Shop owners face plenty of forces they cannot control in the fight to hire and keep good technicians. Jay Goninen, co-founder and president of WrenchWay, says the first step is the same as with any problem: focus on what you can control. That means asking whether the job you offer, the working conditions, and the environment at your shop are truly attractive, and fixing what is not.
Jay grew up in his father’s shop, started working there at age 9, became a technician, and later moved into management. In episode 20 of Maximum Octane, he and Kim Hickey talk about the technician shortage, why he started WrenchWay, what to remove from your job ads, and how clear expectations help keep the people you hire.
What You Will Learn
- About why Jay decided to start WrenchWay
- Jay talks about how we can attract and retain internal customers
- The incredible amount of new variants to the equation that promotes internal customers’ massive work rotation
- We must be sure we are offering a competitive option
- About the things we should remove from our ads offering job positions
- The power of communication and setting clear expectations for what can we offer as a company
Why Jay Started WrenchWay
Having spent his whole life in the industry, Jay saw the technician shortage coming. He founded WrenchWay to connect qualified technicians with shops that need them, and to help shops present themselves in ways that appeal to today’s workers. His perspective comes from both sides of the toolbox.
The need is real. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects tens of thousands of openings each year for automotive service technicians and mechanics, many of them to replace workers who retire or leave the field. Organizations like the TechForce Foundation work to bring more young people into the trade.
Jay’s path from the shop floor to running a recruiting company gives him credibility with both technicians and owners. He knows what it feels like to work in a shop where the equipment is outdated, communication is poor, and pay is unclear. He also understands the pressure owners face when bays sit empty. That dual perspective shapes his advice: owners must look at their shop through a technician’s eyes if they want to attract the best people.
How to Attract and Retain Internal Customers
Around the 7 minute mark, Jay talks about what attracts and keeps technicians. Pay matters, but it is rarely the only factor. Technicians want respect, a clean and safe workplace, good equipment, training opportunities, a fair pay plan, and a path to grow. They also want to work for leaders who communicate clearly and follow through.
ATI’s The Top 5 Reasons Why Shops Lose Good Techs and How to Keep Your “A” Players From Leaving You dig into the retention side.
Retention often comes down to the basics done consistently. Technicians want to know their pay will be fair and predictable, that their tools and equipment will help rather than hinder them, that their time will be respected, and that their leader will treat them with dignity. Shops that deliver on those basics every day keep people for years. Shops that do not, even with high pay, often see technicians leave as soon as a better environment appears.
Stay interviews, conversations with current employees about what keeps them at the shop and what might cause them to leave, can reveal problems before they lead to resignations.
Why Workers Change Jobs So Often Now
Jay discusses the many new variables that push employees to change jobs. Remote work options in other industries, rising wages elsewhere, generational differences in expectations, and easy access to job listings all make it easier for workers to leave. Shops cannot change those trends, but they can make staying more attractive than leaving.
Younger workers in particular tend to change jobs more often than previous generations did. That does not necessarily mean they are less loyal. It often means they are looking for growth, and if they do not see it where they are, they look elsewhere. Shops that show clear paths for advancement, through training, certifications, and new responsibilities, give younger employees a reason to stay and grow in place.
Make Sure Your Offer Is Competitive
Jay stresses that shops must make sure they are offering a competitive option. That means looking honestly at pay plans, benefits, schedules, tools, and culture compared with other shops and other industries. If your offer does not stand up, no amount of advertising will fix it.
Benchmarking your offer requires research. Talk with tool vendors, parts reps, and other owners to understand local pay ranges. Look at job postings from dealerships and other trades. Ask recent candidates what other offers they considered. The goal is not necessarily to be the highest payer, but to offer a total package, including pay, benefits, schedule, training, culture, and equipment, that stands out.
A competitive offer also needs to be easy to understand. Many technicians have been burned by pay plans that looked good on paper but were confusing in practice. Explaining exactly how pay is calculated, how hours are tracked, and how raises are earned removes uncertainty. Clear written examples of what a technician might earn in a typical week can be more persuasive than a vague promise.
What to Remove From Your Job Ads
One of the most practical parts of this episode is Jay’s advice on what to remove from job postings. Many shop ads are filled with demands and warnings that turn good candidates away. Instead, ads should explain what the shop offers, what the work environment is like, and why someone would want to work there. Think of a job ad as marketing to a customer, not a list of requirements.
Questions to ask about your current ad:
- Does it describe what the technician gets, or only what you expect from them?
- Does it mention training, equipment, schedule, and growth opportunities?
- Would a top technician feel excited after reading it?
- Does it sound like a real person wrote it?
Matthew Strom of AutoShop Media covers data-driven technician recruiting in Why Your Hiring Ads Fail and How Data-Driven Marketing Attracts Better Techs.
