Automobile sales are in a downturn and the dealerships have to be experiencing some grim times. I don’t want to pick on Ford here. It is a universal downturn. When I drive down dealership row along Santa Monica Boulevard, in Los Angeles, a city somewhat known for its cars, it looks like a ghost town. Even on the weekends. Well the one possible exception is the Toyota Dealer who has been selling the Prius by the…well…carload.
Some years back when sedans where in the doldrums, Ford, followed by the other car manufacturers switched over to SUV’s and trucks. They did a big business. Now, as the dealers wait for the auto manufacturers to retool in earnest to smaller and environmentally functional vehicles, they are sitting around with their hands in their pockets. And laying off at least part of their sales force.
As a company engaged in employment screening, we love to see these laid off member of the 5.7% unemployment club hired by businesses that could use good sales people. Now not all car sales people are good sales people. Some of obnoxious, and some are too incompetent to sell Girl Scout cookies in front of a church.
But some are really sharp. Some are really good at selling. And as the axiom goes, a good sales person can sell anything. So when your business is looking to maintain or expand, many do expand during economic downturns, you may look to the car lots for someone good at selling. Because the business is not praised for its quality ethics, you should run a background check on your potential employees. The criminal search is definitely a good idea.
But in the world where people can have their skills updated, a person who can sell, I mean, really sell, only needs to learn the ropes on what he or she is selling. Train them, let them do the research, and then turn them loose to see what they can do. And I suppose, when trying to qualify them as part of your preemployment screening process, you could ask yourself the age old question, at least the age old question since former President Richard Nixon first ran for President, back in 1960. And that is, “Would you Buy a Used Car from this Man? ” If the answer is yes, then maybe you should hire him. No, not Nixon. The laid off car sales person.
But remember, check them out before you hire.
