Thanksgiving Day has come to pass; yet that might not be the same case for your turkey hangover (I know I typically feel full for at least a week after a Thanksgiving dinner). The only positive thing to take away from eating a great holiday meal besides satisfaction for your taste buds would be the leftovers—the glorious evidence of what once was a grand meal. 

Leftovers should be honored for several reasons: they’re resourceful, they help you get the most out of what you spent on your meal and they’re a delicious way to help spread the holiday love to those who might have missed out on your meal (this is pretty much the same as re-gifting if you're tired of eating leftovers—regardless, it's still a nice gift, especially for college kids!). 

The best part about leftovers is that they can be applied to many things in life, including to those in the hiring business. Once you’ve hired an employee, your hiring efforts don’t always end there. Whether you’re hiring the next week or later down the line, it’s crucial to save some things from every interview process no matter the outcome.

Here are three things you should always save and recycle from your interviews with candidates:

Remember: These are keepers! 

1.)  Job Descriptions —once you’ve come up with a creative, enticing way to describe your open position, be sure to save it right away. You never know if and when you’ll be hiring for this position again, so it’s important to save your draft of the description. Also, it will help you write new ones in the future by having a prior job description for a reference.

2.)  Applications —this leftover is usually overlooked by many hiring managers. Always save the applications you receive (unless they’re immediate mismatches) because you never know when you might come across a former applicants’ path again. Some people take longer than others to build their skill sets and therefore, their resumes. Who knows? The next time a former applicant applies, he or she could be the perfect fit for the job at your dealership.

3.)  Personality Skills Tests —always save your skills tests, especially the ones that can cross over various dealerships and give you a general understanding of the candidate and his or her talents.  

In a perfect world, we’d all be saving and recycling as much as possible. Unfortunately, that has yet to be accomplished, but it doesn’t mean we can’t try. Why waste perfectly good material when you don’t have to? Be sure to save most of the documents you use during the interview process. It’ll save you a ton of time during your next interview and it’ll also help you fine-tune your entire candidate selection process—giving you a better view of the candidate each time you hire!

For other ways to save time, money and effort during the interview process, click here. 

Whether you’re an aging celebrity in Hollywood or the storefront of a 50-year-old mom and pop store, facelifts are sometimes necessary for business. The same can be said about the hiring process at your dealership—if it’s seems outdated, then it’s probably time to restructure your system.  

Old habits die hard, but they can still go away. One of the most unwanted and hardest habits to kick at dealerships everywhere is turnover. According to an annual report conducted by the National Automobile Dealers Association, sales turnover at dealerships is around 62%. Although this is a serious issue amongst dealerships, it doesn’t have to be a permanent one. 

Just like solving any problem, you have to find the source first. Who you hire affects your turnover rate and therefore, makes your hiring process the main source. The first step towards refurbishing the way you operate hiring at your dealerships starts with identifying your main issues.

The following are five signs that will tell you it’s time to update your hiring process:

1.You realize your turnover rate is high, yet you’re not concerned—if you’re worried about making money at your dealership, then you should be concerned about turnover. You actually spend more money on turnover than you ever would if you used a hiring management system. It pays off to research and analyze your potential employees.

2.You’re swimming in a pool of resumes—ok so maybe not an actual pool, but if you have a file packed with resumes, then your process is definitely outdated. Filing folders and cabinets are now obsolete within the world of hiring. Make sure you’re using a hiring platform that allows you to store and review all resumes online. It’s much easier to operate and will help everyone involved in the hiring process get on the same page.

3.Most of your applicants get hired—this is straightforward. If the majority of your applicants are receiving job offers at your dealership, your hiring system is likely flawed. Consider conducting behavioral interviews, interview scorecards and background checks to make sure you’re hiring the right candidates.

4.You’re asking illegal interview questions without knowing it—there are numerous questions that are illegal to ask during interviews, such as “where are you from” or even “do you own a car?” Make sure you are up-to-speed with the law and try using new interview questions that are not only safe to ask, but much more effective as well.

