How to hire a car detailer

How to hire a car detailer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step car detailer 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 detailer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new car detailer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a car detailer do?

Post a car detailer job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your car detailer 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 detailer 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 detailer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, car detailers 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.

   This list presents car detailer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Car Detailer	Description	Hourly rate
   Car Detailer	Hand laborers and material movers manually move freight, stock, or other materials. Others feed or remove material to and from machines, clean vehicles, pick up unwanted household goods, and pack materials for moving.	$11-17
   Service Porter	Typically working in car dealerships, a service porter is in charge of performing a variety of tasks to maintain smooth operations. They maintain vehicles in good condition by conducting regular maintenance checks and repairs, refilling gas tanks, inspecting tires and batteries, and cleaning the interior and exterior of cars... Show more	$10-16
   Aircraft Cleaner	An Aircraft Cleaner specializes in maintaining the cleanliness of an aircraft's interior and exterior according to protocols and standards. Their responsibilities include cleaning cabins and compartments, disinfecting restrooms, utilizing tools and equipment, and replenishing stocks such as soap and tissue... Show more	$11-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Shampoo Carpets
   • Clean Windows
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Vehicle Exterior
   • Customer Service
   • Engine Compartment
   • Exterior Body
   • Clean Cars
   • Air Compressors
   • Foreign Materials
   • Door Jams
   • Auto Body
   • Buffing Machines
   • Customer Vehicles

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Wear full face respirators with supply air and Tyvek suits.
   • Used hand and power tools such as upholstery steamers and high-speed buffers.
   • Detail rvs, shop upkeep, move rvs around lot or to convention centers for sale shows
   • Transport materials, equipment, or supplies to or from work areas, using carts or hoists.
   • Provide professional automobile detailing services with a variety of cleaning techniques and products to ensure the desired level of superior cleanliness.
   • Transport materials, equipment, or supplies to and from work areas, using carts or hoists.

   More car detailer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the car detailer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A car detailer 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 a car detailer in Florida may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level car detailer. Additionally, a car detailer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average car detailer salary

   $14.00hourly

   $29,125 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level car detailer salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average car detailer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$40,410	$19
   2	Washington	$40,166	$19
   3	Alaska	$36,874	$18
   4	Colorado	$35,265	$17
   5	Wisconsin	$33,908	$16
   6	Oregon	$33,818	$16
   7	New York	$33,469	$16
   8	Minnesota	$32,969	$16
   9	Massachusetts	$32,761	$16
   10	Idaho	$32,399	$16
   11	New Hampshire	$32,364	$16
   12	Maine	$31,355	$15
   13	Iowa	$30,539	$15
   14	Missouri	$30,278	$15
   15	Utah	$29,564	$14
   16	Nebraska	$29,355	$14
   17	Delaware	$29,278	$14
   18	Arizona	$28,802	$14
   19	Michigan	$28,218	$14
   20	Pennsylvania	$27,670	$13

   Average car detailer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	CarMax	$36,517	$17.56	27
   2	Avis Industrial Corporation	$34,261	$16.47
   3	Asbury Automotive Group	$31,513	$15.15	13
   4	Western Green	$31,491	$15.14
   5	Carvana	$30,605	$14.71	417
   6	Avis Construction	$30,285	$14.56
   7	DXC Technology	$30,252	$14.54
   8	Monaco Ford	$30,243	$14.54	1
   9	Bob Bell Automotive	$29,720	$14.29	1
   10	Dent Wizard	$29,624	$14.24	14
   11	HKA Enterprises	$29,543	$14.20
   12	Kendall Auto Group	$29,488	$14.18
   13	Mercedes-Benz of Escondido	$29,431	$14.15	7
   14	RumbleOn	$29,358	$14.11
   15	McCluskey Chevrolet	$29,358	$14.11
   16	The Parking Spot	$29,307	$14.09
   17	Life EMS Ambulance	$29,302	$14.09
   18	Crossfire	$29,272	$14.07
   19	Lexus of Pembroke Pines	$29,257	$14.07	6
   20	Earnhardt Auto Centers	$29,248	$14.06	2

4. Writing a car detailer job description

   A car detailer 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. Below, you can find an example of a car detailer job description:

   Car detailer job description example

   Our team members are the key to our success, so we want you to live your best life! That's why we offer more than 30 perks and benefits to support your total

   well-being both physically and mentally as well as financially and socially. Here are some of the amazing programs you'll have access to:

   • 100% paid medical insurance premiums.
   • 401(k) with company match.
   • Company contribution to your Health Savings Account (HSA).
   • Telemedicine, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life Insurance.
   • CarvanaFit Wellbeing Program with challenges & incentives.
   • Free on-demand mental health coaching & resources.
   • Carvana KEYS tuition assistance program.
   • Student loan repayment assistance.
   • Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
   • Pregnancy & family formation resources.
   • Paid parental leave.
   • Pawternity leave + pet care savings perk.
   • PTO and paid holidays + your birthday is a holiday.
   • Carvana Communities to connect team members and promote diversity & inclusion.
   • Passion Projects - company sponsorship for projects in your community.
   • Employee auto discount - buy your next car from Carvana!
   • Carvana swag store

   About Aston Carter:

   Please Note: Scammers are posing as Aston Carter. We'll never contact you via Gmail, Telegram, or WhatsApp and we'll never solicit money from you.

   At Aston Carter, we're dedicated to expanding career opportunities for the skilled professionals who power our business. Our success is driven by the talented, motivated people who join our team across a range of positions - from recruiting, sales and delivery to corporate roles. As part of our team, employees have the opportunity for long-term career success, where hard work is rewarded and the potential for growth is limitless.

   Established in 1997, Aston Carter is a leading staffing and consulting firm, providing high-caliber talent and premium services to more than 7,000 companies across North America. Spanning four continents and more than 200 offices, we extend our clients' capabilities by seeking solvers and delivering solutions to address today's workforce challenges. For organizations looking for innovative solutions shaped by critical-thinking professionals, visit . Aston Carter is a company within Allegis Group, a global leader in talent solutions.

   The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

   If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please call or email for other accommodation options. However, if you have questions about this position, please contact the Recruiter located at the bottom of the job posting. The Recruiter is the sole point of contact for questions about this position.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find car detailers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any car detailers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level car detailers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your car detailer job on Zippia to find and recruit car detailer 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 car detailers, 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.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   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 detailer

   Once you've found the car detailer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new car detailer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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 a car detailer?