| The next time you walk onto a car lot with your car | | | | abound as well. The women in these jobs aren't |
| loan quotes and other papers in hand, you are as likely | | | | grease-stained tomboys who spent their teen years |
| as not to find a female sales representative waiting to | | | | rebuilding transmissions. They are average women, |
| help you. Although car dealers traditionally have | | | | often with customer service experience in other jobs. |
| employed a mostly male sales force, recent trends | | | | Parts and service jobs require a great personality. The |
| have them actively recruiting more women. | | | | ability for the shop to generate repeat business greatly |
| Most Car Buyers are Women | | | | depends on how the employee gets along with the |
| One reason for this change is that most of the | | | | customer. The technical part of the job can be taught, |
| customers seeking car loan quotes and buying cars | | | | but good customer service is a real art. Women with |
| are female. According to an article in Motor Matters | | | | strong people skills have a lot of opportunities in these |
| around 58% of car buyers are women; Road & | | | | areas, earning the same wages as their male |
| Travel Magazine puts that number closer to 65%. | | | | counterparts. |
| Despite a predominately female customer base, auto | | | | A Changing Industry |
| dealership employees have been overwhelmingly male. | | | | Although car dealers are trying to minimize the gender |
| According to surveys, a majority of female customers | | | | gap, many are at a loss as to how to attract more |
| say feel more comfortable dealing with female sales | | | | female employees. Much of the difficulty comes from |
| people. Some women are uncomfortable with | | | | the potential employees themselves. Many women |
| salesmen because they feel the men treat them | | | | never consider working at an auto dealership. Some |
| condescendingly. A survey by CNW Marketing | | | | assume that dealerships don't hire women while others |
| Research showed that women are three times more | | | | fear they might be harassed in a male-dominated |
| likely to want a female sale representative than a male | | | | environment. They might be surprised just how |
| one. | | | | male-dominated these fields aren't anymore. |
| Car dealers are responding to these studies and to | | | | While women don't yet make up half the employees in |
| their own experience with female sales people and | | | | the auto sales and finance industry, you'll find quite a |
| are hunting down more women to work the sales | | | | few more women at car dealerships than you would |
| floor. | | | | have a few years ago. From the person giving you |
| The Showroom Isn't the Only Choice for Women | | | | car loan quotes to the sales representative to the |
| Although more women are selling cars on the floor | | | | service staff, more women are making inroads into |
| and issuing car loan quotes in the finance department, | | | | these fields than ever before. |
| opportunities in the service and parts departments | | | | |