As a car enthusiast, there is nothing quite like taking your car for a spin or spending the day working on your favourite vehicle.
But what if your car enthusiasm doesn’t have to be just a hobby? What if you can transform your love of cars into a career? Sounds like the kind of job you’ve been dreaming about, right?
Here’s the good news: there are so many car-focused jobs out there that will allow you to get paid to be surrounded by vehicles all day long. Lovely.
Today we’ll explore the various different career paths that you can travel down as a lover of all things metal and mechanical.
7: Automotive marketer
Whether it’s social media, SEO, videography or direct mail that you’re interested in, the marketing side of the automotive industry is an exciting place to be. You can even be a freelancer working for multiple clients.
Working in social media for a car manufacturer or dealership will allow you to showcase your knowledge and passion for cars whilst taking eye-catching photos and videos of vehicles. You will likely be tasked with growing the social media presence of your employer or client, and it’s up to you how you do this. You can try and be the next viral hit or work hard at building a buzzing community around cars.
Of course, there are many more areas of specialisation when it comes to automotive marketing. You could plan and design brochures, build exhibition stands for trade events or become a copywriter for a major international vehicle brand. It’s up to you where you go!
For reference, a social media executive in the automotive industry can expect to earn around £25,000-£30,000 (per year) when starting out in the UK. If you become a freelancer with multiple clients and a proven track record, you can quickly work to triple this salary.
6: Car salesperson
Hey, we know – car salespeople have a bit of a reputation when it comes to your average car buyers.
Some are pushy and rude, others are too shy and inexperienced in the automotive industry. But it doesn’t have to be like this – if you let your passion for cars shine through, you’ll make sales effortlessly! There’s nothing better than an honest salesperson who knows what they’re talking about.
Car salespeople nearly always work on a commission structure – where they earn a bonus based on the value and volume of sales they make. A base salary for a new salesperson can range from £20,000-£30,000 in the UK. With the commission you make on sales, you can quickly expect to make more than this.
5: Mechanic
For a true petrolhead, it doesn’t get more real (or dirty) than this.
A good mechanic is a blessing to the people in your local area. How many times have you taken your car to a naff garage with an obnoxious stench and tools lying everywhere? If you’re friendly, willing to get your hands dirty and you’ve got a flair for fixing common car problems, you will be sure to make a great mechanic.
Salaries and wages for mechanics can vary pretty widely. If you’re just starting out in a franchised garage chain, you can expect to make around £22,000-£25,000 per year at first. If you own your own garage as a business owner, your profits can easily exceed £60,000-£70,000 per year in the UK. People will always need a trusty mechanic!
4: Car Blogger/Vlogger
Sure, I’m a bit biased on this subject – but writing about cars is just so much fun.
As a writer, it helps to be passionate about the industry you write about. So, if you’re really into cars, why not write about them? You can set up your own blog website, write articles for magazines or even film video reviews of cars and upload them to YouTube.
Junior automotive content creators can make anything between £20,000-£30,000 per year – with senior content creators and editors making upwards of £50,000 a year in the UK. If you’re a blogger or vlogger, it might be tough to get traction at the very beginning – but keep at it, and you’ll get to where you need to be.
3: Car Detailer
Maybe you’d like to take a different approach entirely and start a business that caters to other car enthusiasts!
You could start a car-detailing company. If you’re a dab-hand with the wash mitt and buckets, consider starting your own mobile detailing business. When you gain some customers and start growing, you can expand into a physical location (or multiple locations!). A great way to promote your detailing activities is to post on Instagram and other social media platforms. Build up your brand, satisfy your customers and you’ll be wondering why you didn’t start sooner!
Mobile detailers who own their own business can easily make £50,000-£70,000 per year. Once people trust you and your services, you can charge an even bigger premium on your detailing services. Remember to collect testimonials – you’ll need proof of your skills to showcase on social media!
2: Car designer
We have all had that dream of being a car designer. If you spent countless hours doodling car designs as a kid, this might just be the perfect career for you.
To be a car designer, you will need to have a keen eye for design and detail. You also need to be able to predict how everyday people will use and interact with your design. Depending on the manufacturer, you will probably be working with a team and collaborating on a number of projects. The idea of designing and shaping a car that you can see driving out on the road is an exciting feeling!
Automotive designers who are just starting out can expect to make around £40,000 a year in the UK. This will increase as you build up your knowledge and experience in the industry.
1: Prototype car tester
The holy grail of car enthusiast careers: the prototype car tester. You have probably seen them driving down the motorway before – the cars with the funky black and white patterns covering their shape and curves.
Prototype car testers are paid to put cars through their paces – testing things like braking ability, acceleration, turning radius, and more. Prototype car testers are usually hired by car manufacturers for their unmatched knowledge of cars, as well as their driving skills. You’ll get to test out some awesome new cars and technological innovations, as well as spend some serious quality time with your favourite thing in the world: cars.
Prototype car testers can quite easily earn £60,000-£70,000 in the UK, depending on whether they are full-time or part-time with one manufacturer or lots of different car manufacturers. In summary: it’s a very cool job.
Final thoughts
This is not a definitive list of every car career that is available to you. There are so many new jobs being created in the automotive industry every day – it’s the perfect time to get involved and show your passion for cars!
We hope that this article helped to inspire you to turn your hobby into a fulfilling and rewarding career path.
Do you work in the automotive industry? What do you do? Let us know below!
