How to hire an automotive mechanic

How to hire an automotive mechanic, step by step

Here's a step-by-step automotive mechanic hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an automotive mechanic job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new automotive mechanic
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an automotive mechanic do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The automotive mechanic hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect automotive mechanic also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of automotive mechanics and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Automotive Mechanic	Description	Hourly rate
   Automotive Mechanic	Automotive service technicians and mechanics, often called service technicians or service techs, inspect, maintain, and repair cars and light trucks.	$14-28
   Mechanic Helper	The job of a mechanic helper is to support lead mechanics and perform a variety of duties and responsibilities. You will be assisting in the maintenance of cars, such as changing tires and oils, replacing brakes, and diagnosing vehicle issues... Show more	$11-19
   Shop Technician	Shop Technicians are skilled workers assigned to a retail store. Their main activities depend on the nature of the business their company is in... Show more	$12-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Work Ethic
   • Hand Tools
   • Customer Vehicles
   • Mechanical Problems
   • Diagnosis
   • ASE
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Routine Maintenance
   • Oil Changes
   • Perform Routine Maintenance
   • Shop Equipment
   • Diagnostic Equipment
   • Mechanical Repairs

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Inspect cars, service and repairs specializing in BMW repairs, manage shop, price and order parts, customer service
   • Panel building, PLC programming, AC/DC drives, air compressors.
   • Read and interpret engineering prints and diagrams, knowledge of PLC.
   • Supervise all aspects of plumbing installation, also work in the field as a trainer.
   • Perform repairs of all types on all makes and models of passenger vehicles as well as pursued ASE certification.
   • Operate wide variety of equipment including power saws, sanders, grinders, cranes drills press, and forklift.

   More automotive mechanic duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the automotive mechanic job description is a good way to get more applicants. An automotive mechanic salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for an automotive mechanic in Hawaii may be lower than in Colorado, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level automotive mechanic. Additionally, an automotive mechanic with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average automotive mechanic salary

   $42,864yearly

   $20.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level automotive mechanic salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average automotive mechanic salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Colorado	$59,864	$29
   2	California	$52,804	$25
   3	New Jersey	$52,197	$25
   4	Minnesota	$51,874	$25
   5	Washington	$51,235	$25
   6	Massachusetts	$48,658	$23
   7	Maryland	$46,570	$22
   8	Michigan	$45,715	$22
   9	Nebraska	$45,701	$22
   10	New Hampshire	$44,710	$22
   11	Ohio	$43,290	$21
   12	Illinois	$42,564	$20
   13	New Mexico	$42,400	$20
   14	New York	$40,823	$20
   15	Missouri	$40,384	$19
   16	Oklahoma	$40,042	$19
   17	Texas	$39,403	$19
   18	Delaware	$38,807	$19
   19	North Carolina	$37,952	$18
   20	Pennsylvania	$37,512	$18

   Average automotive mechanic salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Eversource Energy	$65,164	$31.33	20
   2	City of Baltimore	$61,090	$29.37	1
   3	Marin Water	$60,849	$29.25
   4	Blue Bird	$58,136	$27.95	1
   5	Fred Beans Ford	$56,350	$27.09	35
   6	Jacobs Engineering Group	$56,118	$26.98
   7	Kemp Technologies	$56,090	$26.97	12
   8	Arlington County, VA	$55,548	$26.71	2
   9	City of Louisville	$55,377	$26.62
   10	Patterson Auto	$55,368	$26.62
   11	Autocar Truck	$55,140	$26.51
   12	Belle Tire	$54,673	$26.29	125
   13	Subaru	$53,885	$25.91	29
   14	A. O. Smith	$53,457	$25.70
   15	Denton County	$52,815	$25.39
   16	Rich Ford	$51,533	$24.78	2
   17	FIRST	$49,660	$23.88
   18	Monster Products	$49,467	$23.78	1
   19	Asbury Automotive Group	$49,245	$23.68	154
   20	ALS, LLC	$49,138	$23.62

4. Writing an automotive mechanic job description

   A good automotive mechanic job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an automotive mechanic job description:

   Automotive mechanic job description example

   This position earns a competitive pay depending on experience and knowledge. We provide solid benefits , including medical insurance and paid holidays as well as paid vacations after 1 year of employment . If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, apply today!

   ABOUT GOLDEN GEAR AUTOMOTIVE

   Golden Gear Automotive was founded in 2017 with the mission of providing honest, dependable auto repair and maintenance services to our community. Whether a foreign, domestic, electric, hybrid, or gas vehicle rolls into our shop, our skilled team of technicians is prepared to take on the job. In addition to general repairs, we also offer specialized inspection and repair services for brakes, lamps, and smog systems. Committed to caring for the environment, we use only the latest tools to repair vehicles and minimize their pollutants. We pride ourselves on providing reliable service for our customers that keeps them on the road!

   We will never put profit ahead of our customers or our employees, and we will never break the trust our team has in us. Our company is dedicated to fostering a flexible environment where our team has all the tools they need to succeed. To thank our employees for their tremendous service, we offer them competitive wages, generous benefits, and positive, supportive work culture.

   A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTICIAN / MECHANIC

   As an Automotive Diagnostician / Mechanic, you perform vital services for our auto repair shop. You are an extremely observant person who looks over our customers' vehicles to find and diagnose both electrical and mechanical problems. After listening to the customer's issue with their car, you perform electrical and general diagnostics to determine the source of the problem.

   Once you've identified the areas in need of repairs or maintenance, you report your findings to your team and the customer. You then diligently complete general repairs, doing what you can to get our clients back on the road. You find great satisfaction in working on cars and bringing peace of mind to our customers!

   QUALIFICATIONS FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTICIAN / MECHANIC

   • 5+ years of experience
   • Clean driving record

   A smog license would be a huge plus but is not required. Are you a skilled problem solver? Do you have strong communication skills? Can you successfully work independently and with a team? Are you detail-oriented? If yes, you might just be perfect for this position!

   WORK SCHEDULE FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE DIAGNOSTICIAN / MECHANIC

   This position typically works Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM with a one-hour lunch .

   ARE YOU READY TO JOIN OUR TEAM?

   If you feel that you would be right for this job, please fill out our initial 3-minute, mobile-friendly application . We look forward to meeting you!

   Location: 95472

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find automotive mechanics for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your automotive mechanic job on Zippia to find and recruit automotive mechanic candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit automotive mechanics, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new automotive mechanic

   Once you have selected a candidate for the automotive mechanic position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an automotive mechanic?