Whether you're an experienced veteran looking for a new challenge or a young hopeful trying to break into the world of motorsports, the task is not an easy one. Like the sport itself, you need to seek out the competitive advantage that allows you to stand out in the crowd that has the same goal.
Finding a job is never easy. Finding the right job becomes even more difficult, especially if the conditions are less than ideal. The general job market is difficult in the 21st century, and a specialized field like motorsports can be a tough place to land a career. But it can be done and there are tools to get it done right.
One of those tools has been in existence just a few months. Motorsports Employment (motorsportsemployment.com) was launched in early November (2003) with the goal of helping match employers with employees to fulfill the needs of each party. Motorsports Employment founder Stefan Pagnani said the idea came out of another project that was underway.
"My partner in this project and I were working toward a bigger site for racing merchandise," says Pagnani. "I thought we should focus on the employment side of the market first to build something for everyone interested in motorsports, then develop the follow-up site."
Since the racing merchandise site will take longer (the group already has the domain name of www.racingmerchandise.com reserved), the employment site took precedence. It took eight months to put together the site before the November launch. Immediately, it drew attention. "When we launched, we were getting 4,000 hits a day," says Pagnani. "A month later, we're up to 8,000 and still going."
This site is more than a dating service to match employers and prospective employees. It also serves to provide other needed information. One area of special interest is motorsports education.
"We have a listing of schools that will help you find technical training or obtain a degree or even find a scholarship from companies that might hire you when you graduate," says Pagnani. "We plan to have the best motorsports related schools worldwide on our site. Your education will serve to help you find the job when the time comes."
Pagnani devotes his days to updating and improving the site. Job seekers often find new jobs each day. Traffic has started to provide an even mix of job seekers and job posting firms. The emphasis is on getting as many of each as possible. Motorsports Employment is a member of reputable organizations such as SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) and other worldwide trade associations.
"We want to let everyone know that we are out there to help you," says Pagnani. "I am talking to HR departments at companies to let them know that we are here to help them find the employee for the openings they may have. Let us help you get the word out."
Tour the Site The site is simple in terms of navigation. A main page offers complete information about the services offered and essentially opens the portals to the desired service. Buttons at the top of the page for posting resumes and searching for jobs occupy the left side, while employers can focus their attention to the top right.
In our site tour, we started with the job search function. Cate- gories included Automotive, Aviation/Aerospace, Marine, Motorcycle, and Other Motorsports. A visit to the Automotive category found 25 sub-categories with the number of jobs in each category listed beside the title. If there is a new posting, this is noted for those who are frequent visitors.
Of course, if you're using a one-way street to look for jobs, you've cut your chances in half. Employers will check the posted resumes in search of qualified candidates to fill their spots. Posting a resume on this site is a simple process.