How to onboard new hires in your repair shop

June 7, 2018
If you haven’t grown your own tech, the first step is the interview. There should be a process for every interview; you shouldn’t fly by the seat of your pants. Here are some steps to consider. 

In my recent article (How to grow your own technicians), we explored looking to local secondary and post-secondary automotive schools as a source of new technicians. Now, let's look at bringing those new hires into your shop. 

For this article, I called, emailed and stopped into different shops to see if they had an onboarding process or system for bringing in new employees. None did, leaving me to believe that very few shops, if any, have anything in place for new hires. If you have a system, feel free to email me the process so that we can share it in a possible future article! 

Realize that hiring a person can be a pivotal moment for not only your shop, but also for the individual applying for the job. For you, they may be the technician who changes everything for the better. For the applicant, it may be the start of a new life for them and their family. Quite a bit rests on who you hire, so why not do it right?    

If you raised your own tech via the tech school method, you are already ahead of the curve. Anyone you bring in through that method should give you a pretty good idea of who they are, their attitude and their skill level. It’s like trying before you buy. It helps weed out those who would never work out in your shop before you invest more time in them. 

If you haven’t grown your own tech, the first step is the interview. There should be a process for every interview; you shouldn’t fly by the seat of your pants. Here are some steps to consider.  

Certifications and drug test 
Inform the candidate of your certification requirements and drug testing policies when setting the appointment for the interview. Have them bring their driver’s license, state-issued licenses, such as safety and emissions, and any certifications, like those from ASE. Let them know that you will be running a background check on their licenses. (I recommend doing this with every candidate. You would be amazed at what you may find. It is money well spent.)  

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Resume 
Have them send or bring a resume. Applicants still in school should bring a report card of their current grades in addition to a resume. When you get the resume, spend some time with it. Write down any observations and questions to use during the interview. 

Social media use/personal behavior 
Investigate their social media presence. Their behavior online may give you enough reasons to NOT interview them. Look at their posts, see who they are online and see if they’re up to any questionable activities. It’s also good to note mutual contacts (if any). Reach out to those connections for an unbiased reference. 

The interview 
On the day of the interview, be sure to note when they arrive, and watch how they spend their time waiting. You can learn a lot from this. Do they fidget? Go outside and smoke? Sit down and do nothing? It could give you a good idea of what they may be like if you hire them.  

Have them ask you some questions too.  Make the interview a two-way interaction. Take them into the shop and ask about their experience with any of your shop’s specialized equipment. Ask them what they do or don’t like about the equipment to gauge their experience and education. 

Hiring  
If the applicant is a good fit and you want to hire them, get copies of their licenses, have them sign off on the DOT forms, and give them any documentation they need to get a drug test. Give them a time limit for getting the drug test completed while holding off on sending in the DOT request.  If they get the drug test done in time, then send in the DOT forms; otherwise save the money and trash the forms. 

When they pass all tests and background checks, have them return for a second visit. Discuss your offer and ask any additional questions. If you have an employee handbook or document, give it to them. Then set a date and time for toolbox drop off and employment start.  

They’re hired! 
If you have grown your own tech, I suspect that they have already spent time at your shop and have an idea of how things work. If not, or you are hiring an experienced tech, spend some time orientating them to your shop. Do not just throw them a job and leave them to their own devices! I suggest that on day one, they shadow a senior tech around the shop to see how it all works. (Note: I believe in paying the senior tech for time spent with the new hire. This should be a positive experience for both. Come up with a plan that is fair and doesn’t hurt the tech.) 

Over the next few weeks, the senior tech can start giving the newbie small jobs that are doublechecked upon completion. Also, during this time, they should be trained on the different pieces of shop equipment they need to be familiar with. Have set milestones for them to complete under the senior tech’s supervision.  

Once they’re settled… 
After 90 days, I recommend having a one-on-one meeting with them. Beforehand, talk to the senior tech and get their input on the progress over the last three months. Take note of any issues or concerns.  

The point of this meeting is to let the new hire know exactly where they stand. Don’t make the meeting a negative one; approach all your topics as positively as you can. Of course, discuss any concerns you have. Present the issues (if any) to the newbie and work out solutions with them. 

If things are going well enough at this point, give them a raise as an incentive to continue improvement. Set up a path for training and ASE testing. Have the newbie pay out of pocket any fees or costs related to the training and reimburse them when they pass. (Later in their career, when they have proven themselves, I would recommend fronting the money for these courses.) 

You don’t have to do all of this, but the biggest takeaway is that you should have some process in place for new hires. I recommend putting together something that will work for your shop specifically. Remember that this process will have a large impact on your shop and your new tech’s life. So why not make it a great starting point for all involved?

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