5.You’re hiring on gut feelings—there’s a reason why most companies conduct multiple interviews, tests and background checks. Having an actual hiring system that gives you reliable data on candidates increases your accuracy and therefore, helps lower your turnover rate. If you’ve been relying solely on personal feelings to hire candidates, stop.

Hiring at dealerships is a different process for everyone. Nevertheless, problems such as turnover are common in the industry and there are ways to help fix it. Be sure to evaluate your turnover rate and the way you hire your employees.

These are only a few signals that will tell you it’s time to restructure your hiring process. If you’d like to find more red flags to help improve your hiring efforts, click here.

Want to hear something crazy? The plot from the movie Armageddon has become a little bit more realistic today. What!? Yes, I know it sounds crazy but it’s true. According to CNN, scientists from the European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that the “Philae probe has landed on the surface of a comet.” 

So it’s true, Bruce Willis and a team of oil drillers could potentially land on a comet or asteroid and save the human race, right? Whether or not that could actually ever happen, the mere fact that humans were able to accomplish such a feat is simply amazing. It’s also a good opportunity to realize what we can obtain through great teamwork—sounds cheesy, but it’s true.

Wonderful things happen when a team works well together. It’s been proven by great sports teams of the past, innovative companies that have changed the way we go about our daily lives and instances such as today with the spacecraft landing. Nevertheless, these moments are typically never reached with ease. There are usually problems or hardships that must be overcome in order to reach the main goal. In the corporate world, one of these issues is sales turnover. 

3 Ways To Top Turnover 

Sales turnover is a serious problem for many companies, yet it’s not impossible to overcome. One of the best dealership solutions is to tackle turnover is with fundamental teamwork. Here are some easy ways to build a team of salespeople that will work hard together and enjoy working at your company, all at once—and therefore, help lower turnover: 

1. Choose The Right Candidates—chemistry is essential with teams. Before you can make a team work well together, you have to make sure you’re employing the best-fit people for the job. A simple way to do this is by conducting phone screens and using scorecards during interviews with candidates.
2. Create The Perfect Environment—it’s hard to accomplish something special if negative energy or a boring atmosphere surrounds you. If you expect your employees to come to work each day with a positive mindset and high energy, you better be creating an enjoyable work culture. Every business is different, so there are countless ways to create the perfect culture. A few ways to set the best stage for your employees to work in are by implementing a flexible work schedule, casual dress code or by starting company rituals that are unique to you and your employees.
3. Team Bonding—if you’ve ever been part of a team before, you’ll know how important chemistry is between teammates. If you want to succeed together, you have to trust one another. Make sure you spend time out of the office with your sales team. Going out for dinner, bowling or a sports game are all fun ways to help get your team to know one another and bond. Do this and your employees are bound to work better together.

So what’s the main lesson here? Bruce Willis and Ben Affleck could potentially blast off into outer space and land on an apocalyptic asteroid to save mankind someday, yes. But also that they or the brilliant scientists at the ESA, NASA, etc. could never accomplish the astounding work they do if it wasn’t for their fantastic teamwork.

The same goes for those in the auto industry looking for dealership solutions. Turnover is a tough obstacle to overcome if you’re constantly losing employees. Therefore, the best way to combat that is by hiring the right people who work well together and are able to succeed at your company for the long run.

Whether you're a football, basketball, baseball, or hockey fan, you know that each professional league or association has what they call a "Draft Day." Each team strategizes and picks players they feel will create the perfect team. Some excel in this task; others do not. 

Auto dealerships work in a very similar way. Hiring managers look for candidates that would be a great fit. It's one thing to look for the best candidates, but it's another if you're looking in all the wrong ways.

Here are four reasons why your hiring process could be hurting your dealership:

1. Rushing Through The Process

Slow down. An open position always wants to be filled quickly, however in the long run a bad hire can create greater problems than a job being empty for an extra week. HR managers tend to fall into the trap of hiring as quickly as possible. They look for the first candidate with the right skills and nothing more. Remember, losing an employee after a few months means wasting precious time and money that could have gone towards hiring the right one. 

