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Service Advisor Jobs & Service Writer Jobs
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Find service advisor jobs and service writer jobs with automotive dealerships, independent repair shops, and other automotive employers across the country.
Whether you are an experienced automotive service advisor, service writer, assistant service manager, or customer service professional looking to build a career in the automotive industry, CarGuys Inc. helps connect automotive professionals with employers actively hiring service department talent.
Search current automotive service advisor jobs and find opportunities that match your experience, career goals, and location.
Find Your Next Automotive Service Advisor Job
Service advisors play an important role in the connection between customers and the technicians working on their vehicles. Dealerships and repair shops rely on experienced advisors to communicate with customers, document vehicle concerns, explain recommended repairs, and keep the service process moving.
CarGuys focuses exclusively on the automotive industry, helping candidates connect with dealerships, repair shops, and other automotive employers looking for service professionals.
Opportunities may include positions for:
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Automotive Service Advisors
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Service Writers
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Dealership Service Advisors
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Repair Shop Service Advisors
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Express Service Advisors
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Quick Lube Service Advisors
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Assistant Service Managers
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Senior Service Advisors
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Fleet Service Advisors
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Internal Service Advisors
Availability varies by market, experience level, employer, and current hiring needs.
What Does an Automotive Service Advisor Do?
An automotive service advisor is often the primary point of contact between a customer and the dealership or repair shop's service department.
The advisor listens to the customer's concerns, documents the reason for the visit, communicates with technicians, explains recommended repairs, keeps the customer informed, and helps ensure the vehicle moves efficiently through the service process.
Depending on the employer, responsibilities may include:
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Greeting service customers and identifying their concerns
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Opening and managing repair orders
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Reviewing vehicle service history
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Documenting customer concerns accurately
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Communicating with technicians about diagnosis and repairs
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Preparing and explaining repair estimates
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Recommending maintenance and additional services
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Obtaining customer authorization for repairs
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Providing customers with repair status updates
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Coordinating loaner vehicles or transportation when available
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Reviewing completed repairs with customers
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Processing warranty and customer-pay repair orders
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Following up with customers after service
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Maintaining customer satisfaction standards
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Working with technicians, parts personnel, warranty administrators, and service management
Strong service advisors learn how to balance the needs of the customer with the operational needs of a busy service department.
Service Advisor vs. Service Writer: What's the Difference?
If you are searching for automotive jobs, you may see employers advertise positions as both Service Advisor and Service Writer.
In many dealerships and repair shops, the terms are used interchangeably. Both positions typically involve working directly with customers, creating repair orders, communicating with technicians, explaining repairs, and helping customers through the service process.
Some employers use service writer to describe a position focused primarily on writing repair orders and documenting customer concerns, while service advisor may describe a broader customer-facing position that also includes recommending maintenance, explaining repairs, following up with customers, and managing the overall service experience.
The actual responsibilities matter more than the job title.
When comparing service advisor jobs and service writer jobs, review the job description, compensation plan, expected repair-order volume, schedule, and performance expectations so you understand exactly what the employer expects.
What Dealerships and Repair Shops Look For in Service Advisors
Successful service advisors need more than automotive knowledge. The position requires communication, organization, customer service, problem-solving, and the ability to stay composed in a fast-moving environment.
Employers may look for:
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Previous service advisor or service writer experience
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Strong customer service skills
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Clear verbal and written communication
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Basic automotive repair and maintenance knowledge
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Ability to explain technical information to customers
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Strong listening skills
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Sales and recommendation skills
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Ability to handle multiple customers and repair orders
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Organization and attention to detail
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Experience with dealership management systems or shop software
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Phone, text, and email communication skills
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Professionalism when handling difficult customer situations
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Ability to work closely with technicians and parts departments
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Understanding of warranty and customer-pay repairs
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Strong follow-up habits
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A valid driver's license
Not every employer requires the same level of experience. Automotive knowledge can be learned, but employers often place significant value on communication skills, reliability, organization, and the ability to build trust with customers.
For a deeper look at the qualities hiring managers value, read What Dealerships Look for in Service Advisors.
Can You Become a Service Advisor Without Dealership Experience?
Previous dealership experience can be valuable, but it is not always required.
Some dealerships and independent repair shops are willing to train candidates who have strong customer service, sales, communication, or automotive experience.
Experience that may transfer well into a service advisor career includes:
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Retail customer service
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Hospitality
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Automotive parts sales
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Tire and automotive service centers
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Automotive technician or mechanic experience
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Automotive sales
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Rental car operations
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Insurance or claims
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Customer-facing sales
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Call centers
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Restaurant or hospitality management
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Other fast-paced customer service positions
Former automotive technicians can sometimes make particularly strong service advisors because they already understand vehicle systems and repair terminology. The challenge is learning how to translate that technical knowledge into clear explanations that customers can understand.
