Let me tell you a quick story. A few months back, I got a text from Jeff Lee. He and his wife Amy own J&R Service Center—three shops, including a motorsports division. His message? "That ad got five responses in one day. Between 15 and 30 years of experience. You might wanna spread that around, bud. It definitely hits the buttons." Two minutes later, another text: "Two more just came into the inbox. That's seven. Over 10 years experience." Now look—that doesn't happen every day. That's an outlier for sure. But here's what's NOT an outlier: Ads that stand out get responses. Ads that look like everyone else's get ignored. Go search Indeed right now. Type in "automotive technician in [your city]" You'll see 380+ jobs that all look EXACTLY THE SAME. Same boring headlines. Same "requirements first" structure. Same invisible, forgettable copy. Meanwhile, the techs you actually want? They're scrolling past all of it. So I put together something special for you. Inside the classroom, you'll find: → A 16-minute video walkthrough showing you exactly how the ad that got those 7 responses was built—section by section → The actual swipe-and-deploy template you can customize for your shop → A custom AI tool (Mini Travel Brochure) that writes the relocation section if you're open to hiring outside your area → Another AI tool (Tech Ad Tuner) that diagnoses what's wrong with your current ad and shows you exactly how to fix it Your ad is usually the first impression a technician has of your shop. It's the highest-leverage thing you can work on if you're serious about attracting real talent. Go grab these tools and write something that makes a tech stop scrolling. 📍 Find it all in the classroom under "Grab a technician ad template that works!" Remember—techs aren't reading every word. They're scanning. They're deciding in seconds whether you're worth their time.

Got this question from a client yesterday. Here's what most shop owners don't realize: Techs aren't hibernating. They're still scrolling social media and hanging out in the trade groups just as much as any other time of year. They're just not moving yet. Which means December is actually the perfect time to start conversations—not close them. Think of it like warming up an engine before you drive. The shops that plant seeds now? They're the ones techs reach out to in January when they're finally ready to make a move. The shops that wait? They're competing with everyone else who had the same "wait until the new year" idea. Recruiting is like marketing—it's never a bad time to do it. And when you really need it, you always wish you started sooner. Are you planting seeds now or waiting for spring?

After 7 years of helping shops hire technicians, I've noticed something: Most shops are rusty at hiring because they're not doing it all the time. And that rustiness is costing you great techs and service advisors. @Brian Nerger from Nerger's Auto Express just hired 2 technicians and a service advisor in a month using this system (and helped a diesel tech land his dream job at Caterpillar along the way). Here's exactly what he did differently: Part 1: The Speed-to-Contact Game Changer Brian followed Leigh Anne Best from Mighty Auto Pro's "text-first" system that's absolute gold: The 3-Touch Text Formula: 1. Immediate text (within 30 minutes of receiving resume): "Good afternoon John, my name is [Your Name] with [Shop Name]. Thank you for sending your resume for our Automotive Technician position. After reviewing your resume, [Owner Name] would be very interested in meeting with you. Would you be available this afternoon to come in and talk about this opportunity?" 2. Follow with the job link so they know exactly which position 3. Keep everything in text - creates a trackable conversation history Why this works: Techs are under cars all day. They can't answer calls, but they'll check texts at lunch. Part 2: Stop Being a Resume Snob Brian's breakthrough came when he stopped judging resumes and started having conversations. His new approach: - Call everyone with ANY automotive experience (he even called candidates from past years apps) - Start by asking, "what has you looking for a new opportunity right now?" - Then ask this golden question: "If we were talking a year from now and you look back and had the best year of your life personally and professionally, what would that look like?" - Build relationships, not just fill positions Even when someone isn't a fit, Brian goes above and beyond. He recently helped a diesel tech connect with Caterpillar (where the tech wanted to work) and regularly connects entry-level candidates with Jiffy Lube and Valvoline managers for training opportunities (who end up sending him general repair work).

Jim Farley thinks America has a skilled labor shortage problem. I think Ford has a humanity problem. A few days ago, Ford's CEO went on a podcast lamenting that they can't fill 5,000 mechanic positions despite offering $120,000 salaries. He blamed it on everything from lack of trade schools to generational work ethic. Let me translate what's really happening: Ford is discovering what happens when you treat human beings like "employee 389" for decades. (Yes, that's how Farley literally referenced his grandfather who worked there.) See, Ford thinks this equation still works: Big Money + Big Brand = Automatic Talent Magnet. Meanwhile, independent shops with a fraction of their recruiting budget are stealing their best technicians. How? They remembered something Ford forgot: Technicians are humans first, workers second. Here's what Ford's $120K can't buy: - Direct access to decision makers - Not 7 layers of management who've never turned a wrench - Being seen as a craftsman - Not employee #12,847 in the meat grinder - Flexibility when life happens - Not "submit form HR-7B for your kid's baseball game" - Input that matters - Not suggestions that die in committee meetings - Recognition for excellence - Not the same raise as the guy who shows up drunk The best part? Farley admits they agreed to a 25% pay bump over 4 years with the UAW. Translation: They'll throw money at anything except treating people with dignity. I've placed hundreds of technicians. The ones earning $110K at independent shops that take care of them? They laugh when dealers wave $120K at them. Why? Because they've learned what shop owners are starting to realize: Culture and lifestyle eat compensation for breakfast. Yes, you need competitive pay. But Ford's panic proves what I've been saying for years: The technician shortage isn't the real problem. The humanity shortage is. While Ford scrambles to understand why money isn't working anymore, smart independents are building something money can't buy:

As an industry, we keep saying we’re “short on techs,” but the best ones aren’t hiding—they’re just ignoring shops that look the same. After 7 years of conversations and 100+ exit interviews, the pattern is blunt: 1) Wrong pond, wrong bait.We blast generic job-board ads and expect top performers to bite. They don’t. They move through referrals, reputation, and communities where your shop rarely shows up. 2) Leaving beats staying (on paper). Great techs flirt with opening a shop not because they want payroll headaches, but because it promises three things they’re missing: respect, control over income, and real growth. 3) The 3-circle gap (why they quit): - Respect: Real open-door policy, not lip service. Clear communication, decisions with tech input. - Money: Competitive comp that tracks value, not tenure. Transparent paths to higher earnings. - Growth: Personal AND Professional training, tooling, and a ladder beyond “turn more hours”. Great employees want to go with shops that want their life to work inside and outside of the shop. When all three circles overlap, two things happen fast: - Retention sticks. People stop taking recruiter calls. - Attraction turns magnetic. You stop “hiring” and start selecting. The “shortage” mostly exists in shops trying to win with one circle (usually Money) and hoping the rest will sort itself out. If you want fewer resignations this quarter, start here: audit your Respect–Money–Growth overlap. Then replace job-board spam with proof—tech-facing videos, team-led referrals, and visible systems that make great techs say, “Yep, I can thrive there.” The future isn’t about convincing kids to join the industry—it’s about building shops worth joining.