Those who have always wanted to work in a hands-on capacity in the automotive industry may not know what career paths to explore. There are more careers involving cars than just mechanics, though that is a solid job choice as well.
What are some careers that will allow you to explore your passion for understanding more about vehicles while working? Take a closer look at five careers that you should consider in the automotive industry.
Sales:
One way to get involved in the automotive industry is through sales. From car sales to motorcycle sales to parts sales, there are many different ways to fit into the sales pipeline.
Car salesperson
Most car salespeople work directly with customers to try to get them to purchase a new vehicle. Those gifted in conversation, deal-making, and working with others will find great success in automotive sales.
Understanding what is required to purchase a vehicle, what different features vehicle models offer, and how to connect customers with that information can be a difficult job. Additionally, many salespeople also have to undertake promotion and marketing to ensure that they get enough new clients.
Parts salesperson
Many suppliers have qualified parts salespeople who connect with mechanics, dealers, and customers to help them get the necessary parts. This type of salesperson needs to be good at talking with people but also have a deep understanding of the parts necessary for repairing vehicles.
Mechanic:
When people think about working in the automotive industry, they often think about working as a mechanic. Working as a mechanic is a difficult job, and it takes time to learn about how different vehicles work to be successful in this position.
Often, specialised training is needed.
For example, becoming a motorcycle mechanic requires a different skill set than working on cars. Not only should you be enthusiastic about motorcycles and how they work, but you also must go through formal training to repair them.
Training programs help you earn the necessary certificates, diplomas, and apprenticeships to become a fully-fledged motorcycle mechanic. The same type of cycle must happen for other types of automotive mechanic training as well.
Some mechanics work in more general environments, while others prefer to be highly specialised repair specialists. Regardless of where you want to work as a mechanic in the automotive industry, formal training will likely be required if you have no practical experience.
Service manager:
Service managers are a critical part of the automotive industry, but many people do not realise that this job exists or what this manager really does.
Service managers help to execute service calls between customers, dealers, and external service providers. Depending on what work needs to be done on a set of vehicles, the service manager will organise who is doing the work, what additional technicians need to be called in, and every other organisational aspect.
Having a great understanding of various vehicles is key for this role as the service manager is responsible for knowing which technicians to call as well as what types of parts will need to be ordered. This managerial role is a big step, and many mechanics eventually want to move up to this role to grow in their career.
Car crash lawyer:
Another way to get involved in the automotive industry is to work as a car crash lawyer that analyses situations and defends those involved in car accidents.
Car accidents can be incredibly severe and lead to devastating losses. Car crash lawyers take their experience with the law, insurance companies, and cars to help victims of serious accidents settle their cases.
While it’s not completely necessary to have a deep, technical understanding of vehicles to find success as a car crash lawyer, many lawyers find that it is helpful for them to learn more about cars. This knowledge helps them to consider more viewpoints, recruit the best witnesses, and otherwise find success when filing their cases.
Powerful car crash lawyers are those that have the best information on hand, and that is often someone that has deep experience in the automotive industry.
Automotive service writer:
The automotive service writer career is one that not many people are deeply familiar with, but they are thankful for when their own car needs to be repaired!
Automotive service writers are trained individuals that help customers, repair centres, and dealerships communicate more effectively. By recording and documenting the issues happening to a vehicle and the complex repairs being done to the vehicle, they are able to help all involved parties communicate more effectively.
This type of writer needs to have a good knowledge of how vehicles work and what type of automotive issues might be at play to be able to do their job effectively. They should be capable of simplifying complex technical information in a way that an average car owner can understand while also being able to interpret any jargon used by the involved mechanics.
Individuals that are very interested in automotive and how they work but do not have the capability to work as a mechanic may find work as an automotive service writer fulfilling. Additionally, this role is often very flexible in the hours or locations.
Some automotive service writers work for more than one location or even remotely, depending on the situation, so you can consider this position even if you aren’t sure exactly where you should be working.
Explore the automotive industry:
These are just five of many interesting careers that exist in the automotive industry. Regardless of your skillset, there is likely a job in the industry that suits your talents. A few additional jobs in the field include:
- Automotive detailer
- Tow truck driver
- Auto engineer
- Quality testing engineer
- Car letting agent
Each of these jobs enters the industry at a different point, so the work that is done by each individual varies greatly. Think about your strengths and what area of the automotive industry best suits your interests.
From there, you can discover the right career for you!
Author Howie Robleza.
Search all automotive jobs
