Walser Collision & Glass - Technician Jobs in Bloomington, MN

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  • Walser Collision and Glass
  • Walser Collision and Glass

Under The Hood

Is the shop heated? Air conditioned?

Our shop is heated.

What is the size of the team I’d be working with?

We have 3 to 5 Estimators/File Handlers, a Parts Manager, a Production Manager, a Front Desk Coordinator, 6 Body Technicians, 2 Painters, and 2 Paint Preppers/Buffers.

What are the shop hours and what are the shift timeframes?

Our shop is open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Our body technicians’ hours are flexible. We have our technicians work full time hours.

What tools does the shop provide that are available for all technicians to use?

Our shop is equipped with many specialty tools including welders, a hoist, a frame machine, A/C machines, and a glue pulling cart.

What type of break room facility is provided?

We have two break rooms with refrigerators and microwaves.

How many bays does your shop have?

We have 12-14 body tech bays, 1 detail, 8 paint/prep/buffing bays and 2-3 recalibration and paintless dent removal bays

How many repair orders do you average per month?

We average close to 200 repair orders per month.

What is your parts ordering process?

Our Estimators/File Handlers order most of the parts within our estimating system.

What is your policy on side work?

Our shop is consistently busy year-round, so the opportunity within our shop to do side work is very limited. We do give a substantial discount for employees.

Are there any other unique features of the work environment worth noting?

We are a Non-DRP collision shop that is focused on repairing a vehicle correctly and providing a great customer experience. We have long tenured employees with very low turnover.

Do you offer any skills training or continuing education opportunities?

We are I-Car Gold certified and offer continuing education classes through I-Car. I-Car offers classes related to the collision industry. Walser also offers paid training programs and tuition reimbursement for approved courses.

Can you describe opportunities for career growth at your business?

We have opportunities to grow in many different directions. We have opportunities in both the front-end management team and the back-end technician team. Walser has a team that's focused entirely on growth and career pathing and we have concrete plans for everyone.

Can you describe your performance review process?

Walser conducts yearly performance reviews that go over proficiencies, training opportunities, and job performance.

What type of safety training is required?

We conduct safety training through both Walser and I-Car.

Can you describe how Techs work with and mentor younger techs?

We have a great team of technicians that help in the apprenticeship program and continued training needed to become a journeyman technician.

How does your shop get involved with the local community?

We're proud to be a strong supporter of our local community. Walser offers volunteer opportunities - like Habitat for Humanity, Feed My Starving Children, and more - for all of our employees to take part in and give back (and have some fun!).

Do you do anything with local high schools or tech schools to encourage more students to enter the profession?

We have several relationships with various trade schools welcoming students to intern at our shops.

Where do you see the shop in five years?

We will continue to evolve with the industry while offering the best customer experience and ensuring our employees have the best equipment and training.

Do you have an application form and how long does it typically take to complete?

Yes, we have an application form on our Careers site: http://www.walsercareers.com/ It takes approximately 2-3 minutes to complete and can be done on mobile devices or desktops.

Do you phone screen applicants before doing in-person interviews?

Yes, we do perform an initial 15-minute phone screen as part of the interview process.

What do your in-person interviews entail?

The hiring manager shares expectations and details about the role. The candidate and the hiring manager will review work and education experience. The interviewer will ask skill and ability questions. There will be an overview about the company, culture, and benefits. We make sure to cover the candidates career goals and aspirations. There will be time to ask any questions and discuss next steps.

Do you perform background checks, drug screening, or personality tests before hiring an applicant?

Walser Automotive Group performs a background check for every candidate as part of the company's Pre-Employment Policy.

Do you perform a skill assessment before hiring an applicant? If yes, what does it entail?

No we do not, but we do assess education, accreditations, and certifications (OEM and ASE).

After an in-person interview, approximately how long should I expect to wait for a rejection or an offer?

After an interview is conducted the candidate should know an answer within one week.

Approximately how long does the full hiring process take from submitting the application to the time of the hiring decision?

The entire process should take no more than two weeks.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention about your hiring process?

Come with questions and we will be prepared to give you the opportunity to learn more about the company and what your position would look like.

Body Technician Pay Range: $58,000 - $150,000/year

Commission based salary.

Paint Technician Pay Range: $60,000 - $150,000/year

Commission based salary.

Paint Prepper Pay Range: $29,120 - $43,680/year ($14.00 - $21.00/hr)

Hourly rate plus additional incentive opportunities.

Glass Technician Pay Range: $50,000 - $65,000/year

Minimum guaranteed rate for every hour worked. Additional earning opportunities paid on hours produced.

Glass Technician Apprentice Pay Range: $29,120 - $47,840/year ($14.00 - $23.00/hr)

Hourly rate plus additional incentive opportunities.

