Early days in my powersports career as I worked my way into management, I placed a lot of value in hiring employees who had experience in the industry. I never had any training on how to hire (now I wish I had), and this seemed like the logical choice. The powersports industry is a small one, our customers are passionate about the vehicles, they use their own language, and the sales process is aided by a transfer of enthusiasm. Being a closed industry, it was also easy to follow up on references.
As both myself and the dealership grew, I began to realize that we benefited from experience, knowledge, and practices that came from outside our industry. I began to realize that a person with the right attitude could quickly learn the intricacies of our industry. I always prompted these “outside” hires to participate in the sport, either by taking an MSF course or going out for weekend trail rides.
In some cases I succeeded, in others I failed. It’s hard to fake passion, but sincerity is a great offset. There are also some areas where there is no getting around a lack of industry experience (think A-Techs).
What do you think. Have you had any luck hiring from outside the industry?
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