Candidates coming from outside the automotive industry may have the opposite challenge: strong customer skills but less automotive knowledge.
In either case, employers may be willing to provide training when a candidate demonstrates the right combination of communication skills, professionalism, reliability, and willingness to learn.
Automotive Service Advisor Pay and Compensation
Service advisor compensation varies considerably based on the dealership or repair shop, location, experience, service volume, pay plan, and individual performance.
Depending on the employer, compensation may include:
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Hourly pay
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Base salary
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Commission
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Labor sales commissions
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Parts sales commissions
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Gross-profit incentives
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Customer-pay sales incentives
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Maintenance or service sales bonuses
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CSI or customer satisfaction bonuses
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Monthly performance bonuses
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Team or department bonuses
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Guarantees during training or transition periods
Because pay plans can vary considerably, an advertised annual earning range does not always tell you everything you need to know about a service advisor opportunity.
When comparing jobs, consider:
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Average number of repair orders per advisor
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Number of service advisors
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Number of technicians
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Customer traffic
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Appointment volume
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Average repair order
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Customer-pay versus warranty work
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How repair orders are assigned
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Commission structure
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CSI requirements
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Bonus structure
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Schedule
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Weekend requirements
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Benefits and PTO
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Training
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Support staff
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Advisor turnover
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Technician staffing
A compensation plan that looks attractive on paper may be difficult to achieve if the department lacks enough technicians, customer traffic, or repair capacity.
Likewise, a well-run service department with strong traffic, adequate technician staffing, good processes, and a realistic pay plan may provide greater earning potential even if the advertised numbers initially look less impressive.
Before accepting an offer, review How to Evaluate a Service Advisor Job Offer for a closer look at the factors that can affect your actual earnings and work environment.
Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Service Advisor Job
The interview isn't only an opportunity for an employer to evaluate you. It is also your opportunity to determine whether the service department gives its advisors a realistic chance to succeed.
Consider asking:
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How many repair orders does the department write each day?
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How many service advisors currently work here?
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How many technicians are currently employed?
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How are repair orders distributed among advisors?
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What is the average repair order?
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What percentage of business is customer-pay versus warranty?
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How does the advisor pay plan work?
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Are there CSI bonuses or penalties?
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Are there sales or gross-profit bonuses?
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Is there a guarantee during the training period?
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What DMS or service software does the department use?
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Who handles incoming service calls and appointments?
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Does the dealership have a service BDC?
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Are advisors responsible for follow-up?
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What is the expected schedule?
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Are Saturdays required?
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Why is this position open?
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How long have the current advisors been with the company?
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What training is provided?
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What opportunities are available for advancement?
Pay particular attention to the relationship between customer volume, advisor staffing, and technician capacity.
A busy service drive can create earning opportunities, but only when the department has enough technicians, bays, parts support, and processes to complete the work being sold.
Preparing for a Service Advisor Interview
Service advisor interviews often focus on how you communicate with customers, handle pressure, recommend repairs, stay organized, and work with technicians.
Be prepared to discuss:
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Your previous service advisor or customer service experience
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How you greet a service customer
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How you document a customer's concern
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How you explain technical repairs in simple language
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How you present recommended maintenance
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How you handle a customer who declines repairs
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How you deal with an upset customer
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How you prioritize multiple repair orders
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How you communicate with technicians
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How you follow up with customers
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Your experience with dealership or shop software
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Your approach to CSI and customer satisfaction
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Your sales or performance history
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Why you want to work for that particular dealership or repair shop
An employer may also give you a scenario and ask how you would respond.
For example, you might be asked what you would do if a repair takes longer than expected, a customer disputes an estimate, or a technician discovers additional repairs after the original work has begun.
Specific examples from your previous experience can be much more effective than general answers.
Before your interview, review How to Prepare for a Service Advisor Interview.
Building a Career as an Automotive Service Advisor
A service advisor position can lead to several different career paths within a dealership or automotive service organization.
As you gain experience, potential opportunities may include:
Senior Service Advisor
Experienced advisors may handle higher repair-order volume, larger customer accounts, complex repairs, or high-value customers while remaining in a customer-facing position.
Assistant Service Manager
Some dealerships use assistant service manager as another name for a service advisor, while others use the position as a step between advisor and service management.
Service Manager
Service managers oversee the daily operation of the service department. Responsibilities may include managing advisors and technicians, monitoring department performance, handling customer concerns, controlling workflow, and working toward revenue and customer satisfaction goals.
Service Director
Larger dealerships and dealer groups may have a service director responsible for broader service operations, multiple teams, or several locations.
Fixed Operations Management
Experienced service professionals may eventually move into fixed operations leadership overseeing service, parts, and related dealership operations.