2. Writing Vague Job Descriptions

Job descriptions are essential to a successful recruiting process. I mean, we wrote 14 pages on how to build the perfect job description—it’s that important. Yet, auto dealerships continue to post inaccurate and brief job descriptions day after day. The number one excuse I've heard is that they don't have time. Obviously, crafting a thought-out, detailed description is going to take a bit longer. But look at it this way: job descriptions create a direct explanation of what is required. They prevent bad hires and will save you time later.

3. Dismissing Job Hoppers

These days, employees are leaving jobs after a year or two for many different reasons. This growing trend is known as "job hopping." You want to hire workers who will stick with your dealership for years to come, so when scanning a resume, it's common to shrug off those with a "1 year and 3 months" under their listed experience. This isn't necessarily the smartest move. Why can't your company be the one that makes them stay? They're obviously looking for something more satisfying and if they are qualified, give them a chance. People leave their jobs for endless, legitimate reasons. Don't brush them off solely based on the time frame of their last job. You could be passing up a stellar employee.

4. Brushing Off The Unemployed

Dismissing job-hoppers and brushing off the unemployed go hand-in-hand. You're simply passing up potential rockstar team members. I'm not saying these are positive bullet points on a resume by any means. They are red flags, however there's no reason not to dig a bit deeper into why they left their previous position. Perhaps they didn't fit into the company's culture or maybe they weren't recognized for the good work they provided. Unemployment doesn't mean they were bad employees. Exceeding expectations and fitting with the culture is more important than their current job status. 

Creating a winning team takes more than just top talent. Look at the Miami Heat for example. Yeah, they won a couple of Larry O'Brien trophies out of it, but after four short years, the "Big Three" is no longer. Build a team of members that will be around for years by revamping your hiring process. Set the right standards, stay organized, and you'll be on your way to "drafting" a cohesive, successful team. 

For 51 more ways to build a great team, click here. 

If you’re a fan of the National Basketball Association, then you’re probably like me when it comes to watching games. There’s nothing more I love seeing than someone dunking over another player or sinking a three-pointer in front of a defender’s face. Now that I think of it, it seems like I only enjoy plays that are demeaning to the defense, huh…but that’s neither here nor there. 

As the NBA kicks off it’s 2014-2015 season, there’s one thing I can tell you that I’m not looking forward to and that’s turnovers. Turning the ball over is ugly. It’s bad for the offense and nobody likes watching sloppy play (unless you're on defense, then turnovers are awesome). The same goes for companies everywhere: turnover is bad for business.

While referring to turnover, the Wall Street Journal says, “experts estimate it costs upwards of twice an employee’s salary to find and train a replacement. And churn can damage morale among remaining employees.” Now if you’re like every other business out there, you know this is a serious problem, but how can you fix it? Is turnover even fixable? The quick answer—yes.

Tips For Lowering Turnover

Just like the game of basketball, keeping score is essential for your business. It’s vital to keep

track of the candidates you’re interviewing, what their responses are to your questions and how

their personalities fit within your company’s culture. One of the best ways to do this is by using

an interview scorecard, but that’s only one step towards diminishing turnover at dealerships. 

Below are other things that can help you keep employees sticking around for the long run:

• Hire the right people—this starts and ends with the interview process. If you hire the best-fit candidates for your open positions, they’re likely to stick around longer and be productive members of your company.

• Offer the right stuff—this includes everything: benefits, paid time off, vacation, compensation, etc. It’s the little things in life that make people happy and the same applies to your employees in the office.

• Listen—in order to offer the right stuff to make your employees happy, you have to listen to them. Hear what they have to say and take it to heart. These are the people that are running “the machine,” so work with them and you’ll be surprised with the kind of morale and performance you’ll see in return.

• Appreciation is necessary—especially when it’s due to hard work. Recognize your employees and give credit where’s it due. Appraisal is contagious and is bound to help encourage other employees to work hard to receive their own recognition for their work. Incentives like certificates, prizes, extra time off, etc. are always a nice way to say “thank you” for an employee’s great performance.

