job search process for technicians can be daunting because so many shops are hiring. Crafting a strong resume that highlights your skills and experience, researching shops before you apply, and being prepared for interviews can make the process go much smoother. Happy job hunting!
