Working with cars can be a passion, but it’s not always easy to find a job in the industry.
Dream jobs don’t come around every day, but you have every reason to believe there is one waiting for you. All you have to do is find it.
Simple enough, right?
Though countless Americans have a passion for cars and engineering, it can be tough to find the right fit in the automobile industry. But with proactive planning and a thorough self-understanding, you can carve out a spot of your own.
So how do you find your niche in the automobile industry? Try answering a few of the following questions.
What Is Your Passion?
Though it may seem simple, many people begin their careers without first — or ever — truly considering what motivates them. It can be difficult to pinpoint a passion, especially one worth making more than a hobby.
In the automobile industry, there might be several areas to fill someone’s passion.
A lot of people love cars. But do you truly feel a passion for working around them? Would working in auto shops motivate you and energize you each day? Do you enjoy cars but prefer to stay on the business side of the operation?
A passion may seem insignificant. This is a job, after all. But it is important to find what inspires you so that you have the drive to succeed in your career.
What Are Your Skills?
It sounds similar, but your passion doesn’t always equate to or reflect your full skillset.
Your passion may lead you in a certain direction, and it can certainly help visualize your end goal. Defining your skills, however, is the way you reach those targets.
Everyone brings something to the table. You may be great at analyzing numbers. Maybe you have a way with people or the magic touch under the hood of a car. Whatever your skill set, you have something to offer an employer or offer a customer base if you are going out on your own.
Where in the Industry Can You Apply Them?
When you identify the areas of the automobile industry that spark your passion — and once you hone the skills to make it happen — the next step is to find how to best put them to use.
Whether you are first entering the auto industry, or already have a foot in the door, make a dedicated effort to analyze the market around you. Every business needs to solve a particular problem. Your goal should be to find the problems that you can solve better than your competition.
Are there any areas where your company is falling short, specifically in the particular space where you hope to one day thrive? Expand that evaluation to your company’s competitors as well. Are they failing to meet an opportunity on which you can help your business capitalize?
In general, think of yourself as your own brand. Find a consumer need – or need of a company – that is not being met. Ask yourself how you can focus your skillset on those issues. Having a clear understanding of the value you offer, and the strengths you possess can set you apart as you build your own foothold in the automobile industry.
At some point, that foot in the door could bust open opportunities few others took the time to realize.
Think About Franchising
For those more advanced in their careers, franchising can offer a unique opportunity to further carve out your own niche in the automobile industry. Whether building your own business or buying into another brand’s franchise model, there are countless ways to stand out in the industry through franchising.
Tread Connection, for example, provides mobile tire sales and services to consumers who want a simpler, more time-efficient experience while also offering a profitable business model to its franchisees. In both of those areas, the COVID-19 outbreak exacerbated the needs Tread Connection had already been meeting.
It sounds impossible to find a niche in the automobile industry that fulfills your passion, utilizes your skillset, and meets the needs of both the consumer and your business — all at once. But opportunities are available for those who put in the effort and research to make it happen.
Learn more about finding your own fit with Tread Connection by visiting https://www.ownatreadconnection.com/.