Have you always dreamt of working with cars? Do you fix engines for a hobby? If so, you may have begun considering a career in the automotive industry. With many different sectors and roles, it can be a hugely appealing career path. The automotive industry also has a variety of careers and salaries available.
If you are seriously considering a job in this field, you are not alone. According to Statista, there are almost 1 million people working in motor vehicle and parts manufacturing, and almost 2 million working in car dealerships. However, like almost every industry in America, this industry has been effective by the coronavirus pandemic, and a lot of factories had to close during the peak of the pandemic.
If you are thinking about starting a career in the automotive industry, here are some of the most important tips you should put into practice while you are on the hunt for the perfect automotive job.
Work out what sort of role you want
This is the most crucial first step of any job hunt, regardless of industry. If you have never had any experience in the field, you first need to figure out what sort of role in the industry you want. If you are new to the industry, you should consider applying for ‘entry-level’ roles. Larger companies can offer a wide variety of different roles, perfect if you aren’t quite sure which area you want to specialise in. Smaller companies and garages are better if you want hands-on experience and in-depth training.
Here are some of the most common jobs in the automotive industry:
- Welder/ Cutter
- MOT Technician
- Car sales advisor
- Dealership owner
- Machine operator
- Car insurance provider
There are many different types of automotive jobs out there, so make sure you do your research and decide what role you want before you start applying.
Create the perfect CV
Almost every single job application nowadays requires you to provide a CV, and it is by far the most important part of any application. If you create a professional and well-worded one, you are likely to get many interviews and job offers in no time. However, if you create a poorly-crafter one, you could be met with multiple rejections.
When you apply for a role in the automotive industry, there is a strong chance that you will be competing against tens (and potentially hundreds) of applicants. With the pandemic forcing more and more people into unemployment, the job market has become even more saturated. Therefore, you need to make sure that your CV stands out from the crowd. The appearance of your CV is hugely important, so make sure you use a template to ensure that you have the perfect CV.
Here are few other tips and tricks you need to use to create a knockout CV:
- Keep it short and sweet: no recruiter/automotive company will be interested in reading your CV if it is pages and pages long. On average, employers will spend just 6-8 seconds looking at your resumé, so you need to keep it short, sweet, and relevant.
- Make sure to tailor your CV to the company you are applying for: every job you apply for in the automotive industry will have slightly different requirements, so make sure you take time researching the company and the role before you send out your application.
- Don’t forget to include a cover letter: a cover letter is a document that is directly addressed to the recruiter and is a way for you to directly highlight why you are the perfect person for the role. You can also use it as a way to give examples of how you used your desirable skills in your previous industry.
- Make sure you check your spelling and grammar: you are much more likely to get rejected from a role if you don’t spell words correctly or use the wrong punctuation. If you want to check your spelling and grammar, there are plenty of free online services that will check this for you. You should also get a colleague or a friend to check over your CV before you send it, at it is good to get a fresh perspective if you have been staring at your resumé for hours.
Get some hands-experience
If you have decided that you want to fix or construct cars but have never had any experience (other than working on your own vehicles), you should seriously consider getting some hands-on experience. If you have a local garage near you, try and see if they will offer you some unpaid voluntary experience, or go to your local car dealership and see if they will offer you some volunteer work. If this is not a route you can take, many different automotive companies offer apprenticeships. An apprenticeship is a system that allows newcomers to enter a profession with hands-on experience and some teaching. These can be particularly good ways of getting into the automotive industry if you have just finished school or college.
Try networking
A great way to get your ‘foot in the door’ in the automotive industry is to start networking. There are many easy ways to do this, such as job fairs, social media networking, sending letters, or speaking to relatives that work in the industry or know people who do.
Use a recruitment agency
If you are really struggling to find a job in the automotive industry, you should consider using a recruitment agency that specializes in the automotive industry. This is because these sorts of recruitment agencies will have the contacts you need to succeed in getting a job in the automotive industry.
Conclusion
A career in the automotive industry can be a hugely rewarding career. However, jobs can be competitive, so make sure you follow the above tips to ensure that you will land the career of your dreams.
