How to hire a detailer

How to hire a detailer, step by step

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

What does a detailer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The detailer 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 detailer 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 detailer that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of detailers.

   Type of Detailer	Description	Hourly rate
   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
   Car Wash Attendant	As a car wash attendant, they wash and polish car exteriors and interiors. They often clean tires, dust, drying, applying soap solutions, vacuuming car interiors, scraping loose specks of dirt, cleaning seats, and removing the trash on a car... Show more	$11-18
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Vehicles
   • Shampoo Carpets
   • Work Ethic
   • Customer Service
   • Cleanliness
   • Good Communication
   • Dexterity
   • Foreign Materials
   • Engine Compartment
   • Shop Drawings
   • Loose Dirt
   • Auto Body
   • Leather Surfaces
   • General Maintenance

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Operate miscellaneous tools, spray guns, industrial vacuums and cleaners.
   • Dimension and annotate HVAC, plumbing, hydronic, and medical gas drawings.
   • Receive training in fiberglass boat repair -Responsible for maintaining showroom appearance and detailing customer boats
   • General daily responsibilities include cleaning, detailing and performing general maintenance on client boats locate at marinas.
   • Detail small compact cars, SUVs, school buses, coach buses, and boats.
   • Develop strong work ethic and leadership skills.

   More detailer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your detailer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A detailer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a detailer in North Carolina may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level detailer usually earns less than a senior-level detailer. Additionally, a detailer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average detailer salary

   $14.19hourly

   $29,506 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level detailer salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 8, 2025

   Average detailer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$36,757	$18
   2	California	$35,459	$17
   3	Nevada	$34,333	$17
   4	Oregon	$33,341	$16
   5	Minnesota	$33,004	$16
   6	Colorado	$31,832	$15
   7	Missouri	$31,811	$15
   8	Montana	$29,861	$14
   9	Kansas	$29,745	$14
   10	Wyoming	$29,678	$14
   11	Nebraska	$29,474	$14
   12	New Hampshire	$29,418	$14
   13	Michigan	$29,103	$14
   14	Illinois	$28,733	$14
   15	Arizona	$28,058	$13
   16	New Mexico	$27,566	$13
   17	Ohio	$27,402	$13
   18	Indiana	$26,967	$13
   19	Tennessee	$26,911	$13
   20	Alabama	$25,791	$12

   Average detailer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Steel Dynamics	$42,585	$20.47
   2	Missouri State University	$42,396	$20.38
   3	CMC Motocross	$36,509	$17.55	2
   4	CarMax	$36,390	$17.50	28
   5	VT Industries	$35,247	$16.95
   6	Penske Automotive Group	$32,625	$15.69
   7	Toyota of Des Moines	$32,354	$15.55	2
   8	LanceCunningham Ford	$32,180	$15.47
   9	Asbury Automotive Group	$32,150	$15.46	3
   10	Tesla	$31,990	$15.38
   11	Camping World	$31,646	$15.21	21
   12	Limbach	$31,615	$15.20
   13	Sonic Automotive	$31,588	$15.19
   14	Raytheon Technologies	$31,560	$15.17
   15	Safran	$31,342	$15.07
   16	Carvana	$31,268	$15.03	337
   17	The Freeman Company LLC	$31,199	$15.00	2
   18	Harper International	$31,097	$14.95
   19	Cabela's	$31,045	$14.93
   20	Morrie's Auto Group	$31,044	$14.93	6

4. Writing a detailer job description

   A 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 detailer job description:

   Detailer job description example

   We are a well-established manufacturing company that values and trusts our employees . We pay our AutoCAD Detailers a competitive wage of $18.00 - $25.00/hour , depending on experience. Our team also enjoys fantastic benefits , including health, dental, paid time off (PTO), a 401(k), vacation time, flexible work schedules, and bonus opportunities . We are offering a sign-on bonus and we cover relocation costs for this position! Plus, we make it easy to apply with our initial quick mobile-optimized application . If we have your attention, please continue reading!

   
   

   ABOUT JBI INTERIORS COMPANY

   Our commercial interior manufacturing company began in 1969 when our founder created his first restaurant interior. Today, we manufacture a variety of interiors including architectural millwork, upholstery, and metal, for a wide range of clients such as restaurants, hospitals, and schools. We have been prioritizing customer satisfaction since the very beginning, and it shows through the strong, lasting partnerships we've made over the decades. Our goal is to continuously think of fresh, innovative ideas that improve our systems and create better experiences for our clients.

   Our success comes from building a strong, capable team of dedicated employees that feel trusted and valued. We provide an open, collaborative work environment where team members can share ideas and learn from each other. When you work for us, you also enjoy competitive compensation and generous benefits . Join us in creating appealing interiors that people will remember!

   
   

   ARE YOU A GOOD FIT?

   Ask yourself: Am I highly detail-oriented? Do I have strong problem-solving skills? Am I an effective communicator? Can I think creatively and flexibly? If so, please consider applying for this woodworking position today!

   
   

   YOUR LIFE AS AN AUTOCAD DETAILER

   This millwork drafting position typically works Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.

   As an AutoCAD Detailer, you are essential to the successful completion of our projects. You are an extremely organized person who helps set the stage for successful and efficient millwork. Using AutoCAD, you create detailed drawings and diagrams that model our clients' visions. Using these designs, you generate accurate cut lists and bills of material outlining all the necessary equipment and supplies for every project.

   As required, you program saws and CNC (computer numerical control) machines to cut out needed pieces. With every project, you prioritize cost-efficiency and strategically devise ways to decrease our work costs. You take pride in producing excellent drawings that help us bring our clients' ideas to life!

   
   

   WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

   • AutoCAD experience
   • Ability to read technical sketches and drafts

   Commercial woodworking knowledge would be preferred but is not required. CADCode or CNC programming experience would be a plus. If you can meet these requirements and perform this woodworking job as described above, we would be happy to have you as part of our millwork drafting team!

   Location: 01022

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

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5. Post your job

   To find 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 detailers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level 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 detailer job on Zippia to find and recruit detailer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting detailers 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.

   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 detailer

   Once you've selected the best detailer candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new detailer. 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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