• Culture is key—make sure your office environment is a place that is enjoyable. It should be a place that not only you, but also your employees look forward to working at every day. There are many ways to create this kind of culture, so make sure it’s the right fit for your company and the people that work there on a daily basis.

There’s no question that turnover at dealerships is a serious problem and can be costly for your

business, but where does it come from? Before you can begin to solve this problematic issue,

you have to find where it all starts. Find the source, hire the right people and before you know it,

you’ll be celebrating championship years with employees you can call old friends!

To find the source of turnover at your dealership, read this helpful guide here!

The hardest part is over; you’ve already attracted and hired a whole slew of millennial employees. Now the question is, how do you keep them motivated enough to stick around? This group, made up of people born roughly between 1980 and 2000, are quickly becoming the hottest commodity around. They account for over 80 million people in the U.S. alone and are the first generation to grow up with the technology and social media that has taken over the world.

According to Dan Novaes, the 25 year-old, Chicago entrepreneur and CEO of MobileX Labs, there are four key areas managers must focus on in order to understand what millennials value and what will motivate them to perform best at your dealership.

1. Compensation

It may come as a shock, but Generation Y doesn’t care about the number on their paycheck. Unlimited vacation, stock options, and a happy hour on Thursdays are much more attractive perks in their eyes. Obviously, a large annual salary wouldn’t be so bad, but it’s not the most important thing.

This desire should be easily obtainable for you as a manager. It will cost you less and make your Gen Y employees happier; it’s a win-win. Providing a public transit benefit or putting a retirement plan in place will increase productivity over just raising the amount on the pay stub. 

2. Culture, culture, culture

There is a massive grey area when it comes to the definition of company culture. A strong working environment means more than the casual dress code and the free espresso machine. Our CEO, Adam Robinson says, “authentic culture is really easy to spot: you can feel it.  It’s inescapable, invigorating and infectious to those who are a part of it.  Vendors arrive for meetings and leave feeling like they want to quit their job and come work there.  People absolutely love what they’re doing, and you get the sense that most people would do just about anything to help their teammate or their company achieve success.”  Millennials want to be part of something special. They want to help make a difference.

3. Be a role model

You are the one that your employees look up to. Your work ethic and habits will rub off on your team. Your positive reinforcement and enthusiasm to get things done will not go unnoticed. Working late on a Friday or even coming in on the weekend can provide your Gen Y employees inspiration. They will start to say to themselves, “this is what needs to happen in order to be successful?”—and then follow suit.

4. Take them seriously

Millennials takes a lot of pride in themselves and what they have to offer. Their creativity and innovative way of thinking can provide real value to your dealership. Look at them as people with certain skill sets instead of people performing certain tasks. There will be a greater sense of respect and motivation in the atmosphere.

Generation Y is on the move. If they don’t feel their contribution to the dealership is taken seriously, they’ll get up and go to a company where it is.  Nurture their talent and embrace it with open arms. They’re here to help.

This generation has been called everything from the “tech-obsessed” to the “trophy” generation; putting technology over work and needing recognition for everything they do. Being digitally connected is one of the most important factors in running a successful business these days and hard work should be recognized. Hold on to these go-getters by focusing on these four areas. You’ll fly by dealerships who aren’t in no time.  

To dig deeper into the minds of millennials, click here.

Does it ever feel like the term “millennials” is an annoying buzzword or something that the American workforce can’t stop mentioning? Regardless of how this may make you feel, this is a term that won’t be going away anytime soon.

You probably keep hearing something about “Generation Y is the future” or “right now is the time to attract millennials at your organization”—although it might seem repetitive, it’s true. This generation currently makes up approximately 23% of the dealership workforce, according to a report released by the NADA last year. Additionally, the percentage of millennials in the workforce is only going to increase in the years to come.

This also means that there’s a good chance you’ve had a decent influx of resumes coming from this specific generation at your dealership. While hiring millennials is essential to growing business, it’s also important to make sure you’re hiring the best-fit candidates. One way to avoid poor hiring decisions is by scanning resumes for certain warning signs.

