Would you like to progress your automotive industry career beyond the dealership environment? Perhaps you have built up a number of years’ experience working in an automotive dealership but would like to explore career opportunities outside the dealer world? If this sounds like you, then read on…
Wherever your automotive dealership experience lies – sales, marketing, technical, aftersales or management – there are numerous onward career opportunities in the automotive industry. Many employers I work with actively seek out people with a background working in a dealership. They highly value the skills, experience and knowledge that people with a dealership background can bring.
I have over 24 years’ experience recruiting in the UK automotive industry and have helped many people progress their automotive industry careers outside of the dealer world. In this article I’ll take you through some of the onward career opportunities available and show you what you can to do to help achieve your career goals outside of a dealership.
Why move away from an automotive dealership job?
Whilst many people have long and fulfilling careers working for automotive dealers, some decide to move away from the dealership environment during their career. So what are the main drivers for those who wish to explore career opportunities away from a dealership? Automotive industry employees I work with give me many reasons for wanting to find a job outside of the dealership world, these include:
- Moving up the career ladder
- A better remuneration package
- Stop working weekends / unsociable hours
- Better work-life balance
- Ability work from home
- Desire to work for a vehicle OEM
- Move into the B2B arena
- Use their dealership experience in a wider or more challenging role
- Find a job with a higher basic salary – less focused on commission
Career options when moving out of a dealership
Working in an automotive dealership is a fantastic grounding to a career in the automotive industry, but what are your career options if you decide it’s time to move on from the dealer world?
This very much depends on your area of expertise, so here are some examples of career options after dealer life:
I over the past 20+ years I’ve found new jobs for many people who wanted to move away from working in a dealership. This includes helping marketers move into roles working for vehicle manufacturers or marketing agencies. I’ve helped people with a dealership sales background move into positions with vehicle manufacturers, finance businesses and B2B suppliers. I’ve also helped those with an aftersales or technical background move into roles such as field based aftersales managers or technical support with vehicle manufacturers.
Here are some case studies of a few ex-dealer people I have placed in new jobs:
See all Candidate Case Studies for further examples of how Copeland have helped others achieve their automotive career dreams and learn more about how I help employees progress their careers.
What employers look for
If you aspire to move away from a dealership job, you may question whether you have the skills and experience other employers will be looking for. The requirements will obviously vary widely – depending on the type of role you apply for. There are however some common attributes that most automotive industry employers I work with are seeking:
- A proven track record of success in current and previous jobs
- A progressive career history – not too much job hopping
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Evidence of promotion or progression in your career
- A smart, professional appearance
- A self-starter with a ‘can-do’ attitude
- Ability to work autonomously and manage your time effectively
- Strong MS Office skills
- Ability to work with wide-ranging stakeholders from board level down
How to find a job outside an automotive dealer
I recommend you start with some thinking and planning time. Decide why you want to move and what’s most important to you. Think about what skills and experience you have that another employer would value – do you have enough experience or the right experience? It’s worth taking advice from peers, your manager or others who have made the move after from dealer life – listen and learn. I also recommend you make contact with a specialist automotive industry recruiter such as Copeland Automotive Recruitment. A good starting point is our Automotive Career Checklist to help you review your career objectives and plan for the future so that you can make the right career choices.
Next steps
Once you’ve made the decision to look for a new job outside of a dealership, here are some of the step you need to take:
- Get your CV in order. A professional, well presented CV is essential to getting an interview. Here’s my advice on how to write a good cv.
- Get your LinkedIn profile working hard for you. A professional photo and the right key words are essential as is good detail of your career history. Read our advice: How to use LinkedIn to find a job.
- Seek out expert recruitment consultants who specialise in the type of job you are seeking and will be able to advise you on the best steps to take. Automotive industry specialists like Copeland Automotive Recruitment are a great place to start. With over 24 years’ experience recruiting in the UK automotive sector, we are able to support and advise employees through the process of finding a new automotive industry job.
- Get yourself interview ready. If you’ve not had an interview for a while, it’s worth getting to grips with the latest interview techniques. We have written a number of articles to help guide you through the interview process: Competency based interviews; How to prepare for an interview; Interview presentations.
Be patient
It may take a while for the right job opportunity to arise – so be patient. In the meantime, keep working hard and impressing your current employer. Work on any gaps in your experience and skill-set that will make you more attractive to other employers. Put yourself out there and go the extra mile – this might just lead to a promotion – which will add to your chances of getting noticed and securing the new job you desire.
Keeping up to speed with automotive industry news including Automotive Management and Fleet News is also a good thing to do.
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Further Reading:
Automotive Industry Salary Guide
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Copeland help automotive employees progress their careers. Learn more about HOW WE HELP CANDIDATES or If you’re ready for your next career move start by registering with us HERE.
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