How to hire a collision technician

How to hire a collision technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step collision technician hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The collision technician 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a collision technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a collision technician that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of collision technician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Collision Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Collision Technician	Automotive service technicians and mechanics, often called service technicians or service techs, inspect, maintain, and repair cars and light trucks.	$14-31
   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
   Light Wheel Mechanic	A light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference... Show more	$12-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Body Repair
   • Body Shop
   • MIG
   • I-Car
   • ASE
   • Customer Satisfaction
   • Mask
   • Spray Guns
   • Body Panels
   • Frame Machine
   • Body Damage
   • Drive Vehicles
   • OEM

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Tear down, repair damage area including structural damage to OEM.
   • Spray all types of primers, paints and clear coats.
   • Weld aluminum and steel parts.
   • Apply and sand body filler by ASE standards.
   • Used computer program (CCC) to write estimates.
   • Steel MIG welding, grinding, drilling and cutting.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your collision technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A collision technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, collision technicians' average salary in kentucky is 50% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level collision technicians 53% less than senior-level collision technicians.
   • Certifications. A collision technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a collision technician's salary.

   Average collision technician salary

   $45,569yearly

   $21.91 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level collision technician salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 21, 2026

4. Writing a collision technician job description

   A job description for a collision technician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a collision technician job description:

   Collision technician job description example

   6 months to 1 year of related experience and/or training
   Candidates with an equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered

   Certificates, Licenses, Registrations (Including Driver's License)

   Operator's Driver's License (must be insurable)

   Compensation

   Compensation is based on experience and commensurate with Fortune 500 companies.

   Physical Demands

   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to walk, climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; and taste or smell.

   The employee is occasionally required to sit and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds; frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds; and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds.

   Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and depth perception.

   Benefits

   Benefits include medical, vision and dental insurance, 401K retirement savings plan, Vacation time, holiday and sick leave, company paid continuing education and training. Our company maintains a strong policy of equal employment opportunity for all associates. We hire, train, promote and compensate associates on the basis of personal and professional competence and potential for advancement without regard for race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, disability or citizenship, as well as other classifications protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

   About

   The biggest difference our customers and guests experience at Fred Haas Companies is a dedicated staff of friendly, well-trained, and experienced employees. Reflecting the diversity of Houston today, the Fred Haas staff includes the best and the brightest of many different cultures, speaking many different languages. The result has been continuous recognition from the automotive industry in every aspect of the business. Fred Haas Companies is continuously recognized by several industry awards as a leader among its peers. Fred Haas Companies has a long-standing tradition of excellence and guest-satisfaction and we are seeking team members who have the highest level of integrity, are self-motivated and have a desire for a long-term career.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right collision technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with collision technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 collision technician

   Once you've decided on a perfect collision technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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 collision technician. 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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