Five Tips for Recruiting Dealership Team Members During COVID-19

Even amid a global pandemic, workers will resign, or you may see the need to add additional support to your teams. However, being able to meet potential candidates in person, or holding dealership hiring fairs may no longer be an option due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result, you and your dealership team will need to consider a virtual dealership recruitment strategy.

Even though many businesses—including dealerships—are reopening, many people are still not comfortable with going back into the office. It is highly likely that you may have to hire remote team members—even if only temporarily. Therefore, it’s crucial that you know how to use digital tools to find good talent.

What should be a part of your dealership recruitment strategy in this new normal of COVID-19?

Read on for tips.

Post Open Positions on Your Website—If You Aren’t Already 

This may seem like an obvious tip, but it is easy to forget that your website isn’t only a tool to gain customers. It can also help you locate exceptional talent. If you don’t already, your dealership page should have a careers section. Here you can include job descriptions of all the positions you are hiring for. For many, the job search has become an entirely online process. Therefore, you can increase your chances of finding the best fit for your positions by keeping your career page up-to-date on your dealership homepage. Also, to be sure you are showing up in localized job searches, post open positions with job boards like Indeed, Careerbuilder, Monster.com, and even remote work job sites (if candidates will be working remotely). 

Get In Touch With Local Colleges, Universities, and Trade Programs 

The summer months mean that there is a new group of graduates looking for positions. Many local universities and trade schools have job posting listservs, where they email new positions to new graduates or give them access to an online job portal. Reach out to these institutions and tell them about your open positions. They can send out your job postings to recent graduates. Also, reach out to the career counselors of specific schools within the institutions. Most universities have a career office for all students, and then each school within the university may have their own career office that serves students with specific majors. Reach out to these people, and they may be able to recommend graduates for you to reach out to. 

Don’t Forget About Social Media 

According to CareerArc, 55 percent of job seekers find social and professional networks to be the most useful resource during a job search. Many companies use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to find capable talent. On platforms like Twitter and Instagram, the hashtags #amhiring #hiring and #jobsearch are popular ways to promote job postings. LinkedIn has also become a crucial tool for finding talent. The platform has a section where you can post jobs where users can apply. You can also hire recruiters to message candidates directly. The National Association of Colleges and Employers found that 91 percent of employers who use LinkedIn rated the effectiveness of using it 3.8 out of five.  

Pursue Veteran Candidates 

This is a great time to cast your net to include veterans in your job search. There are a variety of places online where you can post jobs specifically for veterans. You can sign up to employ veterans on sites like Military.com and RecruitMilitary.com (where you can also participate in virtual job fairs). Some sites like HireHeroesUSA.org even prescreen military job seekers, so companies can connect with veterans who are already seen to be a fit for the position. This wide range of online resources makes the process of finding veteran job candidates straightforward. This tactic is a great way to provide a position for a service member while also hiring virtually. 

Ask Your Team for Referrals 

You have an excellent recruitment pipeline in the form of your current staff. You can sharpen your search and take away some of the extra steps by inviting your team to offer referrals for your open positions. This is someone you can reach out to directly, and they are a professional that comes recommended by someone who is already on your team. Connecting with this individual can be as simple as sending an email and setting up a video conference interview within the week. Many professionals are out of work, so the chances are high that someone on your team has a friend or former co-worker who could be a great addition to the dealership team. 

COVID-19 Doesn’t Have to Result In A Poor Dealership Recruitment Strategy 

From keeping your customers and employees healthy to changing your logistics to address the outbreak, COVID-19 has changed everything. This extends to in-person hiring events. Fortunately, today’s digital tools and resources still make it possible to find exceptional dealership talent. Changing your recruitment strategies to include social media outreach, college career offices, and internal referrals can help you find your next team member, even during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Car Biz Today, the official resource of the retail automotive industry.