Need Advice - Career as Service Writer ?
07-21-2010, 03:08 AM
#1
Staging Lane
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Need Advice - Career as Service Writer ? I would greatly appreciate information and advice.
This is the position I am in.. I have a disability, my wrists are not great. I can use them and do pretty much anything, but not continuously like most people. The length depends on the task. Being a Mechanic is absolutely out of the question, I can't do that sort of intense (wrist) labor for multiple hours a day, 5 days a week.
I can't ask you to judge how much I can do, of course. But if you can tell me what you have to do, that will give me a good idea.
Cars interest me, and technical / detailed subjects interest me. So, what I understand of this position, it sounds pretty good. I'm studying Auto Service now from a textbook, and I enjoy it.. that of course, does not count towards any official education that I can put on paper, though.
I've studied PC repair, and I plan to get my A+ and network+ certifications by the end of this year. Voc Rehab will pay for my college education, as long as it leads to work (up to a bachelors.). So, my thought is to get an associates degree studying part-time at a local college in automotive service, and try to get some related job while in school, i.e. delivering parts for NAPA.. I assume the PC background would help with a service writer position, because they have to use the PCs to make estimates, keep records, etc. right?
That's my background, I suppose.
So, do you have any advice for me?
Am I going the wrong direction to look into this as a career?
What's the job outlook like, how hard is it to get the position?
What are the chances of being hired part-time ( if I weren't able to physically perform those duties full-time, though I haven't found out what all they are yet.
)
I understand the job duties to be mostly basic diagnostic, driving, record-keeping, estimating fees and parts.. Is that about it? Can you give me more details or an idea of how it's often split-up, time-wise?
Please excuse me. I ask many details, probably more than you want to and maybe more than can reasonable be answered. Just give me any advice you can and I'll be thankful for that. Even something I didn't mention here, that you think is relevant!
Have a good morning, gents!
This is the position I am in.. I have a disability, my wrists are not great. I can use them and do pretty much anything, but not continuously like most people. The length depends on the task. Being a Mechanic is absolutely out of the question, I can't do that sort of intense (wrist) labor for multiple hours a day, 5 days a week.
I can't ask you to judge how much I can do, of course. But if you can tell me what you have to do, that will give me a good idea.
Cars interest me, and technical / detailed subjects interest me. So, what I understand of this position, it sounds pretty good. I'm studying Auto Service now from a textbook, and I enjoy it.. that of course, does not count towards any official education that I can put on paper, though.
I've studied PC repair, and I plan to get my A+ and network+ certifications by the end of this year. Voc Rehab will pay for my college education, as long as it leads to work (up to a bachelors.). So, my thought is to get an associates degree studying part-time at a local college in automotive service, and try to get some related job while in school, i.e. delivering parts for NAPA.. I assume the PC background would help with a service writer position, because they have to use the PCs to make estimates, keep records, etc. right?
That's my background, I suppose.
So, do you have any advice for me?
Am I going the wrong direction to look into this as a career?
What's the job outlook like, how hard is it to get the position?
What are the chances of being hired part-time ( if I weren't able to physically perform those duties full-time, though I haven't found out what all they are yet.
)I understand the job duties to be mostly basic diagnostic, driving, record-keeping, estimating fees and parts.. Is that about it? Can you give me more details or an idea of how it's often split-up, time-wise?
Please excuse me. I ask many details, probably more than you want to and maybe more than can reasonable be answered. Just give me any advice you can and I'll be thankful for that. Even something I didn't mention here, that you think is relevant!
Have a good morning, gents!
Last edited by icor1031; 07-21-2010 at 03:13 AM.
07-24-2010, 07:22 AM
#2
Service writing is a possibility, but it's hard on the constitutuion. You are trying to please 3 masters with diverging interests: the principle, the mechanic and the car owner.
When I was a young guy, I also wanted to get into an automotive job, but I didn't want to pull wrenches. I got into the parts game.
NAPA is a good operation. Start as a driver and see if you like it. I promise your manager will be THRILLED if you can show him you can look up parts. You could even practice at home on the NAPA website.
I've been in parts sales for 20 years, and I really like it. About 20% of the people are car enthusiasts compared to about 2% of the regular population, so you can usually talk shop while you're getting paid.
Good luck.
When I was a young guy, I also wanted to get into an automotive job, but I didn't want to pull wrenches. I got into the parts game.
NAPA is a good operation. Start as a driver and see if you like it. I promise your manager will be THRILLED if you can show him you can look up parts. You could even practice at home on the NAPA website.
I've been in parts sales for 20 years, and I really like it. About 20% of the people are car enthusiasts compared to about 2% of the regular population, so you can usually talk shop while you're getting paid.
Good luck.
07-24-2010, 09:50 AM
#3
Service writing is a possibility, but it's hard on the constitutuion. You are trying to please 3 masters with diverging interests: the principle, the mechanic and the car owner.
When I was a young guy, I also wanted to get into an automotive job, but I didn't want to pull wrenches. I got into the parts game.
NAPA is a good operation. Start as a driver and see if you like it. I promise your manager will be THRILLED if you can show him you can look up parts. You could even practice at home on the NAPA website.
I've been in parts sales for 20 years, and I really like it. About 20% of the people are car enthusiasts compared to about 2% of the regular population, so you can usually talk shop while you're getting paid.
Good luck.
When I was a young guy, I also wanted to get into an automotive job, but I didn't want to pull wrenches. I got into the parts game.
