How to hire a service mechanic

How to hire a service mechanic, step by step

Here's a step-by-step service mechanic hiring guide:

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

What does a service mechanic do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the service mechanic you need to hire. Certain service mechanic 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

   A service mechanic's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, service mechanics 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 shows salaries for various types of service mechanics.

   Type of Service Mechanic	Description	Hourly rate
   Service Mechanic	Diesel service technicians and mechanics inspect, repair, and overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engine.	$15-31
   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
   Shop Technician	Shop Technicians are skilled workers assigned to a retail store. Their main activities depend on the nature of the business their company is in... Show more	$12-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Hydraulic Systems
   • Mechanical Equipment
   • HVAC
   • Diagnosis
   • Electrical Systems
   • CDL
   • Test Equipment
   • Oil Changes
   • Propane
   • Hand Tools
   • Mechanical Troubleshooting
   • Plumbing

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain and manage shop for parts, supplies and priority in jobs and cleanliness.
   • Redesign and modify existing heavy machine shop equipment to meet or exceed strict OSHA requirements.
   • DOT inspect various types of vehicles and do the repairs or adjustments on them.
   • Perform troubleshooting and diagnosis, provide suggestions to superiors for a cost effective and safe repair.
   • Implement new safety procedures for both transportation and material handling equipment IAW OSHA and local laws.
   • Perform service on 25 ton to 500 ton chillers , 5-30 package rooftop equipment, split HVAC equipment.

   More service mechanic duties

3. Make a budget

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

   Average service mechanic salary

   $47,240yearly

   $22.71 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level service mechanic salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average service mechanic salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$64,484	$31
   2	Connecticut	$57,039	$27
   3	Washington	$56,611	$27
   4	Pennsylvania	$55,458	$27
   5	New York	$53,038	$26
   6	Maryland	$52,660	$25
   7	Florida	$50,305	$24
   8	Colorado	$48,439	$23
   9	Wisconsin	$45,799	$22
   10	Iowa	$45,326	$22
   11	Texas	$44,393	$21
   12	South Carolina	$44,321	$21
   13	Ohio	$44,281	$21
   14	North Carolina	$43,214	$21
   15	Arizona	$42,957	$21
   16	Utah	$42,371	$20
   17	Indiana	$42,120	$20
   18	New Mexico	$39,713	$19

   Average service mechanic salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sandia National Labs	$74,125	$35.64
   2	City of San Jos	$71,981	$34.61	2
   3	Granite Construction	$66,594	$32.02	16
   4	Columbia University in the City of New York	$63,856	$30.70	5
   5	University of California-Berkeley	$63,209	$30.39
   6	Crown Equipment	$61,882	$29.75	229
   7	Johnson Controls	$61,313	$29.48	326
   8	MD Helicopters	$58,593	$28.17
   9	Eversource Energy	$58,529	$28.14	19
   10	NJ Transit	$57,661	$27.72
   11	Boeing	$57,564	$27.68	90
   12	United Contractors	$57,206	$27.50
   13	Lockheed Martin	$57,057	$27.43	71
   14	Textron	$56,837	$27.33	98
   15	Nestlé	$56,832	$27.32	27
   16	Elizabeth River Ferry	$56,171	$27.01	4
   17	F&M MAFCO	$56,101	$26.97
   18	Lyft	$55,524	$26.69
   19	Curtis Contracting	$55,465	$26.67	18
   20	CMC Motocross	$54,981	$26.43	18

4. Writing a service mechanic job description

   A service mechanic 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 service mechanic job description:

   Service mechanic job description example

   $20-30/hr.

   1st shift 6:00 - 2:30 (occasional OT - would start at 5 AM, but can be flexible, has to be open to working OT though)

   Description:

   • Could be in the service or machine builder department.
   • Interpret blueprints and do a wide variety of mechanical assembly.
   • Use of hydraulics and pneumatics.
   • Your own tools might be needed (Basic ones)
   • Willing to train if entry level

   Additional Skills & Qualifications:

   Must haves:

   - Minimum 6 months of hands on mechanical work experience

   - Previous experience with heavy mechanical equipment, preferred

   - Ability to work OT when needed

   - Comfortable with lifting up to 50 pounds

   - Ability to learn blueprints and schematics

   - Basic math knowledge

   Preferred:

   - Ability to read blue prints, hydraulic and pneumatic knowledge

   - Have their own tools

   Experience Level:

   Intermediate Level

   If you are interested in this position or something similar, please apply, email your resume to , or call for a faster interview set up. All positions are LONG TERM careers, we do not offer temporary positions. I would love to tell you more about how our process works by calling the number above or text .

   About Aerotek:

   We know that a company's success starts with its employees. We also know that an individual's success starts with the right career opportunity. As a Best of Staffing Client and Talent leader, Aerotek's people-focused approach yields competitive advantage for our clients and rewarding careers for our contract employees. Since 1983, Aerotek has grown to become a leader in recruiting and staffing services. With more than 250 non-franchised offices, Aerotek's 8,000 internal employees serve more than 300,000 contract employees and 18,000 clients every year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. Learn more at

   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.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right service mechanic 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 service mechanic job on Zippia to find and recruit service mechanic candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with service mechanic 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.

   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 service mechanic

   Once you have selected a candidate for the service mechanic 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 good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new service mechanic. 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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How much does it cost to hire a service mechanic?