How to be proactive in your recruiting efforts

If you’re not always recruiting and actively trying to find staff, you’re already falling behind, said two top industry executives recently.

AIA Canada’s recent Canadian Auto Care Industry Conference in Toronto, Tony Kuczynski, president and CEO of Mister Transmission, and Paul Prochilo, CEO of Simplicity Car Care, shared their insights on one of the industry’s biggest challenges: Finding and keeping great talent.

In today’s competitive market, they agreed, waiting for talent to come to you is no longer an option. The future of the auto care industry depends on proactive, personal, and persistent recruitment.

“Always be recruiting,” said Kuczynski. “You’re staffed well right now? Things change. Life changes. Things happen. You should always be looking, keeping an eye open for people.”

He shared a story about meeting a technician at a training seminar whose employer wouldn’t pay for him to attend. Impressed by the technician’s attitude and skills, Kuczynski brought him into the Mister Transmission team — a move that paid off.

“We sent him to our training. And he’s been a wonderful addition to our staff,” he said. “I use that story as an example to others.”

Kuczynski also emphasized the importance of having the right kind of leadership leading shops.

“First of all, you’re looking for people with leadership skills, because it’s really hard for us to train franchisees on leadership skills,” he explained. “Flexibility, listening, treating people properly — it is essential and table stakes.”

He encouraged shop owners and franchisees to get involved with local schools and training programs.

“We did career day last week [with] co-op students and people learning the trade,” he said. “It’s networking. You have to let people know that you’re looking for a technician.”

Prochilo echoed Kuczynski’s points and took them further, stressing that recruitment must be part of a shop’s long-term strategy, especially if you’re an independent shop.

“This must be a part of your strategic plan,” Prochilo said. “Maybe that means in your market, you’re out visiting once a month with technical schools. You’re getting in there, showcasing who you are, you’re demonstrating what you can do and you’re communicating the unbelievable opportunities in the automotive aftermarket.”

He urged business owners to take ownership of their recruitment efforts. “Nobody’s going to fix anything for you,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be some absolutely massive, robust budget. It’s about picking up the phone, engaging with the schools, letting them know how important it is for you to be able to communicate with them.”

Image credit: Depositphotos.com