How To Become An Automotive Service Advisor: What It Is and Career Path

What is an automotive service advisor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

An automotive service advisor works in the automobile industry and acts as a liaison between customers and mechanics. They communicate with customers about their car problems and determining the necessary repairs. Service advisors provide cost estimates, schedule appointments, and keep track of maintenance schedules. They must have knowledge of automotive parts and repairs, as well as communication and customer service skills. The role requires organization and attention to detail to ensure high-quality and on-time work.

ScoreAutomotive Service AdvisorUS Average

Salary

3.5

Avg. Salary $44,596

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

5.9

Growth rate -4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.80%

Asian 6.09%

Black or African American 10.60%

Hispanic or Latino 20.80%

Unknown 5.68%

White 56.04%

Gender

female 19.71%

male 80.29%

Age - 39

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39

Stress level

5.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.6

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.5

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being an automotive service advisor?

Pros

Potential for high earning potential through commissions and bonuses
Possibility for advancement to management positions within the company
Possibility for flexible scheduling
Access to employee discounts on car repairs and maintenance
Opportunity for job stability in a growing industry

Cons

Need to work evenings and weekends
Dealing with unhappy or difficult customers
Potential exposure to hazardous materials
Need to keep up with complex paperwork and documentation
Potential for conflict with mechanics or management

Key steps to become an automotive service advisor

Explore automotive service advisor education requirements

Most common automotive service advisor degrees

Associate

30.8 %

High School Diploma

29.1 %

Bachelor's

26.7 %

Start to develop specific automotive service advisor skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	36.07%
Automotive Services	11.57%
Repair Orders	10.56%
Product Knowledge	8.07%
Inspection Results	5.64%

Complete relevant automotive service advisor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New automotive service advisors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an automotive service advisor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real automotive service advisor resumes.

Research automotive service advisor duties and responsibilities

Used SQL queries to report, analyze, and manage the ongoing Y2K research progress.
Schedule and write up service repair and maintenance work using ADP.
Attend many customer satisfaction clases and recieve Chrysler 5 star certification.
Experience with Reynolds and Reynolds and ADP.

Prepare your automotive service advisor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your automotive service advisor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an automotive service advisor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable automotive service advisor resume templates

Build a professional automotive service advisor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your automotive service advisor resume.

Apply for automotive service advisor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an automotive service advisor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do automotive service advisors rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Automotive service advisor reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Pros

Helping people understand that they are not alone and to be able to help rebuild them inside and out.. It starts with understanding and compassion to let the victim/ survivor to know they have someone to reach out to.

Cons

Sometime me having to remember my trauma