Germain Group Makes Finding Talent A Top Priority

There’s a lot of talk in our industry about the difficulties dealers face finding—and keeping—good employees.

Much of the discussion often focuses on ways dealers and the broader industry can change the less-than-favorable reputation of automotive retail careers as a “last resort”-type option for people who, for one reason or another, can’t find work in other industries.

Of course, the onus for changing this reputation largely falls to dealers. They are the ones who, on a day-to-day, employee-by-employee basis must prove that automotive retailing can be a meaningful, rewarding and satisfying career choice for aspiring young professionals.

Last week, I received a link to a video (see below) the Germain Motor Company, run by dealer Steve Germain, is using to attract new employees. It features one of Germain’s sons, Austin, in a variety of dealership roles explaining why the dealer group seeks employees who are “consistent, take ownership and build strong relationships” and how the group invests in their success through autonomy, ongoing investment, technology and training. The younger Germain urges viewers to “stop looking for your next job and start your career today.”

COO John Malishenko says the video is part of broader effort at Germain to take its recruitment and retention efforts to the next level. “As businesses, we’re as people- and process-focused as any other industry, if not more so,” Malishenko says. “We hope the video will connect Germain to a younger generation of employees. We want them to know that if they share our values, they’ll share in our success.”

The video strikes me as a good example of the proactive efforts dealers will need to undertake to both change the perception of automotive retailing careers in general, and to attract and retain the next generation of employees who can help ensure the long-term prosperity and viability of our business.