Body shop job interview

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:59 pm
I have a potential job interview at a body shop tomorrow, well according to my cousin they do a lil bit of it all I guess. So I'm not sure what their main focus is with this place. Kinda a spur of the moment thing cause my cousin sent my dad a text, and then he forwarded it to me to call the place up.

#1 I'm not sure what I should wear. I'm mean its a body/auto repair shop so I guess a suit would be over board and not totally necessary? (don't have a suit anyways lol) Maybe a polo and nice jeans and causal type dress shoes? (which I do have)

#2 I have never attending any school or training for body work or anything of the sorts. I have experience with fiberglass/wood working/body working fiberglass panels I have created for interior beauty panels on my own car for projects, that's it. I'm very good with my hands and pickup on things quickly if it be on my own or someone showing me how. I'm highly interested in learning the trade for doing body work on metal panels, properly aligning doors, pulling dents, priming and painting cars from small parts to full on cars. Not sure what should be said exactly or maybe I just said it all right there .................

........... :knockout:

Honestly not sure if they are looking for someone with experience or if they are looking for someone they can have help out around the shop and learn something and get paid at the same time cause they are paying $10hr and hell I would do it for free just to pickup the knowledge or have the hands on experience. Planned of purchasing a nice 60gallon air compressor this spring and just going at it on my own really. Everything I know is self taught beside the little tips I pickup on forums like this and youtube videos.

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 5:49 pm
Casual is good.
Pics are good to have or better yet drive your ride that you worked on.
Be honest.
Never argue with an idiot, he will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.



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PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 5:53 pm
at $10hr they arent expecting you to have much experience. Tell them what you can do, but let them know you are interested in learning and will sweep the floor and take out the trash if thats what it takes

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 08, 2012 6:55 pm
ding wrote:at $10hr they arent expecting you to have much experience. Tell them what you can do, but let them know you are interested in learning and will sweep the floor and take out the trash if thats what it takes


Good advice there. :goodjob:
1968 Coronet R/T


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PostPosted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 7:59 pm
:goodpost:
'68 Coronet R/T wrote:
ding wrote:at $10hr they arent expecting you to have much experience. Tell them what you can do, but let them know you are interested in learning and will sweep the floor and take out the trash if thats what it takes


Good advice there. :goodjob:
Never argue with an idiot, he will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.



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PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 8:43 pm
2door-bowtie wrote:I have a potential job interview at a body shop tomorrow, well according to my cousin they do a lil bit of it all I guess. So I'm not sure what their main focus is with this place. Kinda a spur of the moment thing cause my cousin sent my dad a text, and then he forwarded it to me to call the place up.

#1 I'm not sure what I should wear. I'm mean its a body/auto repair shop so I guess a suit would be over board and not totally necessary? (don't have a suit anyways lol) Maybe a polo and nice jeans and causal type dress shoes? (which I do have)

#2 I have never attending any school or training for body work or anything of the sorts. I have experience with fiberglass/wood working/body working fiberglass panels I have created for interior beauty panels on my own car for projects, that's it. I'm very good with my hands and pickup on things quickly if it be on my own or someone showing me how. I'm highly interested in learning the trade for doing body work on metal panels, properly aligning doors, pulling dents, priming and painting cars from small parts to full on cars. Not sure what should be said exactly or maybe I just said it all right there .................

........... :knockout:

Honestly not sure if they are looking for someone with experience or if they are looking for someone they can have help out around the shop and learn something and get paid at the same time cause they are paying $10hr and hell I would do it for free just to pickup the knowledge or have the hands on experience. Planned of purchasing a nice 60gallon air compressor this spring and just going at it on my own really. Everything I know is self taught beside the little tips I pickup on forums like this and youtube videos.


You are putting all the pressure on yourself and I think you should turn that around a little. It didn't take me too long to learn that in an interview of applying for a job I was interviewing them as well as them interviewing me. I always did research about the shop that I would be applying for a job. THEY had to pass MY criteria test before I would accept a job with them. First thing is - does that shop have a good reputation in that town/city/area ? Does the shop have a high turnover of bodymen or painters ? If its a privately owned shop how many of the workers are related to the boss/owner ? Word usually gets around so find out if the owner pays well and pays consistently and not screw his workers out of money (happens a lot more than you would think). Walk through the shop and if you see any beer cans that would be big red flag. Look for cars with a lot of dust on them, its usually not a good sign to see cars in a bodyshop with a lot of dust on them (in most cases - not always). If YOU don't like what you see and trust your gut feelings then walk out the door and keep going until you find a place that feels right to you.

So don't put all the pressure on yourself, they have to pass your test also.

I would walk into the interview dressed in decent blue jeans, sneaker shoes and a causal shirt (even a T shirt if it was in the summer time). They won't be looking for someone to set a fashion statement. They will have one reason and one reason only to hire you -- for you to make the shop money. If you can't make the shop money they won't have a use for you. That's not really a bad thing because they are running a business that must make a profit --- or go out of business. Tell the person handling the interview what you are capable of doing. Let him digest that for a second or two then ask him what would be expected of you if you were hired. That way there won't be any mixed signals from either side. If they do hire you then you need to expect to do all the crap jobs in the shop. Sweeping floors, carrying out the garbage, cleaning the bathroom, getting rid of scrap body parts and running parts that the other guys will need. It's called "paying your dues" in this business. When you're at the bottom of the totem pole you will be the shop go-fer. Keep a close eye on what's going on with the other workers. Be polite and friendly and watch what you say to the other guys. It may not look like it but they are checking you out closely to see if you will fit in to their work environment. When you go to lunch tell the guys where you're going and ask them if they want anything. Show up on time EVERY day. Don't stand around during working hours, if they don't give you something to do then FIND something to do to keep you busy that will make the shop run smoother. If the guys like you then they ARE going to mess with you joking around playing practical jokes. If they don't like you they will ignore you (which they will do anyway until they figure you out). Don't **** them about anything because in most cases they will see right through it.

On my first body shop job interview (40 years ago) I walked into the shop, shook the owners hand while I introduced myself while keeping direct eye contact, I told him " I don't have a lot of experience but I wan't to learn bodywork as a profession, I'm not stupid and I'm willing to learn. " He thought about it for a second and hired me on the spot. 10 years later I had my own shop and I was the one interviewing people to work for me.

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