The automotive industry is in the middle of a major transformation.
From the rise of autonomous and electric vehicles to the growing demand for heavy-duty diesel mechanics, design engineers, and ADAS recruitment experts, the competition for automotive professionals has never been tougher.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the automotive service technicians and mechanics field is expected to have 73,300 new job openings annually through 2032 (BLS).
If you're looking to grow your talent pool and streamline your recruitment process, below is a 7-step expert guide designed for HR managers, talent teams, hiring experts and more to hire top-tier automotive talent.
Let's get started.
Step 1. Build Your Automotive Industry Employer Brand With Vouch
A strong employer brand is the foundation of any successful recruitment strategy.
Automotive professionals - from Mechanics & Body Shops Marketplace specialists or GPU Top Level Verification Engineers, want to see more than just job descriptions. They want a clear picture of your company culture and growth opportunities.
Vouch allows automotive manufacturers, dealers and auto repair shops to showcase their culture through video.
By sharing authentic stories from your team, you create instant trust with job seekers.
Why your employer brand matters:
- Companies with a strong employer brand reduce hiring costs by 50% (LinkedIn Talent Solutions).
- Automotive job seekers engage 3x more with video content than text-heavy job descriptions and job boards.
- Culture-driven branding significantly improves employee retention as you are hiring the right talent for your company from the get-go.
Your employer brand isn't just about attracting applicants either - it's about connecting with candidates who align with your mission and will deliver customer satisfaction and quality results in every role.
To learn more about employer branding for automotive, please see here.
Step 2. Use Video in Your Automotive Job Descriptions
Traditional job postings aren't enough in today's market when it comes to attracting and securing top talent.
Automotive professionals expect a modern, transparent hiring process, and using video job descriptions helps create that.
The benefits of using video include:
- Data suggests that video has a 95% message retention rate vs. 10% for text-based job descriptions; the difference is significant.
- Video also makes it easier for your internal team to explain the requirements of complex roles like Emissions System Engineers, Diagnostic Equipment Specialists, Embedded Software Engineers and more.
The AI-enabled workspace for talent teams.
- Unified workspace for talent teams
- Accelerate hiring with AI tools
- Auto-generate polished hiring and employer brand content
- Easily repurpose assets across all channel
Step 3. Grow Your Employee Advocacy Program
Your employees are your best recruiters.
Leveraging their networks through an employee advocacy program can help you tap into talent pools that job boards and recruitment process outsourcing firms can't reach.
Why employee advocacy works in the automotive industry: Imagine the top talent in your team sharing their experience at your automotive group - these simple employee advocacy videos can make a bigger impact than any ad campaign. This method is particularly powerful for hiring in competitive markets like the United Kingdom and North America, where the best automotive technicians are often passive candidates.
Step 4. Go Beyond Compensation: Your Automotive Industry EVPs
In today's job market, salary is important, but it's not everything.
Automotive professionals, whether they're heavy-duty diesel mechanics or Marketing Directors, want to understand what makes your company unique.
By using Vouch to highlight Employee Value Propositions (EVPs), you can showcase what sets you apart, such as:
- Your management training programs, no matter whether you are a manufacturer, supplier or dealership.
- Opportunities to work in tech departments, such as R&D departments, for electric vehicles and autonomous technologies.
- Career paths from sales consultant to regional Vice President.
Data from Gartner shows that companies that communicate strong EVPs reduce turnover by 69%. This is a key driver for building loyalty and long-term success.
Step 5. Streamline Your Hiring Process
Speed matters in the automotive industry, the longer your recruitment process takes, the more likely you'll lose top talent to competitors.
Here's how to speed up your hiring process:
- Use Vouch for rapid video interviews and candidate evaluation.
- Automate background checks through Checkr or Sterling.
- Use data analytics to identify bottlenecks in your hiring process.
- Integrate SMS notifications for appointment scheduling, reminders, and billing notifications.
A faster recruitment process means a stronger candidate pipeline and quicker placement of key roles over competitors who are vying for the same talent.
Step 6. Focus on Retention From Day One
Retention starts the moment a candidate accepts an offer.
Onboarding and culture integration are critical, especially in the automotive field, where turnover rates are historically high.
With Vouch's Internal Team Communication tools, you can:
- Deliver video-based welcome messages from Corporate Fixed Operations Directors and CEOs.
- Share training content for ADAS recruitment, machine learning tools, and electric vehicle technologies.
- Build early engagement for temp-to-perm candidates and direct placement hires.
According to SHRM, effective onboarding improves new hire retention by 82% (SHRM). Retention-focused hiring is no longer optional, it's a must.
Step 7. Partner With Specialized Automotive Staffing Agencies if Needed
Sometimes, you need external recruitment partners for niche or urgent roles.
Here are five automotive staffing agencies worth considering:
- Automotive Personnel, LLC – Direct placement for automotive retailing and dealership management.
- Tier One Executive Search – Focused on senior management and global recruitment solutions.
- TruPaths – Specializes in hiring automotive service managers and finance directors.
- USA Tech Recruit – Automotive technology recruitment for ADAS, autonomous, and electric vehicles.
- Pinnacle Automotive – Offers recruitment process outsourcing and talent pipeline development.
These agencies are especially useful for hard-to-fill roles like GPU Top Level Verification Engineers or Corporate Fixed Operations Directors.
Who Are The Top 10 Automotive Employers Globally?
- Toyota Motor Corporation – 375,235 employees, $275B revenue – Leader in electric and hybrid vehicles.
- Volkswagen Group – 675,805 employees, $293B revenue – Global powerhouse in automotive manufacturing.
- Ford Motor Company – 177,000 employees, $174B revenue – Strong focus on autonomous & electric vehicles.
- General Motors – 167,000 employees, $156B revenue – Major player in the U.S. automotive market.
- Stellantis – 260,000 employees, $190B revenue – Diverse automotive brands with a strong EV focus.
- BMW Group – 149,475 employees, $142B revenue – Luxury automotive and electric vehicle leader.
- Mercedes-Benz Group – 170,000 employees, $150B revenue – High-end vehicle manufacturing.
- Hyundai Motor Company – 120,000 employees, $94B revenue – Known for innovation in ADAS recruitment.
- Honda Motor Co. – 197,039 employees, $129B revenue – Strong presence in both automotive and motorcycle markets.
- Nissan Motor Corporation – 131,461 employees, $78B revenue – Expanding focus on autonomous technology.
FAQs
What's the biggest challenge in recruiting automotive professionals?
Finding candidates with both technical expertise and cultural fit.
How can Vouch improve automotive hiring?
Vouch enables authentic video content to attract, engage, and retain talent and is a tool that's used by thousands of leading talent teams.
Which roles are hardest to fill in the automotive industry?
Often, the hardest roles to fulfil include ADAS engineers, heavy-duty diesel mechanics, and automotive technicians.
Should automotive companies use staffing agencies?
Yes, especially for niche and executive-level roles.
How important is employer branding in recruitment?
Critically, your employer branding reduces hiring costs and attracts better-fit candidates for your company and culture.
Can video job descriptions increase applications?
Yes, by up to 75% compared to text-only postings.
What markets are most competitive for automotive hiring?
North America, the United Kingdom, and major European automotive hubs are some of the most competitive markets.
See Why Recruiters & Talent Teams Love Vouch!
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Simply book a Vouch demo today to see how Vouch can help!
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