Other advisors may choose to remain in customer-facing roles. Experienced service advisors working in high-volume departments can build valuable customer relationships and become important long-term members of the dealership team.
Is Being a Service Advisor a Good Career?
Working as an automotive service advisor can provide strong career opportunities for people who enjoy helping customers, working around automobiles, and operating in a fast-paced environment.
The career may appeal to people who value:
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Working directly with customers
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Performance-based earning potential
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Being part of the automotive industry
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Learning about vehicle repair and maintenance
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A fast-paced work environment
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Building long-term customer relationships
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Developing sales and communication skills
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Opportunities to advance into management
However, service advisor work can also be demanding.
Customers may be frustrated when repairs are expensive or take longer than expected. Advisors frequently manage several repair orders at once while communicating with customers, technicians, parts departments, warranty personnel, and management.
Schedules may also include early mornings and Saturdays, depending on the employer.
The dealership or repair shop you choose can therefore have a significant effect on your experience.
Finding the Right Service Department Matters
Two service advisor jobs with similar titles and advertised compensation can provide very different working environments.
A successful service department depends on more than the advisor.
Technician staffing, parts availability, scheduling, dispatching, appointment volume, management, shop capacity, and communication can all affect your ability to take care of customers and earn income.
Before accepting a position, try to understand how the department actually operates.
Look beyond the job posting.
Research the employer. Ask questions during the interview. Pay attention to the service drive when you visit. Consider how employees interact with one another and whether the department appears organized.
If possible, understand why the position is open and how long other advisors have remained with the company.
A good service advisor opportunity should provide more than a desk and a list of customers. It should give you the support and resources you need to do the job effectively.
Why Automotive Service Advisors Use CarGuys
CarGuys Inc. focuses exclusively on automotive careers.
We work with dealerships, independent repair shops, collision centers, and other automotive employers looking for experienced automotive professionals.
Instead of searching through dozens of unrelated job boards, service advisors and service writers can use
CarGuys to explore opportunities specifically within the automotive industry.
Whether you're actively searching or simply interested in learning about a better opportunity, you can search current openings or create an account to receive job alerts when relevant positions become available.
Frequently Asked Questions About Service Advisor Jobs
What is the difference between a service advisor and a service writer?
The terms are often used interchangeably. Both positions typically involve communicating with service customers, opening repair orders, working with technicians, explaining recommended repairs, and keeping customers updated. Some employers use "service writer" for a more repair-order-focused position and "service advisor" for a broader customer service and sales role. Always review the actual responsibilities listed by the employer.
Do I need automotive experience to become a service advisor?
Not always. Some employers prefer previous dealership or repair shop experience, while others are willing to train candidates with strong customer service, communication, sales, or organizational skills. Automotive knowledge is valuable, but the ability to communicate effectively with customers is also an important part of the position.
Do I need to be a mechanic to become a service advisor?
No. Service advisors do not normally perform vehicle repairs. However, understanding automotive systems, maintenance, and repair terminology can make it easier to communicate with technicians and explain repairs to customers.
What skills are important for an automotive service advisor?
Important skills can include communication, listening, organization, customer service, sales, follow-up, time management, automotive knowledge, conflict resolution, and the ability to work effectively with technicians and other service department employees.
How are automotive service advisors paid?
Compensation varies by employer. Service advisors may receive hourly pay, salary, commission, gross-profit incentives, labor or parts sales commissions, CSI bonuses, performance bonuses, or a combination of these methods. Review the entire pay plan rather than evaluating an opportunity based only on an advertised earnings range.
What should I include on a service advisor resume?
Include previous service advisor, service writer, automotive, customer service, or sales experience. Highlight dealership or shop software you've used, customer satisfaction results, repair-order volume, sales performance, automotive knowledge, manufacturer experience, training, and any measurable accomplishments.
Are service advisor jobs available at independent repair shops?
Yes. Service advisors work at franchised dealerships, independent repair shops, tire and service centers, specialty automotive facilities, and other automotive businesses. Responsibilities and compensation structures may differ depending on the employer.
How can I find service advisor jobs near me?
Search current CarGuys opportunities based on your location and experience. Because automotive employers add positions regularly, you can also create a candidate account and receive job alerts about relevant opportunities.
How can I receive alerts about new service advisor and service writer jobs?
Create a CarGuys candidate account and complete your profile. Job alerts can help you learn about relevant automotive opportunities without having to search for new openings every day.
Find Your Next Service Advisor Opportunity
The right service advisor job is about more than finding an open position.
Compensation, repair-order volume, technician staffing, management, customer traffic, schedule, department processes, and advancement opportunities can all affect whether a position is the right long-term fit.
CarGuys helps automotive professionals explore opportunities with dealerships, independent repair shops, and other automotive employers looking for service advisors and service writers.
Search current openings today, or create an account so you can hear about future opportunities that match your experience and location.