NAPA is a good operation. Start as a driver and see if you like it. I promise your manager will be THRILLED if you can show him you can look up parts. You could even practice at home on the NAPA website.
I've been in parts sales for 20 years, and I really like it. About 20% of the people are car enthusiasts compared to about 2% of the regular population, so you can usually talk shop while you're getting paid.
Good luck.
PS-Unless you love STRESS, a service writers gig is not the place for you, I spent a long time working in car dealerships too. Car dealership wholesale parts (sell to body shops) is a good gig and commission too in most bigger dealerships.
07-25-2010, 03:27 AM
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Service writing is a possibility, but it's hard on the constitutuion. You are trying to please 3 masters with diverging interests: the principle, the mechanic and the car owner.
When I was a young guy, I also wanted to get into an automotive job, but I didn't want to pull wrenches. I got into the parts game.
NAPA is a good operation. Start as a driver and see if you like it. I promise your manager will be THRILLED if you can show him you can look up parts. You could even practice at home on the NAPA website.
I've been in parts sales for 20 years, and I really like it. About 20% of the people are car enthusiasts compared to about 2% of the regular population, so you can usually talk shop while you're getting paid.
Good luck.
When I was a young guy, I also wanted to get into an automotive job, but I didn't want to pull wrenches. I got into the parts game.
NAPA is a good operation. Start as a driver and see if you like it. I promise your manager will be THRILLED if you can show him you can look up parts. You could even practice at home on the NAPA website.
I've been in parts sales for 20 years, and I really like it. About 20% of the people are car enthusiasts compared to about 2% of the regular population, so you can usually talk shop while you're getting paid.
Good luck.
One Other question, are there any more auto fields that are chiefly knowledge-based?
07-25-2010, 08:49 PM
#6
You should also look at outside parts sales. It can pay pretty good if you're on commission and you hustle.
07-27-2010, 09:27 PM
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I am a tech at a dealer, trust me you dont want to work on cars or write service for them.
People are rarely happy even when you help them out, the hours suck and people are breathing down your neck the whole time you are there. You end up answering to 3 people, the customer, service manager and the tech.
Parts department is an ok gig, pay isnt as good, but a lot more laid back.
Also, generally your pay is commission, trust me, your paychecks are all over the place and not steady. There are times you sit around wondering when the next decent paying job will come in.
If you have the opportunity to have school payed for, look else where.
I would look into the following
Electrician
Medical equipment repair (follows your computer repair)
Local Power company, there are more jobs with them than you think, great benefits and decent to great pay depending on what department and pay grade you reach
CNC machinist
Just some ideas off the top of my head, stay away from the automotive stuff, its a pretty dead end career with little to no advancement.
People are rarely happy even when you help them out, the hours suck and people are breathing down your neck the whole time you are there. You end up answering to 3 people, the customer, service manager and the tech.
Parts department is an ok gig, pay isnt as good, but a lot more laid back.
Also, generally your pay is commission, trust me, your paychecks are all over the place and not steady. There are times you sit around wondering when the next decent paying job will come in.
If you have the opportunity to have school payed for, look else where.
I would look into the following
Electrician
Medical equipment repair (follows your computer repair)
Local Power company, there are more jobs with them than you think, great benefits and decent to great pay depending on what department and pay grade you reach
CNC machinist
Just some ideas off the top of my head, stay away from the automotive stuff, its a pretty dead end career with little to no advancement.
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08-22-2010, 11:39 AM
#9
As others have said, service writing isn't for everybody. It's a tough job, lots of stress, lots of bitching from EVERYONE, and the hours suck. There is a reason most dealerships have such a high turn over rate with service writers/managers.
I started my automotive career in service writing. Made a ton of money at a couple of places, but the BS you go through wasn't worth it.
I started my automotive career in service writing. Made a ton of money at a couple of places, but the BS you go through wasn't worth it.
Last edited by Damian; 08-22-2010 at 11:45 AM.
08-22-2010, 10:39 PM
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Im with these guys.... I have been on both sides of the fence. I started out swinging wrenches for a couple of dealerships and then decided I wanted to move up because I thought that service writing was a "gravy" job and wouldn't have to work on flat rate anymore. I was DEAD wrong. Service writing is ALOT of running around, chasing people down on the phone (which can get very frustrating when you are trying to get approval for repairs to move cars around and get work in and out of the shop) and you are constantly hearing bitching. You are never making enough money for the shop, you are never up selling enough to keep every tech happy and you are never saving the customer enough money and have to put up with the people that think just becuase they grace you with their car than they should recieve a hellacious discount and free stuff.
Its not for everyone but you never know until you try it. If you think its for you then by all means knock yourself out. I worked at O'Reilley's for a while also and it was pretty laid back... even for being the first one in Indiana. I wouldn't really mind going back to a parts job if I could find one and wouldnt have to take a pay cut. Good luck with your decision, hope this helps.
I just moved to the manufacturing plant. So now I assemble them instead of take them apart, diagnose and put them back together. LOL.
Its not for everyone but you never know until you try it. If you think its for you then by all means knock yourself out. I worked at O'Reilley's for a while also and it was pretty laid back... even for being the first one in Indiana. I wouldn't really mind going back to a parts job if I could find one and wouldnt have to take a pay cut. Good luck with your decision, hope this helps.
I just moved to the manufacturing plant. So now I assemble them instead of take them apart, diagnose and put them back together. LOL.
