need to employ a mechanic for a full time role....HELP
need to employ a mechanic for a full time role....HELP
Author
Discussion

carsounds_dan

Original Poster:

200 posts

201 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
Hi,

The background is that I'm investing in a new premise on the East Sussex/West Sussex border between Lewes and Haywards Heath.
3000sqft to include a dynocell, 3d alignment bay and 2 service bays. Stores, shop and offices are split between ground floor and mez floor.

My knowledge is electrical, ECU's and rolling road tuning. I can weald spanners etc. but the whole idea is to delegate.

I don't want a straight from college chap, the cars I work on and market place dictates some previous experience and knowledge. But I'm unsure if I should be contacting recruitment agencies or putting an ad in the local paper...

From my point of view they've got to be cost affective, without needing a good poking every 90 minutes to get going again. But with that I'm planning on investing in specialist training to bring them up to the level of knowledge required for the bulk of my current workload.

How would you go about it? Where should I look? How much should I be looking to pay?

Many thanks,

Dan

welshjohn

1,215 posts

199 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
local job center and agencies i would take a guess at..

EDLT

15,421 posts

224 months

Thursday 14th June 2012
quotequote all
Don't use agencies, a tiny ad in the paper will get plenty of applications (and several agencies will contact you too). None of the mechanics I know use agencies anyway, so I've no idea what level of skill such a person would have.

On pay: You won't get a competent mechanic for less than £18k pa, for someone with experience and manufacturer training you'll need to set aside £20k+ if you want them to hang around.

martin84

5,366 posts

171 months

Friday 15th June 2012
quotequote all
I wouldn't bother with agencies because the dirty secret is in this economic climate, you only need them if you literally don't have the time to read applications yourself. You don't need their overpriced 'we will find you applicants with our amazing advertising' bks, a simple ad in the paper will do it.

Far be it from me to tell you how to run your business but it is a little hard to really gauge what you want here. You say you don't want someone straight from college but at the same time you seem to be saying you're looking to do this on the cheap and intend to essentially train someone to your standards. Can't really have both, even in todays market. Someone worth more money will clear off the moment a job opens up elsewhere.

carsounds_dan

Original Poster:

200 posts

201 months

Friday 15th June 2012
quotequote all
It's not that I'm afraid of paying good money, the budget is there for it.
I just don't want to get an idea of pay levels before looking much further.

There's already people I have in mind but they're asking massively varied figures, without any notable knowledge difference.

The training will be offered for the dyno and more specific parts of the work, I didn't mean to come across as wanting to cut corners.

You pay peanuts, you get monkeys and all that...

redgriff500

28,982 posts

281 months

Friday 15th June 2012
quotequote all
IMO the best way is to approach mechanics you know and ask if either they want to work for you or if they know someone who might.

If you want to see what they earn then simply look what other jobs are offering.

IMO anyone any good is 30+ as you can't beat experience.

Ozzie Osmond

21,189 posts

264 months

Friday 15th June 2012
quotequote all
For the dyno you need someone who's good at "selling" just as much as the technical stuff. We all know dyno results are used principally for pub boasting so your man needs to be able to feed the egos while quietly massaging up the results!

sturobturbo

5,746 posts

164 months

Friday 15th June 2012
quotequote all
I'll be looking for a job in 4 months time but you won't want me as not only am I only 24, I also, mainly, deal with dirty diseasels and heavy vehicles.

davepoth

29,395 posts

217 months

Friday 15th June 2012
quotequote all
Don't use an agency, they merely serve to frustrate the process at massive expense. As has been said, an advert at the job centre and perhaps one in the local rag will give you plenty of CVs.

DaveH23

3,338 posts

188 months

MrBrightSi

2,917 posts

188 months

Saturday 16th June 2012
quotequote all
Never use an agency, they are an awful band.

Needa308GT4

311 posts

164 months

Saturday 16th June 2012
quotequote all
let us know when you're up and running as you're deep in my area smile

VR46

289 posts

161 months

Saturday 16th June 2012
quotequote all
Look around your local competition and poach their best staff