The madness of July has died down and many in the automotive industry will soon be enjoying a well-earned holiday. Once the batteries have recharged, thoughts will soon turn to January and putting plans in place to ensure rewards are reaped in four months time.
While January might seem a long way off, there is a realisation among successful dealers that to build a team in time for the new year, planning must start now. We have already started this process with many dealers as they grapple with workforce planning requirements in their businesses.
These proactive dealers have learned from previous experience that expecting to hire quality candidates late this year in advance of Q1, will become an almost impossible task.
For senior candidates within our industry, it is not uncommon for them to come with 3 month notice periods in their existing contracts. With that in mind, starting your recruitment as late as September/October this year will really put you on the back foot.
Typical in-house recruitment timeline
Week 1
Workforce planning & skills assessment (who do we need and when do we need them)
Week 2
Sign off on new role - budget, job spec
Week 3
Commence search process - post on multiple job boards
Week 4-6
Filter applicants and shortlist candidates
Week 7
Initial phone screening and feedback
Week 8
1st round interviews and feedback
Week 9
2nd round interviews and feedback
Week 10
Make offer to candidate
Week 11
Negotiate offer and navigate counter-offer
Week 12
Accept offer in writing and candidate hands in notice
Week 13-16
Candidate notice period
Week 17
Start date
Week 17-20
Onboarding - induction, product training
Partnering with a specialist recruitment consultant with in-depth knowledge of the automotive industry can significantly reduce this timeline. Whether it's creating a detailed job spec, shortlisting candidates, screening CVs and employment history and managing the interview and offer stages, partnering with such an agency can have huge benefits for you and your business.
If you are serious about putting in place an outstanding team to fully avail of the opportunities next year will bring, you must begin the process of recruitment as soon as possible.