The following are several red flags on millennial resumes that hiring managers should search for in order to avoid hiring a potential turnover candidates at dealerships:

Careless Grammar & Spelling—This is an obvious red flag to spot on any resume. If a potential candidate is lazy enough to not carefully proofread his or her resume, then it’s likely that same candidate will not perform to the best of his or her ability.

Full Sentences—Resumes should never be written in full sentences. Candidates should be aware of the fact that hiring managers don’t have the time to read through lengthy resumes for every applicant. It’s also an improper way to fill out this type of professional document. The standard resume format includes descriptive, informative bullet points and numbers—not sentences that tell a long story.

Numbers Are Not Listed—As previously mentioned, numbers should always be listed on a resume. Numbers are an easy way to inform hiring managers of when candidates’ previous experiences took place, such as education, prior jobs, internships or important extracurricular activities.

Out-Of-Towners—This might not always be a red flag, especially if a candidate is already planning on moving to the area of your dealership location. Nevertheless, this can be a serious warning sign of those types of candidates who apply to nearly every job posted on the Internet or those who like the idea of living near your location, but actually have no serious intention on moving. Don’t waste your time if you don’t think a candidate is serious; ask first before conducting an initial interview.

Zero Signs Of Success Or Professionalism—Candidates should always list their accomplishments on their resumes. If he or she hasn’t had any official award or success as a young professional, then the candidate should at least list professional experiences. A resume missing professional experience is a clear indication that the candidate is not ready to fulfill the open position at your dealership.

These are only a few, common warning signs you’re likely to find on millennial resumes. If you would like to learn about the 15 more red flags to look for on resumes, please click here.

Millennials, Gen Y'ers, the Internet generation...whatever you may call them, they're here to stay. This 1980's and 1990's born group has dealt with a slew of judgments over the past years. Some say they're lazy or too trapped in technology, but little do they know, this is the group who will make their dealership succeed. But first, how can we get ahold of this talented, sought-after bunch? By being creative. 

You're not going to post an ad for an open position in a newspaper because how many 20-something year olds really read the newspaper? You need to go where they are—don’t expect them to come to you.

Here are 5 ways to creatively hire a millennial for your auto dealership: 

1. Use social media

I recently watched a video where HireVue founder, Mark Newman, said "you want to be engaging with millennials through the channels of what they're most comfortable with. Have social media channels for your organization. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, whatever - invest in those and develop them." Millennials are on social media platforms constantly. They'll study your social media sites to learn more about the company and most importantly, about your company culture. This is a great way to show it off, make them want to work for you, and decrease turnover at your dealership. 

2. Revamp your job description

Young job seekers will take one look at a long, wordy, bullet point-filled job description and click "next." A creative way to draw them in is to tell a story. Give them an overview of what the position entails, but keep it simple. Tell them about the ping-pong table in the conference room or the unlimited vacation days. Think about what will interest them about the position. Grabbing their attention is first and foremost; then you can worry about their qualifications. 

3. Have a "why"

Millennials want to know why they should take the job and how it will help them achieve their career goals. Gawoop Inc. CEO, Justin Sheratt, said they "need a challenge, a sense of purpose and also a dash of vanity." He found his best employee by making it clear that the company helps people get jobs (social good). They would help the candidate network and move on if he outgrew them (advancement).  He also proved they work with cutting edge systems and software (training). "These three combined far outweighed salary and perks at that time," Sheratt said. 

4. Live the company brand 

This is probably the most critical factor for Generation Y. Whatever your company brand or culture is, stay true to it and be genuine about what you present to them.  If you have five core values that the candidate gravitated towards, but once they began the job only three of them were truly followed, I can't imagine them being too happy. You want to create loyalty with your employees and living by your brand is crucial to gaining their trust.  

5. Show them what it's like to work there

Stumped on how to execute #4? Try promoting your culture by showing what it's like to work in your office. Shoot a "day in the life" video. This will show candidates what you have to offer before they even come in to interview. Often times a candidate will then interview and say the video they watched enticed them to work there. 

