Applying for a new job can be a really stressful process to go through. You find a shop that looks great, fits what you want and seems almost too good to be true. After reading through all of their perks and benefits, you are pumped to get started.
Excitedly, you fill out an application and may even send your resume over. And then you wait.
This part of the process can cause a lot of grief to those who are looking to make a decision that is going to change their daily life. Many times, it feels like there is no communication from the shop. I mean, why would they post an advertisement looking for a technician and then not respond immediately? Or even respond at all?
It seems like it should be far simpler than this, doesn’t it?
Unfortunately, the emotional twists and turns of trying to get in the door of a shop can be really hard to handle. Much of it is the uncertainty of what’s going on. Are they actually interested in me? Do I even fit what they are looking for?
It honestly feels a lot like dating, which you’re kind of doing. The biggest difference is that in many cases, you don’t get the immediate feedback to know whether you’re in the running or not. It’s pretty common in our industry not to hear back from a shop for a week or two. It’s frustrating beyond belief, but I’ll give you my take on why it takes so long.
Why Does it Take So Long?
Much of this process really depends on the shop you’re applying to. Both big and small shops and dealers can take a long time to make a decision, but it seems to be for different reasons.
At a big dealership, it’s probably more likely that you’ll have to wait for a bit to hear from them. Some (definitely not all) have a process that they have to follow. That means different levels of decision makers need to analyze the resume. It could be that the human resources department loves your resume, but needs to get the buy-in from the service manager. It could also be that they have a team meeting to evaluate potential employees. More people involved equals more time to make decisions and act.
Conversely, small shops tend to have a bit quicker of an answer. The owner and primary decision maker is often actively involved and feels the pain of the customer coming in the door with nobody to work. In general, the hiring process can also be a bit easier at a smaller shop because not as many of them do background or drug tests. With that being said, we deal with our fair share of smaller shops that can make the hiring process painstakingly slow as well. Maybe they don’t have the time to do interviews or to even peak their head out from under a job long enough to think about it.
Patience is Key
Regardless of size, you need to be patient while working through this. Not getting an immediate answer doesn’t mean they are not interested. It might mean that they have a process that they have to follow or that they simply do not have enough time, which is why they would be looking for help in the first place.
The biggest thing to keep in mind is that if the shop truly checks all of your boxes, and you really want to work for them, it is worth the wait. Just make sure that when you’re researching job opportunities that you pay attention to the shops that are a fit for you. Going through this whole process only to find out that it’s not a fit can be frustrating and take a ton of your time.
Do your research, find your fit, and be patient. Using these items, I’m confident the time spent in the hiring process will be worth it.