Common phrases that can discourage strong candidates include demands like “must have own tools and no excuses,” warnings like “drama-free shop, no complainers,” or vague promises like “competitive pay” without any specifics. These phrases often reflect past frustrations, but to a candidate they signal a negative environment. Replacing them with clear, positive descriptions of what the shop offers makes the ad more appealing to the people you actually want.
Do Not Hire in a Panic
Jay also encourages owners to stick to their plan and vision even when the shop is fully staffed. Recruiting should be continuous, not something that starts only when someone quits. Shops that hire in a panic often settle for the wrong person and end up starting over a few months later. Geoff Berman calls this building an “all-star bench” in Build an All-Star Bench for Your Auto Repair Shop.
Panic hiring often leads to a costly cycle. A rushed hire does not work out, the position opens again, and the team becomes more stretched and frustrated. Each cycle damages morale and can push good employees to leave. Continuous recruiting breaks that cycle by keeping a pipeline of potential candidates ready when a position opens.
Continuous recruiting can be simple. Keep a current job posting live, collect resumes even when fully staffed, and stay in touch with promising candidates you met at career events or through referrals. Ask your current team who they know. When a position opens, the shop starts with a list of people it already knows rather than a blank page.
Communicate Clearly and Set Expectations
Jay closes with the power of clear communication. When shops are honest about what they offer and what they expect, new hires are more likely to stay. Surprises after the hire, whether about pay, hours, or culture, are one of the fastest ways to lose a good technician.
Clear expectations should cover pay, schedule, responsibilities, performance measures, training, and how problems will be handled. Putting these details in writing during the hiring process prevents misunderstandings and builds trust from the start. A structured onboarding plan for the first 90 days helps new hires settle in and gives both sides a chance to address concerns early.
Building a Long-Term Talent Pipeline
The technician shortage is not going away soon, which means shops need long-term strategies, not just better job ads. Building relationships with local high schools and technical colleges, offering internships or apprenticeships, attending career fairs, and partnering with organizations that promote the trades all help create a steady flow of future talent.
Shops can also look internally. Lube technicians, porters, and parts staff who show interest and aptitude can be trained into technician roles. Growing your own talent takes time, but it produces employees who already understand your culture and are often more loyal as a result. ATI’s technician apprenticeship programs are one example of how shops can build that pipeline.
Hiring Checklist From This Episode
- Compare your pay plan and benefits against nearby shops and other industries.
- Rewrite your job ad to focus on what the technician gains.
- Keep recruiting even when every bay is full.
- Put expectations in writing during the hiring process.
For a look at how your employer brand affects recruiting, listen to Your Brand Is Costing You Talent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I write a job ad that attracts good auto technicians?
Write the ad as if you were marketing the shop to a customer. Lead with what the technician gains: pay structure, schedule, training, equipment, and growth opportunities. Describe the culture and the team in plain, friendly language. Remove negative warnings and demands that make the shop sound difficult. Include specifics when possible, since vague phrases like “competitive pay” tell candidates very little. Ask a current technician to read the ad and give honest feedback.
Why do auto technicians leave their jobs?
Pay is one reason, but many technicians leave because of poor leadership, unclear or unfair pay plans, outdated equipment, lack of training, disorganized workflow, or a negative culture. Some leave because they see no path to grow. Regular conversations with current technicians about what they value and what frustrates them can reveal problems early, giving the owner a chance to fix them before people start looking elsewhere.
What is a stay interview?
A stay interview is a conversation with a current employee about why they stay and what might cause them to leave. Questions might include what they enjoy most about the job, what they would change, and what would make them consider another offer. Unlike an exit interview, it happens while there is still time to act. Listening carefully and following up on reasonable requests builds trust and improves retention.
How can I find technicians when there is a shortage?
Combine short-term and long-term strategies. In the short term, improve your job ads, ask employees for referrals, and make your offer clearly competitive. In the long term, build relationships with high schools and technical colleges, offer internships or apprenticeships, and develop lube techs or porters who show aptitude. Keeping a strong reputation as an employer also helps, since technicians often learn about shops from each other.
What should I include in a technician’s job offer?
Put the key details in writing: pay structure and how it is calculated, expected hours and schedule, benefits, tool and equipment expectations, training opportunities, performance measures, and the start date. Explain how raises and advancement work. A clear written offer prevents misunderstandings later and shows the candidate that the shop is organized and honest. Review it together so they can ask questions before accepting.
Resources and Links From This Episode
- WrenchWay website
- WrenchWay Instagram
- WrenchWay YouTube
- WrenchWay Twitter
- WrenchWay Facebook
- WrenchWay TikTok
- Beyond the Wrench with Jay Goninen podcast
Connect With the Guests
- Jay: LinkedIn
