How to hire a refinish technician

How to hire a refinish technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the refinish technician you need to hire. Certain refinish technician roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect refinish technician also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

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

   Type of Refinish Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Refinish Technician	Automotive body and glass repairers restore, refinish, and replace vehicle bodies and frames, windshields, and window glass.	$14-31
   Auto Body Technician	An auto body technician is responsible for assessing vehicle damage and conducting repairs after evaluating the cost estimates. Auto body technicians' duties include replacing auto parts, which caused malfunctions, determining the extent of damage, and testing the engine performance to ensure that it is safe for use after the appropriate modifications... Show more	$12-26
   Body Shop Technician	A body shop technician specializes in repairing and restoring the exteriors of vehicles. It is their responsibility to assess vehicle damage reports, conduct inspections, develop plans, provide cost estimates, remove damaged parts and attach new ones, realign frames and structures, perform installations and upgrades, and refinish surfaces... Show more	$12-31

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Paint Brushes
   • Body Shop
   • Stencils
   • I-Car
   • OEM
   • Coats
   • Body Repair
   • Hazardous Waste
   • MIG
   • Paint Guns
   • Structural Repairs
   • Fiberglass Repair
   • Body Panels
   • Damage Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Apply all primers, sealers, basecoats and top coats as required.
   • Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
   • Experience with both PPG and DuPont paint mixing systems, their applications, and all paint prep processes.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, refinish technicians' average salary in indiana is 46% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level refinish technicians 52% less than senior-level refinish technicians.
   • Certifications. A refinish 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 refinish technician's salary.

   Average refinish technician salary

   $45,014yearly

   $21.64 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level refinish technician salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

4. Writing a refinish technician job description

   A refinish technician 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 refinish technician job description:

   Refinish technician job description example

   $60,000 - $130,000 annually

   BUSY SHOPS * CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES * GREAT EARNINGS AND BENEFITS

   Gerber Collision & Glass is looking for an exceptional Body Shop Painter to join our winning team. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced, hardworking, quality minded Body Shop Painter who is looking to make good money and be respected at work.

   CONTROL YOUR FUTURE

   Our greatest asset is our team members – we invest in them and promote from within. As for compensation, the harder you work, the more you can earn. Our unique, proven WOW Operating Way improves productivity, reduces stress and provides team members a more consistent paycheck.

   • Stable upwardly mobile employment with a growing company

   • Winning culture and excellent work environment

   • Great earning potential

   • Forward thinking, up to date with equipment and technology

   BENEFITS THAT DRIVE YOUR SUCCESS

   Gerber offers the comprehensive benefits you expect from an industry leader, including:

   • Competitive Pay Plans

   • Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental & Vision Insurance

   • 401(k) Retirement Plan with company match

   • Short-Term Disability & Life Insurance

   • Paid Vacation & Holidays

   • Continuing Education Opportunities

   Responsibilities:

   • Review body work for quality and completeness as it arrives in the paint department

   • Thoroughly mix, color match, and refinish each vehicle to restore it to pre-accident condition

   • Complete all refinish operations as described in the work order

   • Efficiently use and maintain paint material inventory

   • Consistently utilize all required safety equipment, properly dispose of hazardous waste

   • Attend/collaborate with team during daily production meetings

   • Work in harmony with the production schedule and coworkers to meet deadlines

   • Other duties as assigned

   Qualifications:

   • 2-5+ years of collision repair experience

   • Ability to properly complete all steps in the refinishing process

   • Above average quality focus

   • High production capabilities

   • I-CAR or ASE Certifications are a bonus

   We are a high-performance company, looking for a high-performance Automotive Painter. If you're hard working and quality minded, this is a great opportunity for you.

   GERBER – OUR PEOPLE DRIVE US

   Search Keywords: Automotive, growth, advancement, collision repair, collision center, auto body, autobody, body shop, I-CAR, ICAR, dent repair, painter, paint tech, PPG, water, waterborn, waterborne, sikkens, paint prep, prepper, buff, polish, wheel, mask, tape

   Company DescriptionAs one of the nation's largest auto glass and windshield replacement and repair businesses, Glass America has been keeping cars, trucks and vans safe on the road since 1999. When it comes to auto glass repair and replacement - Glass America sets the standard.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting refinish technicians 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 to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 refinish technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the refinish technician 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.

   To prepare for the new refinish technician 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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