Everyone, no matter what age they are, has the same goal in mind. And that is to be successful.  The same goes with millennials; they just prioritize it differently. Rather than resisting this group, embrace them. They'll bring new ideas to the table and work harder than most to help your auto dealership succeed. 

For more information on millennials, download Inside the Mind of a Millennial Job Seeker - Attracting, Interviewing and Hiring Gen Y Talent. 

Great leadership has always been crucial for success. Without George Washington, there may have never been an American victory in the Revolutionary War. Without Steve Jobs, there would have never been Apple. And without TMZ, we’d never be able to stick our noses into the personal lives of celebrities! 

Every business relies on leadership. Whether it comes from a single person or a group of people, having a clear path to follow allows a company’s employees to be inspired and thrive in a positive environment. However, contrary to paying taxes, leadership doesn’t always last forever. 

Leadership comes and goes. If you’re looking to replace a management role or simply searching for someone to help lead your team and revitalize your business at your dealership, it’s important to hire the right person. The following are five essential things to take into consideration before hiring a sound leader.

1.) Timing

Make sure it’s the right time to hire; and this can go both ways. First, think about the employers you already have—can anyone fill your leadership position? If not, then think about the people you are interviewing—is this the right time for them to step in and take over a management position? Are they ready to take on everything that’s required to succeed for this role? If both parties are on the same track, then you’re good to go!

2.) Proper Background

Carefully review each candidate’s resume to see where he or she is coming from, what they have accomplished and what kind of career path they’ve chosen. It only makes sense to hire someone who understands your industry and has proven that he or she has succeeded in similar environments.

3.) Right Qualities

This may seem like a no brainer, but one of the most important traits of any leader is personality. Think about what kind of qualities your looking for in this leadership position. There are dozens of traits that can define great leadership, however it’s up to you to decide what kind of leader you want working for your company. Think about which personality traits will be needed the most to help your business flourish and help the other employees to succeed as well.

4.) Work/Life Balance

Another thing to take into consideration while interviewing potential candidates is balance. Does the candidate believe in a good work/life balance? Sure, it’s great to employ people who work their tails off, but at the end of the day, it’s still a job. If your employee isn’t happy at home, how do you expect he or she to succeed in the office? Those who have a steady life, inside and outside of the office, usually perform well at work.

5.) Vision

Without a vision or goal in mind, it’s hard to lead others. Don’t forget to ask what your candidate’s vision for company success is, whether it’s for your own dealership or one from their former employer. Understanding your candidate’s vision can also help you gain a better sense of what may lie ahead for your company, as well as what kind of leader he or she may be.

These are only five things to consider while hiring for a leadership position at your auto dealership. There may be several other things that may affect a person’s way of managing a team. However, if he or she meets the qualifications formally mentioned, then you can assure yourself that this is likely someone who can help you manage a winning team.  

For more information on hiring great people for your dealership - download Driving Revenue for Your Auto Dealership.

There’s one thing majority of U.S. dealerships all have in common: turnover. Don’t believe so? According to the NADA, turnover at American auto dealerships is nearly 62%. That’s a pretty high percentage for an industry that focuses on numbers.

When you’re constantly hiring, firing, letting go and re-hiring employess, it can take a heavy toll on your bank account. There’s no need to continue this unwanted, costly routine when it can be fixed, especially when it comes to hiring salespeople.

Taking control of your recruiting process is crucial if you want to lower turnover. Sure, it’s difficult to have a 0% turnover rate, but with the proper help it’s easily obtainable to severely lower this percentage and retain quality employees.

Hireology has developed a completely complimentary and educational ebook based on research from our customers and the current state of the auto industry. In this insightful eBook, you’ll discover the following:

• Reasons for high turnover
• Today’s hiring trends with salespeople
• Myths about today’s salespeople at dealerships
• Making long-term investments: how to hire the right employees
• Ways to avoid turnover
• Planning ahead for the new year