Trying to get a car salesman job

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

Got an interview for an acura dealership (well Acura is one of them, they have multiple brands all in the same complex like kia). I did sales kinda once. Bought and sold stuff at a second hand electronic store called Disc Replay. I watch a guy called Nick Rochefort on youtube. He got me wanting to go into car sales. The place I'm applying has been trying to hire for awhile. So now they are posting ad's saying how they are hiring with no experience.

I'm a car guy. Toyota, Honda, Acura, and Lexus are my brands. I did auto shop all throughout high school. I spent hours learning anything I could about the car brands and models I liked. I stand behind the product and know it like the skin on my c*** . I just don't know a thing about "real sales". I really need a career, and if I were hired at a high volume dealerahip, I know I could be a 20+ car a month seller. How can I ace an interview at a job luxury dealership with no real knowledge.

Nick Rochefort says to just lie and say you worked with your uncle in flordia and he taught you everything you need to know to sell 20+ cars a month. He says car dealerships will hire anyone since it's commission based pay. Either you sink or swim. I would appreciate any advice. I already got the collared shirt (would jeans be okay to wear to an interview or khakis a requirement)? I'm 23, short, introverted, and skinny like a cokehead just FYI. .

[Cdn_Cuda]

Dress the part to the customers you will be selling to. Nice jeans might be okay, but not ratty jeans. No holes! Fresh haircut, trim your facial hair if any. Be friendly and positive and good luck!

look at what the dealership offers, maintenance packaged and all the crap — I mean valued added services you can offer to your customers. It’ll help stand out in the interview if you can show you’re done your research.

From my experience, most sales people know next to nothing about the cars they sell, so you already have a leg up!

[Jonnydread]

I would recommended getting a pair of khakis/slacks. A big part of selling cars is appearances and most of the folks buying a luxury brand car like an Acura are going to be expecting the sales team to be business casual at least. If you have the ability maybe even grab a button down shirt and a tie, but that may not be necessary.

Confidence will get you far, even if you have to make up a character and fake it till you make it. If they ask you something you don't know the answer to, be enthusiastic in your response about learning. I have a buddy in car sales and he knows next to nothing about the maintenance/operation side of it, he's just good at talking to people.

I would advise against outright bullshitting, but I would feel free to sexy up your experience to make it sound better. Inexperienced can just be THIRSTY FOR KNOWLEDGE.

Don't go to the interview under the influence of anything stronger than green tea.

Good luck homie

[RAZRBAKK]

Man, I don't know. I left a career and used a car sales job as a placeholder. I had the same idea, I'm a car guy, I love Toyotas, should be a good match.

What I can tell you is that the people who did well were not car people.

This is not to disparage all car sales people, but a lot of them are absolute scum. They will happily take your sales, find ways to blame things on you, and generally fuck your life up in the pursuit of their financial benefit.

I went from brewing beer to selling Toyotas. Did I do well? Yeah, I did. I tried to be the "not your typical car salesman". I am more than willing to put half of my success on brand loyalty, and the fact that it was a small town dealership. Never the less, it was an uphill battle.

The guys who could talk on and on always did better. The guys who were more than happy to stick someone in a lease or finance they couldn't afford did even better. I regularly had to defend my decision to not pursue a lead when the person was broke and just needed some wheels. I mean the kind of people where nothing we had on the lot, new or used, would fit their budget. Sometimes other sales guys swooped in, talked a lot of shit about me not wanting to help said customer, and crammed this person into a lease or finance that they probably regret signing.

Now, luxury dealerships are a bit different. People don't NEED an Acura, and I think I would feel more comfortable putting that person in a compromising financial position. It's their choice to finance a 70k car at 14.99% or higher. But I like to think I'm a high honour player, and I couldn't do car sales again.

My girlfriend and two of my closest friends also have a ton of dealership experience. My girlfriend worked in accounting at a Honda dealer, and it was a shit show. Scum sales people who saw any time off the floor as a waste, and regularly tried to get her to do their work for them. A friend in Arizona worked as a Service Advisor in a Honda dealership, and then a BMW dealership. Both full of scum Service Advisors. People who were legitimately commiting fraud at the counter. People who got fired for this kind of stuff, only to get hired back and do it all over again. And finally, my friend who got me into the Toyota dealer worked at the highest selling Porsche dealer in North America. You guessed it, 35+ self absorbed, money hungry scum salesmen.

All of us are out of the industry now.

If you really wanna do sales, I'd head over to r/sales and get some ideas about non dealership options.

[RAZRBAKK]

Another thing to consider is the absolute lack of work/life balance you have. I was working 55-60 hours a week, often coming in on my day off to close a deal or deliver a car because the customer insists on it happening that day. Answering phone calls at all hours. You don't get 2 day weekends. You work every Saturday, and one day off mid week.

I don't have a lot of positive things to say, to be honest.

[Axel]

As you said, these dealerships pay based on commission and will likely hire anyone who doesn't give them an obvious reason not to. i.e. no drugs dude 😎

But for a career... man... There's nothing inherently wrong with selling cars, but do you want to do it for 40 years? You're young enough right now to accomplish anything, but let me tell you that every year past 25 or so and it gets harder and harder to change course. Doors start closing for one reason or another: family obligations, health, money, time... You don't realize it's happening until you're old and in a rut.

I'd put some real thought into what you want to do, and how to get there.

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

As you said, these dealerships pay based on commission and will likely hire anyone who doesn't give them an obvious reason not to. i.e. no drugs dude 😎

But for a career... man... There's nothing inherently wrong with selling cars, but do you want to do it for 40 years? You're young enough right now to accomplish anything, but let me tell you that every year past 25 or so and it gets harder and harder to change course. Doors start closing for one reason or another: family obligations, health, money, time... You don't realize it's happening until you're old and in a rut.

