Hand Shake AgreementYou’ve graduated! You have your degree or certification, now when you walk into a automotive repair shop jobs should fall at your feet! Not so. Here’s a tip on how to get into the shop of your choice that has an almost certain level of success, offer yourself up for free! Volunteering your time a couple of days will let you know right away if this place will work for you and if they like your personality.

Not sure you want to work for free? Well, read on to see how this strategy can put you a leg up on your competition.

Liability Note:

The first thing to think about is liability. All shops are liable in cases where someone slips, falls, of gets hurt under a car. Unless you are hired and in the system for insurance, you may not be able to volunteer or even step foot into a shop. Some shops (independent or family owned) may have their exceptions, so don’t rule out this scenario for trying to land a job. Corporate or franchised dealers and shops may be more difficult.

The auto shop has all the risk

When an automotive shop takes the initial to hire you for a career as an automotive technician right out of a vocational school, they are taking the risk that you might not work out. The costs for any firm to hire someone who doesn’t work out are high, maybe more so for an auto shop.

Estimates of lost capital to hire a new employee that doesn’t fit are 15-30% of their salary! That means if you quit in 3-6 months and your salary is $30,000 annually, the employer will have lost anywhere from $4,500 – $9,000 on you. Placing ads, interviewing, hiring, and training the right candidate are costly for an employer and some auto shops don’t have that kind of money to go through that process.

So, save that shop the headache, work for free!

Now, we’re not talking forever, we’re not even talking more than a week or two. But you’re not working already are you? And the only thing you risk is your time and a little bit of money in your gas. What you gain if you truly are a quality worker, an edge above everyone else.

The free automotive tech strategy

If you find a shop that just isn’t hiring but you really want to work for you need to make a gut evaluation. Does it seem like they may hire you in the near future, or may create a job for you? This will help you judge how much time you should dedicate to this one auto shop.

Our suggestion is, go to the employer and have a conversation that may go something like this;

*You*
“My name is Johnny. I am dependable, hard working and fast learning. I will be able to provide excellent customer service and be someone you can count on in this shop.”

*Employeer*
“I appreciate your interest, but we aren’t hiring at this time.”

*You*
“I understand. Do you think you may be hiring a new auto technician in the next 3-6 months.”

*Employer*
“It is a possibility. We’ll keep your resume on file and let you know when something comes up,”

At this point, you are now a piece of paper in a file. They won’t remember you in 3 months when that job comes up. You need to make an impression, so go for the big guns. Appeal to their needs as a small business.

*You*
“I understand the risks you have in hiring someone new. I am so confident that I can provide value for you and that I would be a great fit for your shop that I am willing to work for free”

*Employer*
“For free, I don’t know that we have the time…”

*You*
“I can come in for two weeks, for a four hours a day and help around the shop in any capacity you need me. I don’t care if it’s something as simple as sweeping floors, or it’s oil changes I want to work here and will do what it takes.”

*Employeer*
“Ok. I appreciate your initiative. Come meet with me next week when I have a little more time after hours and we can talk a little more.”

Free work – Important things to remember

Here are a couple of things to remember if you use this strategy;

  • Don’t work for free too long – You need to say that you are valuable and know your skills. People will lose respect for you and your decision if you give away the farm. 1-2 weeks max, half day max each day. This will give you another 4 hours to submit applications and visit other shops. Diversify in case this doesn’t work out.
  • Be sure this shop might hire or can help you – This auto shop might not be hiring, but what if they have a number of sister shops around the city? If you get in, show what a great worker you are, you might be able to get in at another shop by referral.
  • Show up early, stay late - Be prompt, wait outside if you have to in your car, and don’t leave early if you chose the latter half of the day. Stay as long as you can to make a point, and never stand around. Find things to do, whether it be sweeping, or ask other techs how you can help them in your down time.
  • Follow up – If the auto shop doesn’t hire you right at the end of the week, follow up every two weeks to see if they have heard of anything and let them know you are still looking.

This is just one strategy

You may still not want to work for free at an auto shop, that is fine. But this is what you display to the employer that can save them their money. You should them your dependability, your motivation (you aren’t there for the money, right?), your work ethic, how fast you learn, and how you interact with the other auto techs.

Any students tried this strategy? We’d love to hear your own tips / additions to this post. What worked for you, what was a failure for you. Share and help your fellow auto technicians.

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