How to hire automotive body and related repairers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components. • File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools. • Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools. • Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take. • Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling. • Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers. • Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders. • Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, monitoring and speaking skills • Working knowledge of mechanical • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $26.39 an hour ($54,890 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for automotive body and related repairers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to file, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What automotive body and related repairers do
- Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components.
- File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
- Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.
- Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
- Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling.
- Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers.
- Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
- Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for automotive body and related repairers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: Up to 1 month (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Long-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +3.7% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 12,600 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay automotive body and related repairers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Rhode Island | $72,490 |
| California | $66,860 |
| New Jersey | $62,400 |
| Minnesota | $60,970 |
| Missouri | $60,540 |
| Louisiana | $47,150 |
| West Virginia | $47,090 |
| Kentucky | $46,080 |
See automotive body and related repairers pay in every state
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.