How to hire a car dealer

How to hire a car dealer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step car dealer hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your car dealer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a car dealer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A car dealer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, car dealers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of car dealers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Car Dealer	Description	Hourly rate
   Car Dealer	Retail sales workers include both those who sell retail merchandise, such as clothing, furniture, and automobiles, (called retail salespersons) and those who sell spare and replacement parts and equipment, especially car parts (called parts salespersons). Both types of workers help customers find the products they want and process customers’ payments.	$15-43
   Game Advisor	A game advisor is responsible for assisting customers with their gaming inquiries and concerns. Game advisors provide gaming advice to the customers based on their preferences and update them on the latest game titles and new consoles... Show more	$12-18
   Expert	An expert has extensive knowledge on a subject gained from a significant amount of experience. Although the tasks will vary on the line of work or organization, an expert's role will often revolve around sharing expertise through discussion, evaluation, and influencing... Show more	$25-77

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Car Inventory
   • Customer Service
   • OEM
   • Dealer Trades
   • DMV
   • RAN

   Responsibilities:

   • Enhance dealership reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
   • Assist management with problems or questions; coordinate with senior dealers daily in establishing meetings.
   • Collaborate with OEM national retail programs and business partner companies to increase OE replacement tire sales in auto dealer channel.
   • Perform varied management tasks including human resources and financial controls.
   • Enhance dealership reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.
   • Recruit to increase Hyundai and Subaru sales.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your car dealer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A car dealer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, car dealers' average salary in florida is 43% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level car dealers earn 65% less than senior-level car dealers.
   • Certifications. A car dealer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a car dealer's salary.

   Average car dealer salary

   $54,245yearly

   $26.08 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level car dealer salary

   $32,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

4. Writing a car dealer job description

   A car dealer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a car dealer job description:

   Car dealer job description example

   The Car Dealer Representative cultivates and develops sales relationships across all car dealer brands and channels in assigned accounts or territory to achieve sales and profit goals.
   The individual must exhibit the following core TireHub commitments:
   
   * Approachable - If a company could smile, we would. Instead we rely on our people to show it. We care about each other and our customers because we know business only gets done right when people respect each other and value relationships.
   * Adventurous - What TireHub is set up to do is intentionally outrageous. So, we readily embrace challenges with the courage to introduce new ideas and the ambition to build something unique.
   * Relentless - We tackle our work with energy. We deliver on our commitments with enthusiasm. And we don't give up until we get to the end.
   * Speedy - Speed is the currency in the tire industry. When we commit to a job, we get the job done - and we do it fast.
   
   Role Specifics:
   
   Achieves daily/weekly/monthly sales goals within car dealer channel in assigned accounts or territory.
   
   Prospects and develops business within car dealer channel in assigned accounts or territory.
   
   § Train associates at the car dealership associates on sell out, manufacturer and shareholder programs, and product knowledge, processes, and tools to realize all program incentives and financial targets.
   
   § Facilitate training, sellout events and promotional activities collaboratively with customer (district, regional as well as dealership level), and suppliers.
   
   § Create and grow preference for TireHub as option in all program point of sale, OE Connection, and other manufacturer portals, across all TireHub brands.
   
   § Manage and monitor manufacturer sales incentive programs and communicate to decision makers with the car dealerships to drive program business
   
   § Leverage interpersonal skills to drive consultative selling to determine customers' needs. Find and suggest solutions, competitive negotiations, and adoption of tools and systems to meet KPIs
   
   § Position to be measured by sales results, new program customer activations, year over year customer growth, margin results, and other KPIs as defined by business needs
   
   § Communicate with various levels of management
   
   § Attain assigned volume, margin and budget targets
   
   § Collaborate with assigned Product Assortment Manager to assure optimization of local market inventory
   
   § Provide support for expansion / new market TLCs
   
   § Expected collaboration with: TLC staff, Pricing, Shareholder contacts, Operations, Credit, Accounts Receivable
   
   Performs additional responsibilities as requested*
   
   Competencies:
   
   § Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions
   
   § Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
   
   § Drives Results: Consistently achieving results, even under tough circumstances
   
   § Builds Networks: Effectively building formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization
   
   § Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences
   
   § Optimizes Work Processes: Knowing the most effective and efficient processes to get things done, with a focus on continuous improvement
   
   § Manages Ambiguity: Operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the way forward is not clear
   
   § Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives
   
   Experience:
   
   * 3+ years of sales experience
   * Experience with car dealer industry preferred
   * Bachelor's Degree preferred
   * Required to have a valid driver's license
   
   Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
   
   § Knowledge of the car dealer and OE channels and market strategies
   
   § Knowledge of manufacturer (shareholder & OE) programs
   
   § Understanding of relationship-building and sustainment approaches for key customers
   
   § Product and industry knowledge
   
   * Willing to relocate if needed
   
   § Willing to Travel (40-70% of the time)

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find car dealers 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 car dealer job on Zippia to find and recruit car dealer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as salesjobs, salesheads, allretailjobs.com, sales trax.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting car dealers requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   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 car dealer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the car dealer 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.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new car dealer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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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