How to successfully recruit the best people for your dealership — Anthony Santangelo
Securing the right talent is crucial to the success of a dealership. So on today’s CBT NOW, we will spend some time exploring the interview process and how to make an offer to a candidate. We’re pleased to welcome back Anthony Santangelo, National Sales Recruiter and Trainer with Auto Max, to provide his insight and tips on recruiting in today’s market.
As Santangelo travels across the country and Canada, he says, “Whoever is receiving your dealerships’ resumes could be costing you hundreds of thousands of dollars when it comes to your production.”
It comes down to learning the fundamental keys of mastering the interview process. Since September marks Santangelo’s 26th year in the industry, he asserts, “I was not a recruiter. I had to grow in the business. But the same goes for interviewing; you must master the process because each applicant is different.” The interview should always be the same, but your tonality, approach, where you sit, and how far you sit from the person are imperative to the interview’s success. “Again, you have one chance; if you mess it up, it could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
Teachable industry
In Santangelos’ training classes across the country, he notes how 11 dealerships passed on him back in 1997 before he was given a chance. But he wouldn’t be where he is today if he didn’t experience those missed opportunities. “A lot of times, I think back then specifically, people were judged based on their race, age, gender, and the way they dressed because they didn’t know,” he says. “And all these top leaders forget where they were at when they first started, but now is the time to teach others.”
Santangelo encourages dealers to adjust their mindset. In order to make their facility and their team more attractive to the potential employee, “They have to understand what it is they’re looking for,” claims Santangelo. One of the most pervasive myths in the workplace today is that “Millennials don’t know how to work.” According to Santangelo, the contrary is that “perhaps they just need to right mentorship.” Ultimately, when it comes to expanding your team, you need proper training and execution that you care. “Take a chance and sit down with your recruitment, cater to their needs, and make sure they understand the fundamentals to save your dealership hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