I'd put some real thought into what you want to do, and how to get there.

Its either sales, bartending, or posdibly going to trade school for welding. I tried most other entry level no expierence job. Not for me or employee/bosses made it a living hell. I called every bar around and either not hiring barbacks or bartenders. Or must have 1-2 years expierience. I have great general resturaunt expierence from my first full time high school job at 15-16 (cashier, server, busboy, dishwasher, short order cook). So I can handle a empty dive bar no problem. Yet Still looking. And I'm not in a spot right now to go to school.

I thought over how scummy the car sales industry is. I think I can do it right. I was taught such a high level of customer care and satisfaction at my previous jobs over tne past 8 years. That I have to treat the customers the same way I would want to be treated as a customer. No bad service is acceptable. I know how I can do this because it's the strongest skill I have in my limited skillset. I'm very good at serving and pleasing someone else. .

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

Man, I don't know. I left a career and used a car sales job as a placeholder. I had the same idea, I'm a car guy, I love Toyotas, should be a good match.

What I can tell you is that the people who did well were not car people.

This is not to disparage all car sales people, but a lot of them are absolute scum. They will happily take your sales, find ways to blame things on you, and generally fuck your life up in the pursuit of their financial benefit.

I went from brewing beer to selling Toyotas. Did I do well? Yeah, I did. I tried to be the "not your typical car salesman". I am more than willing to put half of my success on brand loyalty, and the fact that it was a small town dealership. Never the less, it was an uphill battle.

The guys who could talk on and on always did better. The guys who were more than happy to stick someone in a lease or finance they couldn't afford did even better. I regularly had to defend my decision to not pursue a lead when the person was broke and just needed some wheels. I mean the kind of people where nothing we had on the lot, new or used, would fit their budget. Sometimes other sales guys swooped in, talked a lot of shit about me not wanting to help said customer, and crammed this person into a lease or finance that they probably regret signing.

Now, luxury dealerships are a bit different. People don't NEED an Acura, and I think I would feel more comfortable putting that person in a compromising financial position. It's their choice to finance a 70k car at 14.99% or higher. But I like to think I'm a high honour player, and I couldn't do car sales again.

My girlfriend and two of my closest friends also have a ton of dealership experience. My girlfriend worked in accounting at a Honda dealer, and it was a shit show. Scum sales people who saw any time off the floor as a waste, and regularly tried to get her to do their work for them. A friend in Arizona worked as a Service Advisor in a Honda dealership, and then a BMW dealership. Both full of scum Service Advisors. People who were legitimately commiting fraud at the counter. People who got fired for this kind of stuff, only to get hired back and do it all over again. And finally, my friend who got me into the Toyota dealer worked at the highest selling Porsche dealer in North America. You guessed it, 35+ self absorbed, money hungry scum salesmen.

All of us are out of the industry now.

If you really wanna do sales, I'd head over to r/sales and get some ideas about non dealership options.

I will accept shitty hours in the beginning. But I used to work at a country club groundskeeping 50+hr a week, 7 days a week, no days off, got vacation and sick days whenever I wanted though. Not working weekends consistently anymore. I need them for me and my family. That would be a deal breaker.

[RAZRBAKK]

Saturdays are not optional. Saturdays are car delivery day.

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

Just got another salesman interview at a GMC dealerdhip tomorrow. No expierence required either.

[Jordan]

Is welding your only trade option? The States are very different from here but I can think of at least 5 different trades, here, that pay quite well even as a green apprentice. Auto mechanic is not one I recommend but lots of others are definitely worth getting into, at least from my perspective.

[Jimmydee]

Jordan is right, up here trades people are becoming scarce. Anyone needing a career here would be smart to jump on plumping, electrical, carpentry. Now I’m not handy at all so guys like me rely on trades people lol. I’m a police officer up here and I do my best to recruit ha ha ha. My force finally has compatible salary, great benefits ( I’m on PAT leave, I took 10 months). I know it might not be everyone’s cup of Joe but I moved and work in a small town and it’s nice and sleepy.
As for car sales, idk man. I see the burn out in that and the competition and personally wouldn’t want that pressure to always have to sell.

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

Is welding your only trade option? The States are very different from here but I can think of at least 5 different trades, here, that pay quite well even as a green apprentice. Auto mechanic is not one I recommend but lots of others are definitely worth getting into, at least from my perspective.

Welding is something I did in auto shop. I know It's in my wheel house of skills I can master. Not strong enough for most trades. Others I will not do. I just want a job I can live off of. Nothing special, nothing more. Not willing to kill myself for a paycheck. .

[packersrule729]

Scuffed realtor!!!!

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

Scuffed realtor!!!!

Sam Hyde got me into Nick, Jet, and Charles. .

[packersrule729]

Same lol

[MrKittyCatMeowFace]

Scuffed realtor!!!!

.

[redsquirrel]

When I was in sales I just treated people the way I would want to be treated and worked hard to listen and get them what they actually wanted. Always worked out really well for the customer, business, and myself.

Interviews are a very specific skill set and sometimes an unfortunate barrier to entry. Really pays to be prepared. Anticipate and practice for what questions they may ask you. And as someone else has already said, do some upfront research on the dealership and their offerings.

Not exactly sure how the car game is, but I’d never go to an interview without slacks, a button down, and tie. Especially to a brand that considers themselves luxury. In my experience, working hard to prepare for an interview and showing a potential employer you care and really want to be there, goes a very long way in setting you apart from any competition.

Good luck on the hunt.

[maggot]

Interesting thread and discussion. In my limited experience Acura dealerships really do it right.
I love your mindset that you're going into this with: that you can get sales by earning trust. That's real.

Good luck!