Building your own cars in your garage can be a great way to learn the ins and outs of automotive engineering, but it usually won’t get you close to any new luxury cars. If you want to get closer to your favorite car brand, try getting a job at one of their dealerships. If you love luxury cars but worry you’ll never afford one, getting in on the ground floor at a BMW dealership is a great way to make that dream a reality. Plus you’ll get to spend all day around your favorite cars.
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you land a job at a BMW dealership and how to succeed once you are hired.
Remember Your Job Interview Class
Applying for a job at a BMW dealership isn’t something you can do by walking in off the street and asking for a job — especially if you slum around the city in cargo shorts, a t-shirt and sandals. Think back to your high school job interview class — if you were lucky enough to go to high school before they got rid of those life skills classes. Some things that will make a huge difference are:
- Your Appearance — They say dress for the job you want, so if you want a job at a BMW dealership, you need to dress it up. Take a peek inside the dealership to get an idea of what the average person there wears. You’ll want to go business professional — suit and tie — to create the best first impression even if you end up working as a porter in cargo shorts and a polo shirt.
- Your Resume — Have a neatly printed one-page resume handy, even if you had to submit one during an online application.
- Your Knowledge — Most of what you need to know for a dealership job you’ll learn on the job — but don’t walk in without some knowledge of the brand or the different models available. Take the time to study up.
Don’t be unprepared if you do manage to land an interview.
The Interview
An interview at a BMW dealership will be pretty straightforward. You will receive questions regarding your work history, your professionalism and work ethic, and your knowledge of the brand. Most interviews will be a one on one between you and a hiring manager. In addition to two interviews, you will likely need to complete a personality assessment and, depending on the position you apply for, a skills assessment as well.
As with most modern jobs, a career with BMW is also contingent on a drug screening and criminal background check.
It’s a good time to get into an automotive-adjacent career — car sales and other automotive services were an $862 billion industry in 2015. This is a nearly seven percent increase from the year before.
Expect to Start at the Bottom
Don’t expect to walk in the door and immediately start making over $100,000 a year. This is one of the few industries you can start at the bottom with the ability to work your way up — so expect to start at the bottom. You may want the role of a BMW salesman, but the best way to make it into that position is to start small — apply for a job as a lot porter or a car detailer. This is a great way to showcase your work ethic and professionalism. Impress your immediate supervisors, and you may find yourself on the fast track to sales or even management, depending on where your skills lie.
Working for a BMW dealership is a great way to be around the cars you love while still building a profitable career. Be professional, dress for the job you want and whatever you do, don’t peel out with a customer’s car in the parking lot — at least not where anyone can see you.