Detailer Pay Range: $27,040 - $35,360/year ($13.00 - $17.00/hr)

Hourly rate plus additional incentive opportunities.

Health Insurance Offered
Walser provides medical insurance coverage through Medica. We offer 3 different plan options for paying for care, along with 3 coverage networks for those who you visit for care. The 3 medical plan options are as follows: $1000 Co-Pay Plan, $2800 HDHP Plan, or $5950 HDHP Plan. Medica coverage also includes the Virtualcare benefit through Amwell at no additional cost.
Dental Insurance Offered
Walser provides dental insurance coverage through Delta Dental of MN. We offer 2 different plan options—a base plan and a buy up plan— to ensure that you get the dental care that is most convenient and cost-effective for you.
Vision Insurance Offered
Walser provides a vision discount plan through EyeMed. This plan offers discounts on lenses, frames, contacts and laser vision correction. Annual eye exams are covered as preventative under all of Walser’s group medical plans.
Retirement Plan Offered
Walser offers a retirement savings plan that is managed by Securian Financial. We offer a traditional 401(k) and a Roth 401(k). All new hire or re-hired employees will be automatically enrolled in the plan at 5% of your base salary as of the 1st of the month following one month of employment.
Sick Leave Offered
Each employee has PTO that they accrue throughout the year.
Vacation Offered
Each employee has PTO that they accrue throughout the year.
Paid Holidays Offered
Holiday schedules vary by store.
ST / LT Disability Offered
Walser offers Voluntary Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability plans for employees. Disability benefits provide you with paycheck protection in the event you are unable to work due to a non-work related sickness or injury. The benefit amount for Short Term Disability is 60% of your pre-disability weekly earnings; up to the plan's maximum weekly benefit of $1,000. The benefit amount for Long Term Disability is 60% of your pre-disability monthly earnings; up to the plan's maximum monthly benefit of $5,000.
Life Insurance Offered
Walser provides all full-time, benefit eligible employees a company paid Basic Life and AD&D policy through MetLife. This is at no cost to the employee.
Uniforms Offered
Uniforms are provided, along with a safety shoe allowance and company provided devices.
Other Offered
Walser offers fertility and adoption assistance through Carrot Fertility, and Walser Wags Pet Insurance for all Walser employees. Walser additionally provides Optum Employee Assistance Program for use by all employees and their loved ones to access resources for mental health, financial advice, legal mediation and much more. Walser offers technicians $2,500 relocation assistance, a $2,000 sign-on bonus, and up to $30,000 tuition assistance and reimbursement.

Shop Talk

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Andrew Walser, Walser Automotive Group's CEO, discusses the incredible resources Walser provides our technicians. From tuition reimbursement to air-conditioned service bays, Walser offers industry-leading work environments to our technicians.

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Top Shop Challenge: March is Women's History Month.. As an industry, we have made progress, but still have a long way to go. Share some ways your shop attracts, hires, and retains women.

Walser Automotive Group is committed to cultivating diversity in the workplace. One way we do this is through our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with organizational mission, values, goals, business practices, and objectives. Women of Walser (WoW) is an ERG committed to actively engaging women at all levels of the company through mentorship, leadership, and various networking events. WoW is an opportunity for women at Walser to raise their hands and take the lead on important initiatives, and offers women a chance to develop leadership skills and make connections with senior leaders throughout the company.

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Top Shop Challenge: Can you share any examples of technician perks or policies you have added? We're not looking for the traditional ones like health insurance or 401k. Instead we want to hear about changes you've made based on technician feedback.

Other than our industry leading benefits package, Walser Automotive Group provides our technicians with a safety shoe allowance, safety glasses allowance, relocation assistance, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts, and additional rewards for our top performers! Two benefits we are very proud to offer are Adoption & Fertility Assistance and Walser Wags Pet Insurance. Our intangible benefits include mentorship programs, outlined career paths, and Employee Resource Groups. Our employee resource groups, or ERGs, are Drive With Pride, Women of Walser, Mosaic, and the Asian Hmong Alliance. These ERGs serve to ensure all Walser employees feel comfortable and valued in their work environment, as well as serve as an educational platform.

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Earlier this month Walser partnered with Hired's Youth Program to introduce a group of young adults to the possibilities that lie within the automotive industry! Hired is a non-profit in Minneapolis that provides key services to help people prepare for and secure employment.

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Join Mirza Huremovic, our Program Recruiter, as he describes Walser Automotive's relationships with local high schools! In addition to our initiative to promote the technician industry, Walser supports local high schools through The Walser Foundation.

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Listen to Lindsey Trett (Director of Recruiting) and Mirza Huremovic (Program Recruiter) explain the hiring process at Walser Automotive, as well as the perks of signing with Walser!