The dealer recruitment market is witnessing high demand for specialist skill sets, according to a special report in the October edition of Motor Trader.
“The overwhelming demand in recruitment for us is in aftersales,” said Guy Liddall, managing director of Motor Trade Selection, the recruitment specialist.
“We are under real pressure to find strong aftersales and service managers who can add to the bottom line while improving customer care, who can balance the needs of their business with the requirements of the manufacturer.
“This is normal for this point in the economic cycle, when there is a squeeze on new and used car margins dealers will naturally concentrate on the aftersales side of the business to find extra profit,” he said.
Liddall said there is also significant demand for managers in used car departments.
Meanwhile supply and demand has resulted in a high number of good quality candidates chasing fewer jobs as employers are getting more selective.
“There are more opportunities for individuals who are exactly the right skill and cultural fit for the organisation that is recruiting, but clients are being very exacting in their selection criteria,” said David Southgate, managing director of Southgate Consulting, the specialist motor trade recruiter.
“The market is still awash with a number of middle and senior managers who have been out of work for many months. Companies are very reluctant to take on overqualified candidates into roles that are available. However, experience to do the job well is lacking in some quarters leading to frustrating stalemate situations where vacancies may go unfilled for several months,” he said.
